For
most women, coloring their hair isn’t a new beauty
revolution. Hair color has the power to cover up gray and
make us feel years younger or give us a new fresh start by
going from a brunette to a blonde. What many of us do not
understand however is that hair coloring can be misleading
and turn into an unexpected hair disaster even for those
who have been coloring for years. The most common problem
is that most women think that their hair color will come
out to look exactly like the photo shown on the hair color
box. Not True! If you’ve experiencing this problem or any
other coloring disaster, please read on.
If
you’ve used a permanent hair color, the only way to remove
it is with a color removal product. Generally this is only
available at your local beauty store. Use caution if you
choose this method, however. If you’ve used a color that
is unnatural such as pink or tried going from brunette to
blonde, this won’t work for you.
If you
colored your hair a shade too light, you might be able to
use a semi-permanent color to correct the mistake. Most
manufacturers of semi-permanent hair color will have a
toll-free number on their packaging. You should call the
number and ask if their product will help in this sort of
situation.
If the
shade of blonde you chose wound up turning green, try
soaking your hair in tomato juice. The red in the tomato
juice will help neutralize the green in most cases. If
that doesn’t work, look for a shampoo that is specifically
designed for removing chlorine.
Another
solution is to try using a mixture of
3 oz.
shampoo, 20 volume peroxide and
1 oz.
water. Blend well and apply where hair color is at its
darkest. Cover hair with a shower cap and sit under a hair
dryer. About every five minutes, check the color until you
are satisfied, then shampoo and condition hair as you
normally would.
If
you’ve used a henna dye to your hair, try a combination of
alcohol and mineral oil to lighten the henna. First, apply
a mixture of 70% alcohol to strands of hair. After about
10 minutes, apply the mineral oil on top of the alcohol.
Cover with a plastic shower cap and sit under a hair dryer
for 45 minutes. Apply a shampoo directly to your hair
before applying water to remove the mineral oil. Next,
lather and rinse hair. Repeat until all the oil and henna
is removed from your hair.
Try a
color shampoo. Sometimes, all that is needed is a coloring
shampoo to soften the problem. You can find the shampoo
just about anywhere shampoos are sold.
Cut
your hair shorter to minimize the damage. Going shorter
will allow the hair to grow out quicker and let the color
fade away. Talk to your stylist to find a style that will
help hide any new roots.
If
removing the color chemically or cutting your hair is not
an option, try fading the color with hot water. You might
also be able to fade the color with a shampoo designed for
its volumizing effects since they tend to strip hair
coloring.
Another
option is to use hair accessories to help hide the color
damage. Hair extensions and hats are ideal for
camouflaging coloring mistakes. You can also use barrettes
and other accessories to distract.
If all
else fails, visit a professional hair colorist to correct
the problem. And what do you do if your colorist was the
one to make the mistake in the first place? Let them know
immediately! If he or she is at fault, they should be
willing to correct their mistakes without any additional
cost.
To
prevent a hair coloring disaster in the future, remember
it is usually best to see a professional hair colorist,
rather than trying to dye your hair at home. Remember,
your hair plays an important role in your self-image and
deserves professional attention once in a while!
