It is good to know about the thing you are going to try for first time especially if you are going for change in hair color. Hair is an important part of your personality and you would never want to damage them with poor quality hair dye. Here are some basics of hair dye which helps you in selecting the right color for you:
Basics of hair color
Colorant and developer
There are many temporary hair colors or semi permanent colors (hair gloss) are availablehair in market which have small life span up to 6 – 12 shampoos and used to deepen hair color but if you want a drastic change in your hair color then you should go for permanent hair color. The permanent hair color box has two components which are:
- Colorant (labeled step 1)
- Developer (labeled step 2)
When these ingredients are mixed together then the developer acts as an oxidizing agent and activates the color. It opens up the hair shaft and the pigment easily penetrates deeper into the inner layer and bind itself to hair. This oxidation process usually completes in 20 – 30 minutes.
Level
The term “level” is used to indicate the lightness and brightness of the hair and it ranges from black (level 1) to lightest blond (level 10). The identification of level help your stylist choosing the best suitable color for you or in taking a decision that you really require a pre-lightening of hair or not for your desired look. You will get dramatic results if you move away from your natural color which makes your roots noticeable in less time. It is better to have subtle change in your hair color by opting for 2 levels lighter or darker than your natural shade.
Tone
Another important thing in hair color is the “tone” which is the measure of warmth or coolness of hair color. Warm tones consists of colors like red, orange and yellow so if you want to add some warmth to your hair then opt for golden, chestnut or bronze tones. Blue, green and violet colors are members of cool tones so when you want to add some cool tone to your hair then go for icy, ashy or smoky shade. Shades which are labeled “natural” let your natural color reflect in the final result. It is better to identify your hair tone to avoid any unfortunate result after coloring.
Gel
Hair colors are available in three different forms which are gel, crème and mousse. A silky gel formula is long lasting and stays up to 8 weeks. It gives luminous and translucent hair color.
Crème
This hair color offers maximum hair coverage and best suitable for coarse, dry or fragile hair.
Mousse
If you want an easy to use hair color then go for mousse formula which is more like shampoo. Just pump and lather to get gorgeous color without any fuss.
Retouch
Touch ups are very important after you color your hair to prevent your roots from being noticeable. Always apply the color on your roots first and then rest of the hair during retouch of hair. Check your instruction sheet for timing or wait approximately 10 -15 minutes to ensure even coloring of hair. If you want to lighten your shade then you should go for a bit lighter shade than your previous one. Apply the shade only to your roots so that your ends can fade away with time and matches with your new lighter shade.
Highlights
You don’t want to color your hair completely but want to brighten it with lightening few strands. You can highlight your hair in two different ways. You can use a pull through cap which offers an easy, precise and perfect application of highlights. If you want your highlights to appear more salon like then paint on method will give you symmetrical or asymmetrical highlights.
Non permanent color
This hair color has a lifespan of 28 shampoos and masks your gray hair naturally. It can enhance your natural color, make your hair color a shade darker and make your root less noticeable than permanent color.
Permanent color
This hair color doesn’t wash out and it lasts until you get a new hair cur or your hair grows out. It can make your hair color lighter or darker and offer full gray coverage. If you have decided to go for permanent color but confused about the shade then you should first go for lighter shade as it is easier to make your hair darker.