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How can I liven up my bleach blonde hair? |
| Q |
"I'm really pale and want to change the colour of my hair for something quite noticeably different. At the moment it's bleach blonde but I'd love to try a more golden shade. I definitely don't want to look ginger! Do you have any suggestions?"
Lucy Grundy, (16) - Manchester
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| A |
"Hi Lucy,
We asked John Clark, the Senior Technician at Brooks and Brooks, London to offer some advice!
"If you are pale and want to be warmer then I would definitely opt for a soft, delicate golden toffee hue. Working in two or three different depths of colours will give the hair the illusion fullness and will reflect the light better. You can still have a full head colour to mask your re-growth but instead of opting for bleach ask your hairdresser to try a light blonde or high lift tint. For the darker gold and toffee tones I would lowlight ribbons of the hair with long-lasting semi permanent colours. To make it a glam Hollywood type of blonde (think Kate Hudson or on the deeper side Jennifer Aniston) I would use a great technique called Balayage which in French means to sweep or brush and leaves you with beautiful swathes of colour throughout the head.
When adding depth to pre lightened hair it is always advisable to consult a professional colourist or you could end up getting in a tricky situation!
John Clark is Senior Technician at the multi award-winning Brooks & Brooks, London, England. For more information visit www.brooksandbrooks.co.uk or call 020 7405 8111.
" |
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Can I put another colour on top of my already dyed hair? |
| Q |
"I recently dyed my hair a red colour then put a dark brown over the top. Could I put highlights in my hair?"
elaine dudley, (28) - bournemouth
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| A |
"Hi Elaine,
It sounds to us like you need a trip to the salon! In theory yes, you can add highlights to your existing colour but layering so many shades on top of each other isn't necessarily particularly healthy for your hair. Why don't you visit your local hairdresser and get their advice? A consultation with any good hairdresser is free and you don't have to go back if you don't agree with what they've suggested. They'll be able to assess the health of your hair as well as advising you on what colours will work best with your current shade." |
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How can I keep my blonde hair blonde? |
| Q |
"I was wondering if there was any way to keep my hair blonde as I have it now, but without having my scalp blistered up every time my hairdresser bleaches my hair? I read about BLONDME that Anita Cox McMillan recommended to another user on the site, could you please tell me more about that? I Recently discovered a Schwarzkopf Professional salon nearby; can I trust them?! Thanks in advance!
"
olga, (30) - Greece
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| A |
"BLONDME is a premium performance lightener with a unique fusion of activating elements that lifts your colour up to 8 levels. It also contains anti-yellow agents for advance naturalisation whilse lifting. As it is a Schwarzkopf Professional product, it is designed for in-salon use only. My advice would be to book into the Schwarzkopf salon near you for a colour consultation to have an indepth consultation on your hair and scalp history and to discuss what you are trying to achieve with your colour. This will give you a chance to have any queries answered. The stylist will then be able to advise whether BLONDME is the best product for your scalp and how to achieve the results you require. They may suggest an alternative such as highlights which would still keep your hair very blonde but avoids any on scalp application." |
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How do I get back to brunette from blonde? |
| Q |
"I've been dying my hair bleach blonde for nearly three years and I decided a few weeks ago that I wanted to go back to my natural colour; a light brown shade. It would take ages to grow out and I don't really want to dye it again. Is stripping my hair the only way to get back to my natural colour? I heard that this really damages your hair! Please help! Thank you! "
Amy, (16) - Leeds
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| A |
"Stripping, or cleansing as we professionals prefer to call it, is a process used when you need to remove colour from the hair. It is usually done when taking a client from a darker shade to lighter to help achieve a more even colour result, particularly if the ends have been over coloured (usually from at home colouring) and have colour build up.
If your hair is blonde and you are looking to go darker (back to your natural colour), we would first need to have an indepth consultation and discuss your hair and scalp history, what colour you are planning to move towards and to assess your hairs' condition to determine whether a colour change is achievable. Your local Schwarzkopf Professional salon will be able to do this for you.
The process we would then go through is pre-pigmentation of the ends which deposits pigment back into the pre-lightened ends of the hair. Then to choose a shade as close to your natural colour which will be used to colour all the hair in order to achieve as much of an even colour as possible, which depends on the hairs porosity.
You may need to use semi-permanent and conditioning treatments on the hair for a little while until the previously lightened ends start to hold colour.
Find your nearest Schwarzkopf salon by visiting www.schwarzkopf-professional.com/index.php?id=152" |
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Dealing with bad service at the salon |
| Q |
"I went to the most expensive salon in town yesterday. It is my 30th birthday today and yesterday the manager bleached my hair which I have never had done before. My scalp blistered up and now my hair looks yellow. She knew it looked yellow and even said it did, but I was convinced she made it look OK until I got home and looked in the mirror at the back! It is really yellow! What should I do? It has completely ruined my birthday, I can't stop crying and have cancelled a meal out tonight because of it. "
Cheryl, (30) - Mansfield
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| A |
"This is not an uncommon issue, but I feel the way in which you were dealt with isn't great. The salon should really offer to sort this out and redo your colour free of charge. The whole process should have been properly explained to you. The colour of your hair during the colouring process will reveal its pigment undercoat, which is usually a warm yellow or orange colour. A toner should then be used after the lightening process to neutralise this colour. Some bleaching products can be quite aggressive to your hair and scalp depending on the peroxide used and the brand. Once your hair and scalp condition improves if you still want to change your colour I would recommend seeking a Schwarzkopf Professional salon and asking for a treatment called BLONDME which uses a low developer. If not then choosing a tinted colour could counteract the yellow tones and also improve the condition of your hair. Just be careful and make sure you explain to whoever you see next what’s happened.
Cox McMillan, 40 Battersea Rise, Clapham, London, SW11 1EE. Call 0207 223 8888 for appointments or visit www.anitacox.co.uk. For your nearest Schwarzkopf stockist please call 01296 314 000" |
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Getting dyed blonde hair back to natural brunette |
| Q |
"Hello everyone! I'm new in here, just registered but I've been reading Hair Now for some time, I find it really interesting and I get a lot of nice ideas!
I'm a natural brunette but I've been colouring my hair blonde for the last six months or so. I want to go back to my natural shade but have no idea how - any suggestions? My hair is currently a mid-length bob and my hair is wavy.
Greetings from Evoia, Greece !!! "
olga, (29) - greece
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| A |
"This is a common question but is a tricky process to do yourself. If it’s not done properly you will end up with a poor result and very costly repair bill. My advice would be to go and see a professional hairdresser to ensure a good end result. If this is not possible then you will need to firstly get some warmth back into your hair as all of the pigment will have been stripped from your hair due to the blonde colouring. Depending on how dark you want to go you will need to add orange tones, red or your natural shade, but again this is something I would recommend is done in a salon rather than at home.
Cox McMillan, 40 Battersea Rise, Clapham, London, SW11 1EE. Call 0207 223 8888
for appointments or visit www.anitacox.co.uk. For your nearest Schwarzkopf stockist please call 01296 314 000 or visit www.hairsupermarket.com." |
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How often should I be getting my highlights done? |
| Q |
"How often should I be getting my highlights re-done? I thought every three months was OK but our beauty ed gets hers done every six weeks. Now I feel like a tramp. Help!"
Emily, (25) - London
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| A |
"Highlights depend on how different the shades are from your natural colour. I have clients that vary from every 5 weeks to every 3 months like yourself. Generally if you stick to a multi-tonal look it's more natural and you can get away with leaving it longer too. The blonder you are the more obvious your re-growth will be which is why some people will have to have them done a lot more frequently. Also the more often you get them done the more of a build-up you get so you find yourself needing them done more. If you keep a few different tones in there it tends to stop the build up happening." |
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Repairing damaged blonde hair |
| Q |
"I have my hair dyed blonde, it's in very bad condition and has really thinned out due to breakage. What are the best products to use? "
Lauren, (16) - Kent
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| A |
"Hi Lauren,
The most important thing your hair needs right now is moisture! Make sure you regularly use an intensive mask (we love Kerastase Chroma Riche) and leave it on for as long as you can. We recommend you slather it on, cover your hair with a shower cap and leave for an hour before rinsing off. You could also try Philip Kingsley's famous Elasticizer Extreme which our peroxide blonde editor swears by for getting her hair back into great shape. Finally, don't forget to use a leave-in conditioner to nurse your hair back into shape. Next time you're at the salon getting your colour done, ask your colourist which products they recommend for aftercare - although salon brands are more expensive, they're really important for maintaining coloured care properly." |
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Help! How do I get rid of black dye without growing it out? |
| Q |
"Is it possible to get black dye out of my hair and get back to my natural colour without growing it out?"
Gemma Downey, (16) - Newcastle
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| A |
"We asked Vicky Turner at Goldsworthy's Cirencester to answer your question...
To get black colour out of the hair you would need a colour cleanser but there would still be colour in your hair. With this technique you could gently lift some of the depth out and put another colour over the top, maybe a lighter brown. However, this also depends on the history of your hair to how even the result is. You should definitely seek advice from a colour technician because it's a very tricky process and not something you could do yourself. Someone who knows what they are doing would be able to get you as close to your natural colour as possible while keeping your hair as healthy as possible too." |
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Does the credit crunch mean an end to my highlights? |
| Q |
"I'm on a tight budget but I love having higlights. What's the most cost-effective way for me to keep having them during the credit crunch?"
Justine, (20) - Bradford
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| A |
"We suggest you go for a full head the first time, then a quarter heard, then a half head. It tops the colour up throughout the year and leaves it looking great. You can also try a training evening at your local salon - it'll take a bit longer but trainees are fully supervised and you'll get an amazing, cheap colour." |
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Stripping colour |
| Q |
"I've got dyed jet black hair and my natural colour is light brown. Any
advice how I can get it back to my natural colour? "
ellie, (25) - united kingdom
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| A |
"We asked superstar hairdresser Karine Jackson, Creative Director of Herb UK to answer your question.
This is a difficult process, it depends on how long you have been colouring
your hair. The black pigment is the largest and when it goes into the hair
shaft it expands like a star. You will have to have the colour stripped out, and
then a colour similar to your natural colour applied. I would not attempt to
do this yourself - it is a big colour correction, but it is possible." |
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Get a grip |
| Q |
"How do I use velcro rollers to get volume in my hair? I can never get them to stay in properly!"
Anna, (25) - London
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| A |
"We asked Tracey Devine of Angels in Aberdeen to answer your question. As Scottish Hairdresser of the Year, she knows her stuff!
Don’t worry, it’s easy! Simply section off the hair, then spray with a fine mist of hairspray. Smooth in the roller from root to tip then roll to to the root, adding a grip to secure. Do this all over the head, leave for ten to twenty minutes then take out and shake! The secret is to use a spray that is not too heavy and is easy to brush out, like L’Oréal Elnette. " |
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Colour trends for Autumn |
| Q |
"I have long, very dark brown hair which I've never dyed before. I want a new
look for when I go back to school in September and was wondering what colour
trends are around that I could try? "
Chloe Rose, (15) - Edinburgh
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| A |
"We asked celeb hairdresser and creative director of Herb UK to answer your question...
Bold vibrant colours are key this Autumn, so think deep coppers or bright reds. I
would experiment with semi permanent colours first to see what suits you
best.
" |
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Banishing brassiness |
| Q |
"I bleached my hair recently and even after using an ash blonde dye, my hair is still more yellow than I would like. Can you recommend any good anti-yellow shampoos, or any other tips for combating the golden tones?"
Stephanie Hamer, (20) - United Kingdom
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| A |
"Hi Stephanie. The easiest way to banish yellow tones at home is with a blue or violet tinted shampoo. The (bleach) blondes here in the office rate Paul Mitchell Platinum Blonde Shampoo, £9.95 and Lee Stafford Bleach Blondes Shampoo, £5.37.
Otherwise you could always visit your local salon and get the opinion of a colourist. Getting a toner applied should sort out the colour but won't cost as much as a full head of blonde!" |
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Decisions, decisions... |
| Q |
"My colour at the moment is mid-brown, but I'd like to try a different colour for the summer - somthing totally not what I'm used to! Would a plum or burgundy suit me, or dark chocolate brown with a few red highlights?"
debbie, (41) - milton keynes
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| A |
"Hi Debbie, thanks for your question!
The most important thing to consider when changing your hair colour is to get a shade that suits you and flatters your skin tone. Without seeing a picture of you, it's hard to tell which shade would suit you but remember that your hair will look better if you stay within 3 or 4 shades of your natural hair colour. Any shade too far away from your natural tone will simply look odd.
Take a trip to your local salon and have a consultation with your colourist. Take pictures of colours similar to what you're after so they can get a good idea of the look you're after. A consultation should be free, and you aren't obligated to say yes so if you're not happy with their suggestions, go elsewhere. Good luck!" |
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Lighten up! |
| Q |
"I'm having my hair cut tomorrow - it's currently long and a brown/blonde colour. I'd like to go lighter but I'm scared it will go ginger! Will it?
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loran, (15) - pewsey
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| A |
"Hi Ioran,
Your hair shouldn't go ginger if you go to a reputable salon - unless you want it to! You're a walking advert for your hairdresser, so it's in their best interest to make sure you look amazing. Why not try going lighter gradually? As you are light brown anyway, gradually adding in varying shades of blonde from creamy vanilla to honey and caramels, will give your hair a sexy Hollywood glow. This way you can also gradually determine how light you want to go.
For a low maintenance blonde, go for a soft highlighted effect created by your colourist weaving with a blonding cream which will lift your hair naturally three to four shades. This results in a sun-kissed holiday look and should only need maintenance two to three times per year. This also means no bleach and less noticeable re-growth. Always use good professional products when washing and styling your hair at home as they really help enhance the condition." |
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Stylish at 60+ |
| Q |
"Hello,
I have a lot of grey and was thinking about going for highlights or
something a bit younger to cover it. Are there any colour trends that I
could try? I'd also love to know what the pitfalls are of colouring grey
hair, and if there is anything I should look out for?
Thanks!"
June, (60) - Carlisle
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| A |
"Dear June,
Grey is the word used for what you see in the mirror, but in fact what is
really there is your natural base colour with white hair - the more grey you see, the more natural base you still have. I would think of going for a new hair style, incorporating some clever highlights to give your hair back that sparkle and colour reflection but still keeping the hair light to maintain a bright complexion. It's very important that you always blow dry your hair downwards using a nozzle attachment to smooth the cuticle down and keep shine and reflection. Maintenance is harder work as you get older - gone are the days when all you had to do was brush your hair through to look stunning! You'll get great results using my platinum shampoo, which will give the white a sparkle adding reflection to the base. Finish with the volume conditioner - try this for six weeks before you go out and spend lots of money! " |
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Purple passion |
| Q |
"I have pale skin and I’m looking for a colour that will make my face look less pale. I was thinking a red or purple. Would that be a bad idea?"
Annemarie, (18)
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| A |
"I'm not sure about red or purple on pale skin. These are quite strong colours which might make you appear paler. Maybe more subtle highlights with a mixture of blonds, honey and copper would be more you. As a general rule if you go more than two shades darker or lighter (or redder!) than your natural colour the result will be stronger and less natural and you will need to wear more make-up. I recommends that you book a consultation in your local salon with a colourist - your consultation should be free, and if you're not happy with their suggestion then there's no obligation to make an appointment.
" |
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Blonde ambition |
| Q |
"My all-over colour is red with few a blonde foils through the front. I would like to go back to a warm caramel with blonde highlights. Is this possible?"
Debbie, (38) - South Wales
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| A |
"I would go back to a warm caramel shade, using semi-permanent colour as this will give a shinier colour. And yes, it's a good idea to have a few highlights put through first with a mild bleach, or a high lifted tint if your hair is suitable for that product. I would advise speaking to a colourist at your salon - they're there to help!" |
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Red Head? |
| Q |
"I know red’s a huge colour trend at the moment but I’ve heard it can fade really quickly. If I take the plunge and go for it, what can I do to ensure it stays looking bold for as long as possible?"
Alecia, (32)
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"The main tip I’d give you Alecia is to look after your hair. I always recommend a good shampoo and conditioner; there is no point spending time and money on your hair and then throwing it all away by using cheap non-professional products. All hair colour can fade quickly and the rate depends on your lifestyle, your natural colour and what you use on it. Make sure your products are designed for coloured hair and your shade will stay dazzling for longer! If you use straighteners, always use a heat protection spray to prevent heat damage too.”" |
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Temporary Colour |
| Q |
"I’ve got highlighted hair but am thinking of changing to something a little bolder. Is it possible to experiment with temporary colours before I make a decision or will these produce different results to a permanent dye?"
Justine, (26)
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| A |
"To go bolder can only mean one thing, blonder. If you fancy going platinum like Gwen Stefani, I’d advise you to try it out first with either some coloured extensions or with some slightly chunkier bleach highlights sprinkled throughout your hair. This is a big change and if you are going to go for it, be prepared for the upkeep. Once you have a full head of colour, you will need to visit the salon at least once a month to keep it looking good. Temporary colours in this instance would not work and would only darken your hair. As long as your hair is in good condition I’d say go for a change!" |
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Washed Out |
| Q |
"I’ve got blonde highlighted hair and pale skin but would like to try a brunette shade for a change. I’m worried it will ‘wash out’ my complexion; what can you advise?"
Lara, (32) - Belfast
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| A |
"To really look fabulous as a brunette you need to have a warm, olive skintone and hazel or green eyes like the gorgeous Eva Mendes, Katie Holmes and Eva Longoria. Do you remember when Cameron Diaz went dark? As gorgeous as Cameron looked, she had to rethink her clothes and make-up because such a dramatic change affects your whole look and colours that suited you as a blonde might look terrible as a brunette! Talk to your stylist about having some lowlights woven very finely through your hair to break up the blonde. This way you will have a taster of how your hair will look and you can make the change gradually. Once you go brunette you can’t change back to being blonde overnight so be careful!" |
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Dull Hair |
| Q |
"My hair always looks dull and a friend suggested I try a glossing treatment at a salon. I don’t want to change my hair colour though so would this still work for me?"
Amy, (24)
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| A |
"Oh yes, I love glossing treatments, they are the perfect little boost and they really work, giving your hair shine and sparkle! Glossing treatments are like a clear nail varnish for hair, they can be used on natural hair or coloured hair and all they do is give it shine. As you say your hair is always dull, I’d suggest you try changing your shampoo and conditioner. It could be that what you are using is too heavy for your hair and this is resulting in it losing its shine and body." |
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