Why Home Colour can be Bad for Your Hair…

Why Home Colour can be Bad for Your Hair…

Most people know that home colour isn’t great for their hair but don’t know why…so here’s the low-down. Colour services can be pricey but it’s really not because us hairstylists want to make money from you, we’re doing our job by advising what we believe is best for the look you would like to achieve. I’ve personally spent a lot of time (and money!) on my education and I like to think I know a bit more than the back of a box of hair colour!

In a nutshell:

1) The formula is far too strong for most users

2) Application error can cause uneven pigment, over-pigmentation and unnecessary dryness.

How colour works and what the numbers mean…

Colours range in levels from 1-10, where 1 is black and 10 is lightest blonde. There are also variations of tones within these levels such as ash, mahogany, gold, and copper. The tones usually appear after the first number e.g 6.3 is Light Golden Brown or 9.1 Light Ash Blond.

The developer (hydrogen peroxide or bleach) is the agent the transfers the colour from the outside of your hair to the inside of your hair. It ranges in strength from 10-40 volume, 10 volume is the weakest strength and is used to change hair colour by 1 shade, while 40 volume is the strongest and can change hair colour up to 4 shades (generally speaking).

The formula is far too strong for most users

Shop bought colour is designed to work for everyone and therefore it is formulated to be super strong whether you need it or not. For most, colouring their hair a shade or two darker, or covering a few grays may find they are using four times the amount of developer than actually required. This can result in unnecessary dryness and breakage. When visiting a salon your stylist will assess your hair condition, desired shade and existing product; your colour is then mixed to the strength and shade combination required to get the correct result. This isn’t to say that hair colourist’s are magicians! If your hair is in particularly poor condition or over coloured, the stylist may advise a gradual change rather than a complete overhaul.

Application error can cause uneven colour, over pigmentation and unnecessary dryness.

The common mistake is to stick a box colour over the entire length of hair…every time. Layering artificial colour pigment over and over itself again is completely unnecessary and causes over pigmentation. Over pigmentation can make the hair look dull and opaque and therefore appear far too dark in colour. Colour is also really tricky to apply evenly, hence why stylists use a brush and section out the hair. It may be easy to colour the hair that is visible from the front but areas at the back are often patchy or missed all together. This can be a really tricky job to fix and often requires the hair to be stripped.

The main thing to remember is if it comes out wrong, a hair colourist will not simply be able to colour over the top of it. Tint does not remove tint, it often has to be stripped from the hair, the hair re-pigmented and then recoloured; a lengthy and costly exercise!

If you really cannot afford to visit the salon then stick to these rules to get better results when colouring your own hair at home …but it’s still a risk!

1) Pick a box colour that is only 2 shades lighter or darker than your natural colour. Trying a dramatic new look is risky and not recommended!

2) Follow the instructions carefully! Apply your colour only on the new growth for touch ups. Recolouring the entire head of hair every time will cause dullness and drying. If the colour has faded  all over, just apply the colour to the lengths  and ends of the hair during the last 5 minutes of processing.

3) Get a friend to help with those hard to reach areas!

Vicky Brown Hair and Makeup Artist

Based in Hertfordshire

www.vicky-brown.co.uk