Press Room

Peroxide will damage your hair. Not true! While the peroxide–which activates the color–is acidic, it’s the other ingredients such as ammonia–which swells the hair so the color can penetrate the cuticle–that can be detrimental to the health of your hair. The differences between safe hair-coloring alternatives, such as vegetable color, and demi- or semi-permanent color is minimal. Hair coloring has been one of the easiest ways to update your look for years. As with anything we do to our bodies (hair included), anything done in excess can have adverse reactions. Coloring you hair too often may make your hair dry and brittle but it won’t make it fall out, a common misconception. Most hair loss conditions are genetic. Now that we have that cleared up, let’s take a look at some other myths about hair color.

Coloring the dreaded GRAYS:

Okay, so you have a little gray. Small amounts of gray can be covered quite well with a semi- or demi-permanent color, as long as the formulation is correct. Using these products, you can color your gray every three to five weeks, depending on the amount of gray hair you have. Also, since the color has only been changed a level or two, the growth will be subtle, minimizing the appearance of roots. The flip side to this type of coloring, gray hair can sometimes be resistant to color due to the texture and lack of melanin. The best shades to use have gold and red tones and will work better for adhering to the hair shaft than ash tones. If you are mostly or all gray or are looking to have coverage for up to two months, going permanent will be the best course of action.. As with all color treated hair, moisture is essential–especially with gray hair. To keep your hair healthy, use a good quality shampoo and strong conditioner. Using a moisturizing mask once a week will do wonders too, especially in the dry winter seasons.

My hair is so damaged, it won’t take color:

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize!… It can’t be stressed enough! If your hair is damaged it will actually absorb dye quicker than if your hair was healthier. However, this doesn’t mean that it will look better. Of course healthy hair looks better! It feels better, too, but there are ways to get the color you want and perk up your quaff while your at it. Make sure you use ammonia-free products. The drawback? You’ll only be able to maintain your natural color or go darker. You can’t go lighter without using ammonia and with damaged hair ammonia will only make your hair drier. Ensure proper hydration and moisture with a conditioner before and after coloring. This will lock in the needed moisture and give you better overall results. Using a pH balanced shampoo and condition will assist in maintaining your vibrant color, as well.

Coloring causes hair loss:

Excessive coloring can damage your hair causing it to become dry, brittle, and prone to breakage, but it doesn’t cause hair loss. Product applied incorrectly or abusive solutions can cause breakage, which will result in having short sprouts of hair (commonly mistaken as “baby hair”). Coloring at home or in a salon, you need to make sure that the color is applied only to new hair growth at the scalp; coloring from the ends will cause breakage. Stay away from duel-chemical treatments when coloring. The stress on the hair will cause damage. If you are going to get chemical treatments to your hair, such as perm, straighteners, or relaxers, have the procedure done at a minimum of 72 hours before coloring. It might make things easier for you to have the services done at the same salon with the same stylist. This way there is a good record of what you have had done.

You can go from light to dark in one treatment:

Wrong! Going from light to dark or dark to light more than three shades will require multiple treatments if you want your hair looking great and healthy! When it comes to a major color change, you need to take several things into consideration.

1. Your colorist should know your hair history for the past two years. They will need to know what you have been doing with your hair and your current color really is.
2. Prep your hair for a few days with a deep clarifying shampoo; this helps strip away existing color, making it easier to recolor.
3. A great cut is the foundation for great hair color. Your stylist can add highlights or lowlights to get you the style you want.

Fastest color to fade: RED...

Not anymore! Back in the day, in order to get the red dyes to work, large color molecules were used. Using larger pigments allowed the color to slip away more easily from the hair shaft. Due to advancements in color technology, smaller molecules are being used in the formulas, allowing those reds to last longer and look even better. Lessons in hair color theory; initially when you go red, you will get some fading due to the color underneath. But as you continue to layer red over red, the amount of fading will lessen.