Anonymous wrote:Once a month and I need it.
Roots only for 25 mins. Then last 5 min I paint vertical stripes over the already dyed hair to refresh. I vary the pattern each month. This avoids getting overly dark tips and overly processed, damaged hair. As I wear my hair past my shoulders this matters more.
Many helpful tips here. Thank you.
Using a cream developer and cream color will lessen the mess in the bathroom. Getting a shower head with a hose and sprayer helps ALOT. You can just aim water where you need it. I now only do my hair with cool water.
I have used One N Only Argon oil color 4N from Sally Beauty for a few years (after using boxed Clarol Nice N Easy for 10 years, stopped as it was frying my hair to a crisp) but am looking to switch again. Some of my gray is going white and it resists that dye now. Researching Age Beautiful now. Also at Sally. Both even cheaper than drugstore box dye. I can mix only what I need. There are some good sales people at Sally's (but not all of them
I always put on a ton of moisturizer before I dye. Face around hairline, neck, chest and hands. Then the dye will just wipe off. Plus it's like a masque treatment and extra moisture. Hands can get very soft with extra lotion inside the gloves.
Ardell sells a product called Gray Magic. It's an additive to help cover resistant grays. Looks like soy sauce. I think it helps the dye stay better. At Sally's and Amazon.
Another thing that helps my color last longer is I only shampoo every two weeks. In between, I do a co-wash instead. Do everything like you're shampooing but just use small amount of conditioner instead of shampoo. I rinse well. Then I put a dab of conditioner on, work it through the ends mostly and do not rinse out. Locks in the moisture. That being said, I do have dry curly hair (and coloring makes it even more dry) so I do not get greasy until 2 weeks. I wash with shampoo then and I can see my hair dye fade right away. I go another 2 weeks and shampoo really good the day before I color again. I do not shampoo after coloring as the directions state. I only do a co-wash after I dye. And I let the dye oxidize for two days before I put anything else on my hair (products, sprays, heat defeat, etc.) That "dye smell" is your hair rebounding and oxidizing. Leave it alone for two days. This helps the color look more natural and last longer for me.