Hair Dye 101

Last weekend I was emailing with the lovely and fabulous SB about how she was about to dye her hair. And did I have "any tips?!" Apparently, I did. Perhaps from dying my hair approximately 1,864 times or maybe because I am just bossy. Who can say!? Well, either way, I thought I could also share these tips with you, the Internet. Maybe they will be helpful! Maybe you think I'm a dumbass? Again, WHO CAN SAY? But, here goes. Tips! Many tips! English tips!*

ASH verses GOLDEN? So, most hair dyes are either ASH or GOLDEN. Ashes are COOL COLORS. Good for hair which is not starting out a warm lovely brown or auburny red color because the ash will turn your hair a kind of icky tone (yes, that is the correct terminology) that is probably not very attractive with your warm skin tone. Often ASH is good for people who are starting out with blondish or mousy brownish hair (like me!). GOLDEN is therefore for WARM COLORS and people who want to have reddish or darker brown highlights. It's also the more "orange/red" end of the blonde spectrum. Ash is blue based, golden is red. Not that you will have BLUE hair on the end, but that is what it is BASED on. Am I confusing you yet?

My other major tips are coming straight from the email I sent Miss Brown - now you are privy to all my inside information! She asked me "I should plan on ruining a towel, yes?"

"Well, probably. What I do (and it looks SO SEXY) is wrap a plastic bag around my head (like a CVS or grocery store bag) and kind of tuck the handles in the back and THEN put a towel on my head. That saves some of the towel and keeps your head warm. It will probably get on some of the towel though, and I would also say wear a zip up or button up shirt so you don't have to take anything off OVER YOUR HEAD once you are done dying (assuming you are going to shower and not rinse it out in the sink or something)."

Soooo, I think those are all my tips. Of course, I am always available for last minute consultations. Also, follow the directions that come with your dye - they do know what they are talking about. And don't rinse it out before it's TIME because you could catch your hair in the midst of dying and that is not good. I've had orange hair, I know. OH, and don't wash your hair for 24 hours afterwards - it takes that long for all the dye to really PENETRATE your hair shafts.

Ha, I said penetrate! And shafts!

Good luck!

*name that reference and I will love you forever. Maybe.

Comments

[Adrienne]

Been a lurker the last few weeks and was just catching up on your new posts.

SAY ANYTHING! I love that you put that in here! I say that all the time and you would think people would get it- but most have moved on from their love of Lloyd, Lloyd all null and void and I still cling desperately.

glad you are hanging in there. you rock!

[Al]

Here's a question for you: just before I went to Nashville I re-dyed my hair in dark ash blonde, just improve the roots which were showing badly from my last dye job. Since my hair (esp at the roots) is super gray at this point, I left it one for five extra minutes. I rinsed out my hair and voila!! The roots looking EXACTLY as gray as before. I guess I am getting to the point where I have to dye ALL my hair a lighter color if I want the roots to show less. But I don't want to!!

Help, what should I do?!?

Signed,

The Gray Lady