The
mistakes you're making—and how to avoid them
Falling in love with a hair color is
a magical feeling. When you see the shade you have to try, it can be
like finding a whole new identity to wear for a while. But sometimes the
end-result doesn't turn out the way you planned, looking choppy, muddy, brassy,
or just plain unnatural. Here, the top reasons your new 'do didn't do what you
wanted it to—and how to avoid having that ever happen again.
Your Hair is Several Colors to Start
If you're a hair dye addict, listen up: If your strands have a bunch of colors
layered on top of its natural shade—or your natural roots are grown out—your
dye job may end up looking choppy. This is because the dye turns out darker on
certain parts of your hair and lighter on others. "You would need to use a
color that would get you to the desired outcome for each different
section," says Jennifer J. (her professional moniker), Wella Professionals
Color Ambassador. For best results, see a professional and give them as much
info as possible about your hair's past color lives.
You Didn't Lighten Enough Beforehand
Candy-colored hair is super-fun—just ask Kelly Osborne, Demi Lovatto, and
Jemima Kirke. But if you don't have a super-light base layer, your pastel hue
may turn out muddy. "If you think about a piece of paper that is light
brown or orange and you put a bright color on top of it with a watercolor, you
would get something very muddy looking," says Jennifer. "Essentially,
if your hair is too dark, the color won't turn out the way you want it
to." To get the color you want, start by lightening your strands as
much as possible by bleach or patient highlighting them before coloring.
You Only Used One Color
Brassiness is the ultimate no when it comes to coloring hair, but it
turns out the undertones in your dye can actually be giving your ends a
greenish cast. Jennifer says that dyes often use ashy bases to prevent
brassiness, but cool, ashy-toned bases can translate to a muddy green on top of
your natural color. "The solution would be to use one color on the roots,
process, and rinse it out—and then use a different semi-permanent color on the
ends [in a matching color]," she says.
You Let It Process Too Long
You've waited patiently through the process of coloring your hair at home, only
to find that the color is dull and totally flat. What gives? Jennifer says
that you probably let the color process too long, taking all of the dimension
out of your strands. "To fix it, I would suggest a clarifying shampoo and
washing your hair a few times with it to see if that will pull [the color] out
a little bit," she says. If that doesn't work, you're going to have to
have a pro fix it. Next time, check your hair every five to 10 minutes, just to
be safe.
The Color You Chose Was Too
Unnatural
In your head, the shade translated perfectly from the photo on the box to your
hair—but in reality, that hue doesn't look as effortless on you as it does on
the model. Disaster. Jennifer says this is because you're asking
your features and skin tone to work with a color you were never meant to
naturally have. If you're going for the natural look (as in you want it to seem
like it's possible you were born with your new hair color), she recommends
staying within two or three shades of your natural color.
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