What everyone should know about hair dye

Sonia says: I have natural black hair and for years I had dyed it light brown. Then one day went back to black. Now my question is how do I get it back to brown? I’ve tried several dyes and nothing has changed but my roots.

The Right Brain responds:

How do you get your hair from black back to brown? You need to bleach out the dark color before you can add the lighter brown shade. You should probably have this done in a salon, but if you do decide to do it at home, make sure you buy the right kind of hair dye. In case you didn’t know, there are 3 different types of hair colors. Here’s a quick description along with the pros and cons of each:

The 3 Types of Hair Colors

Temporary Color

This is basically a colorful gel or cream that coats your hair. It lasts 1, maybe 2, shampoos at best. Sometimes less if you’re sweaty! Manic Panic is a good example of this kind of product. And if you’re really feeling frisky, Betty Beauty even makes a temporary color for hair *ahem* down there.

Pros: You can go crazy and make your hair day-glo red, blue, yellow or orange!

Cons: You run the risk of looking like a clown, which is bad. But only for a day or so, which is good. Unless the circus is in town that day, which is bad.

Semi or Demi Permanent Color

These colors use ingredients known as “direct dyes.” They stain the hair and take several shampoos to wash out. The new Sunsilk Color Boost products use this type of dye.

Pros: Let’s you experiment with a touch of color without much commitment.

Cons: The colors usually aren’t very good and you can’t add lighter shades on top of darker hair.

Permanent (or Oxidative) Color

This is the most serious type of hair color. It typically involves bleaching your hair to remove your natural color, then adds in color molecules that are locked inside the hair shaft. It should last until your roots grow out but some fading from washing will occur. Examples include Garnier Nutrisse, Revlon Colorist, and pretty much any coloring treatment you get in a salon. Highlights are a version of oxidative color but may only involve the bleaching step.

Pros: When done properly, this kind of color looks fabulous and lasts for weeks even months.

Cons: The chemical process is damaging to your hair, you’re stuck with the color for weeks (even months), and you have to recolor when your roots grow out.

Statistics say that more than 60% of women color their hair. But that Betty Beauty product has got me wondering…how many women color their hair “down there?” Is that too scandalous? Leave a comment and let the rest of the Beauty Brains community know what you think!