Comments on: Is There A Better Way To Get My Gray Hair Dyed? http://thebeautybrains.com/2009/05/16/is-there-a-better-way-to-get-my-gray-hair-dyed/ Cosmetic chemists answer your beauty product questions! We are a group of cosmetic scientists who understand what the chemicals used in cosmetics really do, how products are tested, and what all the advertising means. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:10:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: vlizzle http://thebeautybrains.com/2009/05/16/is-there-a-better-way-to-get-my-gray-hair-dyed/comment-page-1/#comment-41848 vlizzle Sun, 13 Sep 2009 02:12:05 +0000 http://thebeautybrains.com/?p=5276#comment-41848 I am saddened by the fact that the color of your hair has so much impact on your profession. I am currently unemployed, 50 and a bit gray and I was advised to color my hair to look younger and get a job. No way, take me as I am, my gray hair and all. I am saddened by the fact that the color of your hair has so much impact on your profession. I am currently unemployed, 50 and a bit gray and I was advised to color my hair to look younger and get a job. No way, take me as I am, my gray hair and all.

]]> By: Lauren http://thebeautybrains.com/2009/05/16/is-there-a-better-way-to-get-my-gray-hair-dyed/comment-page-1/#comment-41680 Lauren Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:28:39 +0000 http://thebeautybrains.com/?p=5276#comment-41680 I am a licensed cosmetologist. Everyone's responses seem very kind. It's nice that everyone is trying to reach out to people with trouble covering grey, but you all lack the actual scientific information and training to even begin to evaluate these questions. Hair color does not "stick" to the hair. The reason grey is hard to cover is because it is extremely resistant. What happens is, as you get older and your hair starts turning, the cuticle (outside most layer of hair) begins to shrink-releasing all the melatonin in the hair shaft. This is why hair loses it's color, and why color is so hard to put back in. Essentially-there's no room. This is also why your grey hair feels drier/wirey/ or starts to change texture. Think of it like this: when you have a plastic ziploc bag full of water and sealed tight, it's plump and big. If you were to take that bag and squeeze as hard as you can and drain all the water, you are left with an empty, skinny, raggedy, prune-looking bag. That is your grey hair. What you need to know is that grey hair is resistant bottom line-but not all grey hairs are the same. You could be all grey, color all your hair evenly, and you still might have some grey that proudly stand out when it's done processing. The only only only thing you can do is re-color it. Essentially, to be able to fix this problem, you would need to use a product that can penetrate through all layers of the hair to insert the color molecules into the cortex where it will not escape. One method that I think actually works better than just putting color over grey, is lightening it first. Yes, the more you lighten your hair, the more it is damaged-but-if you use appropriate products and protein enriched (because that is mostly all your hair is, protein, specifically keratin) conditioners and never ever lighten over an already lightened area, you will be ok-but lightener interestingly enough expands the cuticle. It swells the hair shaft, opening up the outer layer to accept more of anything that wants to go into the hair. Word of caution: since the lightener expands the cuticle, this means anything ANYTHING can enter-including pollution in the air. Also, since grey hair is loss of pigmentation, it's not a sure thing of the effects of afterlightening. Although, since you are not concerned about the color of your hair after you lighten because you will be covering it with whatever color you want, this is ok. And as I just stated, once you lighten, you redeposit color into the hair shaft with whatever color you want. This allows more color to set in the hair. One thing to keep in mind though, is since the lightener opened the cuticle, more color that you deposit afterwards CAN seep back out of the hair when you rinse it. So it is best to use something called a filler. Basically all this is is mixing extra developer/water/or color in so more of it will stay when rinsed. I do not by any means expect you all to go out and by these things and use them at home. I do expect you do go to a salon. If you try these things at home, you will inevitably ruin your hair and HAVE to then go to a salon to fix it which is more expensive than just going in the first place-not to mention very hard on your hair and time consuming and with unsure results. I do not want to be held liable if women try these things at home. Another thing to keep in mind that most people do not understand or realize is that boxed hair color from the store is not effective for everyone. Depending on how light or dark your hair is and how light or dark you need to go, yields what strength developer you should use. With that in mind...boxed hair color doesn't give you multiple bottles of developer to cater to your specific hair type, do they? NO. So do you really think that someone with blonde hair level 9 and someone with browner hair level 6 are going to get the same results from the same box? NO. This is why you need to go to a salon. I'm sorry, I know the economy is bad and it can be expensive, but it's the best thing, that's why we go to school for it. You wouldn't perform your own medical surgeries at home to save money (I know hair color is not as important as health...but it can be very detrimental to your health if you do it wrong at home). Bottomline, whatever you choose to do, now you UNDERSTAND the cause, effect, and methods to fix your very common problem. So if you have someone else do your hair, you will understand what they are doing (because many stylists don't explain which leaves me completely beside myself) and you can ask more intelligent questions and have more of a say in the consultation process. GOOD LUCK LADIES! I am a licensed cosmetologist. Everyone’s responses seem very kind. It’s nice that everyone is trying to reach out to people with trouble covering grey, but you all lack the actual scientific information and training to even begin to evaluate these questions.
Hair color does not “stick” to the hair.
The reason grey is hard to cover is because it is extremely resistant. What happens is, as you get older and your hair starts turning, the cuticle (outside most layer of hair) begins to shrink-releasing all the melatonin in the hair shaft. This is why hair loses it’s color, and why color is so hard to put back in. Essentially-there’s no room. This is also why your grey hair feels drier/wirey/ or starts to change texture. Think of it like this: when you have a plastic ziploc bag full of water and sealed tight, it’s plump and big. If you were to take that bag and squeeze as hard as you can and drain all the water, you are left with an empty, skinny, raggedy, prune-looking bag. That is your grey hair.
What you need to know is that grey hair is resistant bottom line-but not all grey hairs are the same. You could be all grey, color all your hair evenly, and you still might have some grey that proudly stand out when it’s done processing. The only only only thing you can do is re-color it.
Essentially, to be able to fix this problem, you would need to use a product that can penetrate through all layers of the hair to insert the color molecules into the cortex where it will not escape. One method that I think actually works better than just putting color over grey, is lightening it first. Yes, the more you lighten your hair, the more it is damaged-but-if you use appropriate products and protein enriched (because that is mostly all your hair is, protein, specifically keratin) conditioners and never ever lighten over an already lightened area, you will be ok-but lightener interestingly enough expands the cuticle. It swells the hair shaft, opening up the outer layer to accept more of anything that wants to go into the hair.
Word of caution: since the lightener expands the cuticle, this means anything ANYTHING can enter-including pollution in the air. Also, since grey hair is loss of pigmentation, it’s not a sure thing of the effects of afterlightening. Although, since you are not concerned about the color of your hair after you lighten because you will be covering it with whatever color you want, this is ok.
And as I just stated, once you lighten, you redeposit color into the hair shaft with whatever color you want. This allows more color to set in the hair. One thing to keep in mind though, is since the lightener opened the cuticle, more color that you deposit afterwards CAN seep back out of the hair when you rinse it. So it is best to use something called a filler. Basically all this is is mixing extra developer/water/or color in so more of it will stay when rinsed.

I do not by any means expect you all to go out and by these things and use them at home. I do expect you do go to a salon. If you try these things at home, you will inevitably ruin your hair and HAVE to then go to a salon to fix it which is more expensive than just going in the first place-not to mention very hard on your hair and time consuming and with unsure results. I do not want to be held liable if women try these things at home.
Another thing to keep in mind that most people do not understand or realize is that boxed hair color from the store is not effective for everyone. Depending on how light or dark your hair is and how light or dark you need to go, yields what strength developer you should use. With that in mind…boxed hair color doesn’t give you multiple bottles of developer to cater to your specific hair type, do they? NO. So do you really think that someone with blonde hair level 9 and someone with browner hair level 6 are going to get the same results from the same box? NO. This is why you need to go to a salon. I’m sorry, I know the economy is bad and it can be expensive, but it’s the best thing, that’s why we go to school for it. You wouldn’t perform your own medical surgeries at home to save money (I know hair color is not as important as health…but it can be very detrimental to your health if you do it wrong at home). Bottomline, whatever you choose to do, now you UNDERSTAND the cause, effect, and methods to fix your very common problem. So if you have someone else do your hair, you will understand what they are doing (because many stylists don’t explain which leaves me completely beside myself) and you can ask more intelligent questions and have more of a say in the consultation process.
GOOD LUCK LADIES!

]]> By: Sarah http://thebeautybrains.com/2009/05/16/is-there-a-better-way-to-get-my-gray-hair-dyed/comment-page-1/#comment-40490 Sarah Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:10:29 +0000 http://thebeautybrains.com/?p=5276#comment-40490 More on hair color categories...I kind of rushed my explanation. http://killerstrands.blogspot.com/2009/07/crib-colorists-consider-crazy-hair.html More on hair color categories…I kind of rushed my explanation.

http://killerstrands.blogspot.com/2009/07/crib-colorists-consider-crazy-hair.html

]]> By: Sarah http://thebeautybrains.com/2009/05/16/is-there-a-better-way-to-get-my-gray-hair-dyed/comment-page-1/#comment-40489 Sarah Wed, 29 Jul 2009 04:08:37 +0000 http://thebeautybrains.com/?p=5276#comment-40489 This is very interesting. I am not totally convinced for sure. First of all, the verbage that they used isnt really correct . I am not sure why box dye companies don't use the same words that most professsionals do. Semi-permanent hair color has large molecules, no ammonia, and coats the hair shaft. Demi-permanate has slightly smaller molecules (not a direct dye, unlike semi), no ammonia, a more "stains" the cuticle and sometimes sits right underneath it. However, PERMANENT hair color is indirect dye (small molecules), has ammonia to open the cuticle to allow the hair molecules in, and developer to activate the ammonia and lift some of the natural hair color. So anyway, that was a rant. I am glad this product is working for people but it still seems a little "off" to me. First, I have no idea how you would go about mixing a demi-permanent and permanent into one product. So I will give them the benefit of the doubt there. But a large molecule "wedging under" the cuticle? What does it have arms or something? If there is no ammonia to "open the cuticle" then how can any color get in there unless your hair happens to be porous? As far as the air activating the color. Ok, not sure how that works but once again, maybe...However, why don't any other color lines use this technology. It seems like it would be less damaging than hydrogen peroxide (developer) so why hasn't anyone else jumped on this train?? Ok, so this might work, I could just be wrong. But it sounds like to me they are just selling a semi-permanent color that has twice the amount of pigment in it to help cover gray. Which most "covering gray" color lines do. Use double the pigment to assure coverage...which is why it probably comes out a little dark too. Ok. That was a novel. Sorry. This is very interesting. I am not totally convinced for sure. First of all, the verbage that they used isnt really correct . I am not sure why box dye companies don’t use the same words that most professsionals do. Semi-permanent hair color has large molecules, no ammonia, and coats the hair shaft. Demi-permanate has slightly smaller molecules (not a direct dye, unlike semi), no ammonia, a more “stains” the cuticle and sometimes sits right underneath it. However, PERMANENT hair color is indirect dye (small molecules), has ammonia to open the cuticle to allow the hair molecules in, and developer to activate the ammonia and lift some of the natural hair color.

So anyway, that was a rant. I am glad this product is working for people but it still seems a little “off” to me.

First, I have no idea how you would go about mixing a demi-permanent and permanent into one product. So I will give them the benefit of the doubt there.

But a large molecule “wedging under” the cuticle? What does it have arms or something? If there is no ammonia to “open the cuticle” then how can any color get in there unless your hair happens to be porous?

As far as the air activating the color. Ok, not sure how that works but once again, maybe…However, why don’t any other color lines use this technology. It seems like it would be less damaging than hydrogen peroxide (developer) so why hasn’t anyone else jumped on this train??

Ok, so this might work, I could just be wrong. But it sounds like to me they are just selling a semi-permanent color that has twice the amount of pigment in it to help cover gray.

Which most “covering gray” color lines do. Use double the pigment to assure coverage…which is why it probably comes out a little dark too.

Ok. That was a novel. Sorry.

]]> By: Gauhar http://thebeautybrains.com/2009/05/16/is-there-a-better-way-to-get-my-gray-hair-dyed/comment-page-1/#comment-40395 Gauhar Sat, 25 Jul 2009 22:36:25 +0000 http://thebeautybrains.com/?p=5276#comment-40395 I finally tried Advanced Gray Solution. it is fabulous, well, at least now the first week after dying. The color is a little bit darker, but I like it too. it looks very dramatic against my skin color. I am yet to see how long it will last. The first step was to put an extra something chemically on my hair before I mix the hair color. That chemical is supposed to work my hair for full coverage. I had a similar thing done in the salon. So it worked. I will be using this product from now on! I finally tried Advanced Gray Solution. it is fabulous, well, at least now the first week after dying. The color is a little bit darker, but I like it too. it looks very dramatic against my skin color. I am yet to see how long it will last.
The first step was to put an extra something chemically on my hair before I mix the hair color. That chemical is supposed to work my hair for full coverage. I had a similar thing done in the salon. So it worked. I will be using this product from now on!

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