How To Get Brilliant Pink, Blue, And Green Dye Over Brown Hair
Whether your hair is light-brown, deep auburn, or so dark brown that it almost looks black, you will have to remove the brown color from your hair to let brilliant hair dyes like pink, blue, and green shine through. Like an artist needs a pale canvas to convey intense color in it’s true brilliance, brown hair needs to be lightened to blonde to prepare it for the application of truly brilliant hair color. Other wise, the colors appear to be darker than they are. They tend to look muddy. Imagine adding brown to pink paint, or brown to green paint. A similar thing happens with hair that is not thoroughly bleached before it is dyed.
To prepare the hair for the application of an intense color, bleach and dye separately. Do this to lighten the hair as effectively, and thoroughly as possible. Many coloring kits contain hair dye and peroxide bleach that are designed to be mixed and applied to the hair, all at once. Most of the really intense colors are sold individually.
An advantage to bleaching and then dying the hair separately is this: If your hair does not come out as light as you’d like, you can re-apply the bleach before adding dye. Depending on how dark your hair is, you may have to bleach more than once to get a blonde shade that is light enough to work with. It is common to find that the hair is just not light enough overall, or you may come up with some spots that need to be redone.
Bleach the hair by using a liquid activator that is mixed with a powdered bleach. If you have dark brown hair, bleaches with violet or blue bases result in a nice cool blonde tone. This works to tone down the warm red shades that show in dark hair while the bleach lifts the natural hair color. A powdered bleach with a blur or violet base will not turn your hair blue. The blue tones interact with the hairs natural tones to create a balance.
Apply the bleach from to the length of the hair first, then work with the roots of the hair next. Lastly, apply bleach to the tips of the hair. Work as fast as you can, using a comb to separate the hair, and a brush to spread the bleach through evenly. When you apply bleach to the roots of the hair, try not to get it on the scalp, because the scalp can be quite sensitive.
It is recommended that newly bleached hair is allowed to rest for a few days before it is dyed. This gives the hair some time to recover. In the mean time, keep the hair conditioned. Hot oil treatments, shampoos, and conditioners for very dry hair are helpful. They nourish the hair after it has been stripped of it’s color.
Before dying your hair, wear something old that can stand some spills and stains, and keep a towel handy. It is very important to follow the instructions of the coloring product you are using. Wear thin rubber gloves, and divide the hair into sections. Use a comb to separate your hair, and a brush to push the color into the hair, saturating it with dye. Try not to get too much dye on the scalp, because it’s sensitive — especially after bleaching — and can stain easily.
Bright dyes tend to fade a bit, every time you wash your hair. It’s not uncommon to see traces of it in your shampoo. To protect your dye job, use shampoos and hair care products that are specifically made to protect dyed hair. Remember that hair that has been dyed and bleached will not be as healthy as it was in it’s natural state. It is common for bleached and dyed hair to become less soft. It needs more maintenance than usual to keep it healthy, and to prevent breakage.
By: Mika King
