coloursplash! Hair Color FAQ's

Below are 20 Frequently Asked Hair Coloring Questions...if you do not find your question answered, please contact us.

1. Why does my hair color fade so fast? I have my roots done every four weeks.

I have two answers for your question. The biggest reason hair color fades quickly is the use of highly detergent shampoos. The second reason is when the hair is in poor condition it is dry and overly porous so the color pigments don't have anything to hold on to when they enter the hair shaft. The hair color simply slips down the drain with the first shampoo. The general rule for retouches is three to four weeks. Waiting for longer periods of time only causes more fading.

2. Does all hair color dry out the hair?

Hair color does not dry out the hair unless the wrong chemical has been used on the wrong type of hair. When I first became a training director I learned one thing that has stayed with me; it's not the bleach in the bottle that breaks hair off, it's the person using the product that breaks it off. If your hair color is starting to look dried out possibly you're not conditioning enough. If the problem continues you might want to switch to a different formula such as a semi-permanent colorant. Or, change your hair colorist.

3. I am on a budget, is there a way to pay less and still get good hair color?

A few highlights around the face will cost one forth of the full head of highlights. You can also go to a beauty school like Vidal Sassoon or call a well-known salon and ask what their training nights are. In both of these areas the color service will cost next to nothing for what you get. You can also get your cuts in both of these places until your finances change.

4. Does hair always break off after highlights?

No! If your hair is breaking off you are going to the wrong person. The product was left on too long or the wrong product is being used on your hair type. Did you know that when hair breaks off it would have to grow out to get back to normal? Conditioners only help hair feel good. They will not return the broken hair.

5. My hair is oily; do I really have to use a conditioner after color?

Absolutely! I am adamant about using treatments on chemically processed hair. You can use leave in treatments or a conditioning mask that won't leave your hair oily.

6. I only wash my hair once a week to save the color but my red hair color still fades a lot, any advice?

I am sorry to say this, but red hair often fades the first time it's shampooed. You can save the color fading by using a color refresher at least once a week or a color shampoo. If you are only shampooing once a week your hair will only look dull and dry. Hair should be rinsed and conditioned everyday. It must be clean to have shine. If you don't want to shampoo everyday, simply rinse to remove the residue. Healthy shiny hair is clean.

7. My hair always seems dull. Can I get shine without using a conditioner? Conditioners make my hair limp.

Chemically treated hair is dull when you don't use treatments and conditioners. These are a must for healthy hair. Use an oil free treatment or just put it on the ends.

8. I use a peroxide hair color to cover my gray but my ends always look uneven. Can you solve the problem?

The best way to solve this problem is to shampoo and dry you hair before you do the color. If your hair is coated with styling product it will not take the color as well and therefore the hair will have streaks and uneven ends. Also if the ends are a lot lighter shampoo first and have the formula applied to the roots then apply immediately to the ends. DON'T SHAMPOO AFTER THE HAIR HAS PROCESSED... RINSE ONLY AND CONDITION. (NO HEAT)

9.I tried to add a few highlights around my face with a kit from the drugstore. Help! My hair broke off!

First did you read the directions? Did you put the product on and then talk with your best friend on the phone and forget the time? All you can do is wait for the hair to grow back. Use a good conditioner and don't use the blow-dryer on the front of the hair because it will break more. It will grow back at about a half an inch a month.

10. I am too busy to get my hair color done every 4 weeks. Is there anything else I can do in between?

If your hair is brown with gray roots you can use mascara or eye shadow on the roots for a quick fix. To make it last longer spray the roots with hairspray first. Some of the products for this purpose coat the hair and scalp so you have to be careful. The product I have created to diffuse those gray hairs is coloursplash! gray diffuser.

11. I have my hair color done in the beauty shop but my gray hair still shows up in a few days. Was the product not mixed right?

If your hair is very resistant the gray will not cover so the formula being used needs to be adjusted. This can be done by either using less developer or shampooing and drying the hair first. Again, my product coloursplash! gray diffuser will cover those gray hairs that peep out only hours after a coloring.

12. The drugstore hair color is very confusing. Do you have any suggestions on how to use it? I can't afford to go to the beauty shop.

Actually it is very simple if you choose the shade that is your own hair color just to cover gray or to add shine to your over all natural hair color. It's when you start wanting to change your own hair a few shades that you get into trouble, so start slow. Choose a shade to match your own shade or just go one shade lighter or deeper. Next, read the directions starting at the top of the page. Most women I know don't read directions- including me. Also be sure to keep a note of the product and shade you used so you can make a good decision next time.

13. I have medium blonde hair color that always looks dull or all one color even after I have it done. Do you have any ideas that would add shine so the color looks prettier?

This is a great shade of blond to brighten up. You can either add golden tones of highlights or add soft dark golden-blonde lowlights for the transition you are looking for. Hair always looks prettier when you see shades of color intermixing throughout the head. Don't forget to condition for extra shine.

14. My hair is very straight and limp. I had hair color to add more body but it didn't work. Can you get a perm with hair color?

Although these are not my two favorite processes to mix, yes you can have perms with hair color. I would suggest you keep the processes a week or two apart so the hair can retain some of its integrity. Usually the hair is permed first then the color service is scheduled a week later. Always use your treatments in between these services. Please don't have these two processes over fine limp hair because it will dry out often to the point of breakage.

Another suggestion - Use Velcro Rollers to give your hair a lift or a bit of body. Simply shampoo and blow your hair dry then put the rollers in here and there while you do your makeup or have breakfast.

15. My hair is very curly. What do you think about trying the 5 hour relaxer? Do you think it will be straight enough?

One thing you won't have to worry about is having your hair straight enough after this process. It will be straight-often too straight. I would make very sure your hair is in the very best condition and you choose the very best chemical person in the city where you live or go to a well-known salon in a larger city for the service. It will be well worth the cost.

16. I have red-brown hair color that I have touched up in the beauty shop. I pay a lot but my hair seems uneven and sometimes the roots have more red than the ends. Any answers about how to stop this from happening?

Red roots are often a problem if the formula is too light for the hair it is being used on. It can also happen when the hair is starting to turn gray. The formula needs to be adjusted with a bit more neutral brown in it. Your hair will still be the auburn shade but the pink scalp will disappear. Also try shampooing and conditioning first then only rinse after the color processes.

17. I have plain brown hair that used to shine. Now that I have aged my hair seems to have lost its shine. Can this happen?

Well, hair color ages just like the skin. This is one of the main reason women start to tint their hair. The hair color products return the missing hair color pigments that start to disappear from the hair shaft. When the yellow and red color pigments dissipate from the hair shaft it looks dull and flat. To get back to the hair color of your youth first tint it the same shade as you are now and then experiment with soft auburn browns or golden brown and maybe have a few golden highlights. You will notice your skin tones changing as your hair takes on the new shine and luster.

18. I have had my hair colored for a long time. It's black. I think now that I am going into my later years the black is too hard looking. How can I get the black out? People tell me I will go orange...I hate orange or red.

A slow process....
You and your friends are right about removing the black but you should start because it is just too harsh for your skin tone. Women that are in their mid- age should start adding softer shades of color. For the removal of black I suggest you start using a Semi-Permanent black or brown- black shade on the roots. It will not cover as well as the permanent color but little by little as your hair grows your hair will be lighter. Some women still want to use a permanent color to lighten because they just can't stand the roots not being covered (much less the orange-brown shades that show up). You will also definitely see a warmer shade when you use this new formula. If you hair is long you might also think about a new style to make this process seem like it's moving faster. This might be hard for some of you because you may have lived with the same style for years. Just try it. Hair grows a half an inch a month so it will take sometime to get the black off. You have to be a little flexible. The faster you cut off the black hair the sooner your will see the new softer shade of color. You will love it, and so will your friends.

19. I have very long hair. Do you always have to have short hair to have the hair color look even all the way down the hair strand? My blonde hair always seems to have gold stripes and sometimes gets red at the scalp.

With long blonde hair it is very difficult to keep the hair from having stripes throughout the hair strand. Most professionals use strips of cotton under each layer of hair as they apply the hair color formula. This helps keep the long hair from lying on top of the formula that has been applied to the new growth. Also be sure you are not expecting to lighten very dark hair to ultra light blonde. This is always a big problem and often causes a lot of breakage.

20. Do you know of people that go to beauty schools for hair color? Will it cost less than the beauty shop? Do they really know what they are doing?

Most Beauty Schools have wonderful instructors that train the students. Try to find a Vidal Sassoon Beauty School. I still think they are the best. The cost will be a lot less than a salon. You might also take a photo to help you communicate better. On your day off you could go near a beauty school in your city and have lunch and check out the school before you decide. Most schools will let you talk to the supervisors of the color department.