Go On. Take The Plunge And Colour Your Hair

Until recently, I have for the longest time had some colour or other on my hair, be it highlights or full head. I’m currently on a break to try and remember what my natural hair colour was like but I have not by any means given up on coloured hair yet. I’ve so far not been daring enough to go to extreme shades of anything though, always keeping a balance between just above demure and office friendly hair, and bold hair with character. In short, I’ve always aimed to have a good head of vibrant hair without looking like a backup dancer in some cheesy band. So, the fact that I don’t experiment with hair styles does not mean that I don’t keep statement hair. I do, and I do it with the use of colour.

Many ladies are afraid to dye their hair because of the horror stories they’ve heard and seen, and the many myths they’ve allowed themselves to believe, the most common being that the dyes will cause hair to fall out. Well, if wrong dyes are used and the process is not done properly, yes, hair will weaken and break. So to start with, go only for the highest quality products and dedicate time for maintenance. We’re talking about dyes and after dye products from good companies that have dedicated the time, money and manpower to understand the chemistry of hair, to do extensive research and to come up with well balanced end results. They’re not just about bleaching the living keratin out of hair but rather colouring it while preserving its health and strength.

After the deed has been done, coloured hair does need a lot of specialized care. The fact is, dyeing changes the chemical composition of hair and lack of after care can seriously weaken it further. It makes little sense to spend your pretty penny to get a good head of dyed hair only to go home and use the wrong products, thus stripping it of its colour, shine and general health. The minute you decide to have a colour job, decide also to go all the way and buy appropriate products for it. This way you get to enjoy a well rounded hair colour experience and your hair will come out of it intact. Beat up hair looks bad. Beat up coloured hair looks really bad.

So you’ve hit the salon and come out with a bronze head of hair. Congratulations! Do not be surprised if you get home, look in the mirror and think that you’ve overdone the colour. I remember at one time I went to back to the salon the very next day to ask whether the colour I had chosen could be muted a little bit. This is normal. It could take some time to get used to yourself in the new colour. Spend the panicked energy to hit the shops and buy colour shampoos, conditioners and treatments for home care. Be careful not to over-shop though, otherwise you may end up overstretching your budget on duplicate products, and falling for yet another myth – that caring for coloured hair is pricey. It certainly needs a few extra coins but you can always find ways to be frugal without compromising the health of your hair.

Remember, if the salon you frequent does not have products for after colour care, do not hesitate to carry your own.

Go on. Take the plunge and colour your hair.