Fun with Color! Dyeing your natural hair

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Hair is the ultimate accessory. Rather it is razor cut into a sexy Victoria Beckham inspired bob, weaved into regal braids, or cascading in a sea of silky curls, the right hair style will set the tone for your clothing and should compliment every facade of your personality.

Coloring your natural hair can give your curls that certain "Je ne sais quoi". It turns any boring ol' fro into something special. Before you go and take the plunge into hair color, you should know your basics and be prepared to make some changes if necessary.

Semi-Permanent Hair Color or "Rinses" : A hair dye that temporarily stains your hair by depositing color. A hair rinse does not change the over all texture of your hair, and is a safe way to play with color without making a commitment. The darker your hair is, the more subtle the color of the dye will be. For example, if you have naturally dark hair and "rinse" it red, the red will be the most visible int he sunlight. If you have light hair and "rinse" it red, it will be more intense.

Hair rinses will last approximately 5-10 shampoos, depending on brand.

Tip: Use a old towel when shampooing hair that has a semi-permanent dye applied to it, as some of the color will come out each time it gets wet.

Permanent Hair Color: This option will provide you with a longer lasting color that will have to be grown out, cut out, or dyed over. Permanent hair dye is formulated with chemicals (some companies use hydrogen peroxide and ammonia, some do not) that lifts the color of your natural hair, and then deposits a new color into the hair shaft. Permanent hair color can often result in dryness of hair, or texture change. The lighter the color of your hair, the more dryness you may experience.

Bleaching: The harshest option of all. Bleaching the hair basically involves opening the hair shafts and lifting the color from your hair. Some individuals choose to bleach their hair and then dye it in two step process to get a vibrant color. If you decide to "bleach" your hair, be prepared to incorporate hard-core deep conditioning treatments and protein treatments into your hair regimen.

For a subtle hair color, try a box product such as Dark and Lovely or Clairol. For more drastic colors, seek professional help. I have experienced that going to professional stylist for color results in more vibrant and thorough hair color.

Natural Alternatives

Henna: a plant that is dried, crushed and made into a paste. Known for its conditioning properties and gives the hair a reddish tent

Lemon Juice: Add a teaspoon to two cups of water and use as a final rinse after shampooing and conditioning your hair. Do not rinse out.

Beet Juice: Gives hair a red tent.

Tea

Amla Powder: Another plant that is dried, crushed and made into a paste. Can be used alone or with Henna. This herb will darken the hair.

My Hair Rinse

 I used two bottles of Clairol's "Darkest Brown" to switch up from my copper hue to something darker and richer. FYI, that reddish color is not my original hair color. I have had permanent hair color for the past 17 months. Since then I have tried different hair rinses and home "box" dye.

I have experienced some dryness, but its nothing a little Shea butter can't handle.

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