Hair Coloring Help

[scarlett09]

Recently, my wonderful mom commented that she thought my hair looked "dull" in our engagement pictures when we weren't posing in sunlight. She suggested that I get a glaze, which would just add shine. And I had been noticing more and more gray hair (ok not that much) but a few more every month. So last week, I went to my regular hair stylist and allowed her to color my hair for the first time. Ever. In all of my 26.9 years. I'm a natural redhead (ok, it's more auburn), so I've never seen the need to color my hair. :shrug:

And now I'm regretting it. First, it's hardly noticeable to most people (I had to tell DF that I did something to it), but I notice it. It looks more red than it used to. I'm not sure if I like that because my biggest pet peeve is those folks who dye their hair red and it looks fake. Second, it changed the texture of my hair. It feels softer and more limp, like I have to work extra hard to get some volume, which didn't used to be an issue before. Maybe it's because I'm growing my hair out for the wedding? I don't really know.

The biggest issue is that, 48 hours after the glaze was applied, I developed contact dermatitis all over the sides and backs of my ears. I was scratching so much and in such discomfort that it took Benadryl to put me to sleep that night. I'm only now getting over it, 5 days after it first appeared. I have incredibly sensitive skin, so I'm wondering if I had a reaction to the glaze? My stylist said it had no ammonia or peroxide in it. They put some kind of cream/lotion all along my hairline so the glaze wouldn't dye my skin. I didn't develop the dermatitis there, only by my ears. Do they reuse the cap to cover your hair while the glaze is doing its thing? Is there any kind of protocol they should have followed to prevent this? I'm afraid that IF I decide to ever do this again, that I'm going to have the same painful reaction.

I'm sure glad that this is demi-permanent and will wash out in 30 days. Will this forever change the texture and color of my hair, even though it "washes out"? I don't think I'm cut out for this whole hair-coloring thing just yet...

[GrayMatterWife]

The biggest issue is that, 48 hours after the glaze was applied, I developed contact dermatitis all over the sides and backs of my ears. I was scratching so much and in such discomfort that it took Benadryl to put me to sleep that night. I'm only now getting over it, 5 days after it first appeared. I have incredibly sensitive skin, so I'm wondering if I had a reaction to the glaze? My stylist said it had no ammonia or peroxide in it. They put some kind of cream/lotion all along my hairline so the glaze wouldn't dye my skin. I didn't develop the dermatitis there, only by my ears.

Oh, no!!!

Is is possible that the cream/lotion "ran" or "dribbled" behind your ears?

I once gave myself a home dye job with a cream-based colorant, and the goop collected behind my ears (unbeknownst to me). When I rinsed out the colorant 25 minutes later, the skin behind my ears was stained deep auburn...for DAYS!!

[scrub-jay]

I'm really sorry you had that reaction, I am not an experienced hair-colorer (but with all my gray showing up I might become one) so I can't help you, but if I were you I'd ask Brandi/bokelley, she might have some insight.

[bokelley]

Well bravo for at least going to a salon and getting it done. You don't know how many home jobs I have to correct, and stylist charge a bunch. I am assumeing she used Redken Shades demi-permanent. I personally love this line and work with it all the time. Your hair is never going to look the same dyed as it would natural. It may be just .5% light, darker, brassier. Any stlyist that tells you is 100% is crazy, you can get so close that no one can tell but never 100%. How long did she leave it on your head, did they sit you under a dryer? I have never seen anyone get contact dermatitis just from the color. I have however seen colorist leave, aka not rinse all the color off, behind the ears, and along the neck line. If you do this it will cause a huge reaction. Also you should always rinse your head in cool water after coloring it, even with home dyes. No matter what kind of color you are using it is a chemical and so it can affect you, the cool water just helps ward off any itching or redness. I have never used the cream protect around the hair line. From my experience if you just wash it off with some soap on a rag then it comes right off, after you have covered the whole hair. This could be what caused the reaction. They should never reuse the cap once someone has used it!!! If you ever think that it is not a clean one, ask for a new one!

As far a textured, I have never had a client say it has, but that does not mean that it does not happen. Have you washed your hair since the color job? Sometimes they can go product crazy. A demi-permanent hair color just means that they do not use harsh chemicals to open your hair cuticle. So it will wash out earlier, no sooner though then 30-60 days. You said you were covering some gray right? Anytime you take the gray out of your hair it will be much softer, and anytime you have length on your hair, it starts to weigh it down. Feel free to PM me with any more questions. I am sorry that your first hair color experience was not good.

[bokelley]

From what you stated I am assuming she just colored your whole head? Another option, which I do to almost all my clients is foil there head. No product comes into contact with the scalp and you weave small pieces of their natural hair out and color the rest. This gives you a more natural hair color, because you still have your natural color as well as some more enhanced pieces. It can take a lot more time, so sometimes that is a huge factor or which one you want to do. And who doesn't love the whole huge head of tin foil on your head look!

[scarlett09]

I am assumeing she used Redken Shades demi-permanent.

Yes, she did. It was something that was more blonde than red, don't remember the exact name.

How long did she leave it on your head, did they sit you under a dryer?

It was on my head for 15 minutes, covered in a cap only. No dryer, just let it sit in my hair (the glaze was put in all of my hair) and then rinsed out.

I have never seen anyone get contact dermatitis just from the color. I have however seen colorist leave, aka not rinse all the color off, behind the ears, and along the neck line. If you do this it will cause a huge reaction.

I really think it was this and not the cream. I recall that they only used the cream on my forehead, and I'm not broken out or itchy there. I'm hoping it wasn't the cap, but I didn't see where it came from, so there's a small chance it could be that too.

You said you were covering some gray right? Anytime you take the gray out of your hair it will be much softer, and anytime you have length on your hair, it starts to weigh it down.

Yes. I've washed my hair a few times since I had the dye job, so the texture is getting a little better. My hair is in layers, shortest being at the tip of my nose, longest is now at the bottom of my neck. So it is getting pretty long, maybe it would be better to do this with shorter hair?

Thanks Brandi - you made me feel a lot better about this whole thing. I was starting to believe that my feelings about this whole thing weren't normal. The girl who put my color in and rinsed me couldn't believe I'd never colored my hair before: "I've been dyeing my hair since I was 12".

[Michele]

My hairs texture has always been different after coloring. After my highlights, it was coarser/drier. This time I got lowlights, and reds with a glaze and I've noticed the least difference in texture. I'm a hair color addict. I used to do it myself - even botched it a few times - but usually it was fine. I've used Wella brand from Sallys and various ones from the drugstore. Now that I've had it professionally done I won't do it myself any more! I'm loving highlights/lowlights. And the foil comes out better than the cap! (my mom was a hairdresser before she had me, so my sis and I were exposed young - we used to experiment on each other)

[bokelley]

Hair color can be a wonderful thing!! LOL Also don't ever feel like you have to go to the same hair person for everything. Just because she is great with your hair cut doesn't mean she is the color person for you. I always tell people that you can have more than one person for that. There are people who just do hair color and nothing else. Before I got into hair, I had one lady who cute my hair, another who colored it, then someone else who did my bridal updo. They each where strong in that field, so I thought, if I am going to spend that kind of money I better walk away happy. My guess the reaction is from not washing properly. It happens all the time, which it strange to me. Where your head sits in the shampoo bowl kinda is tricky, but I ask all my clients to raise their head a little. That usually gets it all. Foiling is great, I love it. You can do so many things with it. Is your hair curly and thick? Sometimes when you get layers that are short (nose length) in curly or thick hair, it can cause to to get wider instead of lying nice and sleek on your head. Hope you like it better today!!