Weirdness in newbie land...help or thoughts?

[halfbakedtulip]

Hello ladies!!! I have been lurking for week or so and just love all the info! I'll try to condense this. Basically I washed my hair with a poo bar then put 1 Tbs of baking soda in a steeped rosemary and sage mixture ( 2 tsp each to 2 cups water) My hair was very heavily oiled and I wanted to make sure it was out. Left in one minute smooshed it around rinsed then did a very mild citric acid rinse. Next I applied the steeped catnip tea, left on an hr then rinsed out. My problem...I have oh about 25% gray roots on very dark hair about an inch of growth. My hair ...roots.. are now a good 70-90% grey.:agape: I noticed right away but was determined not to freak till it dried. So now Im freaking:steam
Any thoughts on this???:confused:

By the way...Im only 34 eep!!!!

[cobblersmaid]

The only thing I can think of is maybe the catnip stained it blonder? Other than that, I got nothing.

[A'eorryn]

it's POSSIBLE the baking soda left a whitish residue that is only making your hair APPEAR greyer... but I'm just throwing that out there because otherwise I have no idea either :(

[wintersun99]

Wait, just to be clear.... your roots were about 25% gray initially, than after all that stuff your roots are about 70% gray? As in, your hair was somehow bleached by the process? Or, is appearing so? Have you washed your hair since doing this just to ensure the B.S. did not leave residue (as the others suggested) and if so, have the roots gone back to normal?

[kwaniesiam]

Have you previously applied anything to your hair that may have caused a color change prior?

Was it possible this left your hair cleaner, and therefor the oil was washed away which was making the hair appear darker? I know my hair looks darker when oily. Also, it may even just be the lighting.

[LawyerGirl]

If you color your hair, maybe the color was stripped?

[halfbakedtulip]

Im wondering myself if it wasnt that perhaps oils or my previous life of chemicals was perhaps coating them. They arent just lighter they are pure white with very little dark hair mixed in. I have never seen anything like it!! I had ordered some henna which should be in soon and now there is no way I can do it without digging up some indigo and waiting for it to ship in. I am going to try an upload a pic...its dark here now so I took it in the bathroom. It may look like its just a glare but that is the gray :(ok i guess ill make it my avatar as I cant figure out how to do it here :confused:

[wintersun99]

You will need to use a photo site (like photobucket) download your picture from your camera to your computer, than host it on (i.e. photobucket) and then you can post the link. Not sure that you can start an album here until you reach 25 posts, but I might be wrong...

[halfbakedtulip]

ok here we go i think lol
http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt195/halfbakedtulip/hairg.jpg

[halfbakedtulip]

sorry its so big heres the link if you dont want to blind :phttp://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt195/halfbakedtulip/hairg.jpg

[halfbakedtulip]

ok I give you a comparison pic as well...this was taken approximately 3 weeks ago and about a month after my last dye job
http://i611.photobucket.com/albums/tt195/halfbakedtulip/100_0577.jpg

[halfbakedtulip]

p.s thank you wintersun sooo much!!:flower:

[spidermom]

Baking soda is alkaline and opens the cuticle of your hair, perhaps stripping out the color. It can also dry out your hair.

Try giving your hair a good rinse with warm water, then vinegar mixed with water (about 2 tablespoons of vinegar to a quart of water), then warm water again. That will eliminate the possbility of this being residue from the baking soda. Plus the vinegar will close the cuticle of the hair that baking soda forced open.

[wintersun99]

No problem. :D

I suspect it was the heavy oiling plus the baking soda rinse that pulled the hair dye out of your hair. it doesn't explain why the whites are very white, rather than just lighter, but perhaps they dye wasn't hanging onto the white's as strongly as the rest of the hair, which is probably more porous and has more dye on it.

Maybe try re-coloring just the roots?

[halfbakedtulip]

Thanks spidermom:) I usually use acv rinses but last night I forgot to bring it upstairs and so being lazy I just did a citric acid rinse. i just went and did an acv rinse and I dont think it looks any better but we;ll see in the morning :)

[Heidi_234]

I don't see why you need baking soda rinse in the first place when you already wash with a poo bar. Either leave it out, or leave the poo bar out, there's no need for doubling really. Both products are alkaline, and provide unwelcome environment for the hair and scalp. They (esp. baking soda) should always be followed by ACV rinse, or white vinegar rinse if the red tint disturbs you.
If you suspect the poo bar builds up, you can alternate it with basking soda wash once in a while. Baking soda is rather powerful cleanser, so it could have pulled your dye out and exposed the grays.