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FallingDarkness
December 10th, 2015, 11:37 PM
I kinda want to go just a shade lighter than what my hair is right now. But I'm not sure. I'm afraid of the damage. Just wanted your guys' input.

parkmikii
December 11th, 2015, 12:35 AM
I'd say to only do it if it makes you happy. Would you be happier with lighter hair? If so, go for it, if you don't think so, then don't do it :)
Only you can take this decision since you know your hair the best

FallingDarkness
December 11th, 2015, 12:47 AM
I've never dyed my hair before, so I don't really know. I think I would be happier with a little bit lighter hair, just for a little while. I don't want my hair to be damaged, because I am obviously trying to grow it out, so IDK if there's any way to get it lighter with minimal damage.

turtlelover
December 11th, 2015, 12:57 AM
I think going lighter can be very hard on past waist hair if that is what you are aiming for. It depends on your goals.

Arctic
December 11th, 2015, 03:30 AM
Being young is the best time to experiment with things like hair colours. I say go for it, but peruse the knowledge of LHCers beforehands, to make educated choices and to prevent damage.

TR
December 11th, 2015, 04:35 AM
When you say you'd like to go lighter just for a little while, do you mean that you want your hair to go back to its natural color on its own? That's not possible for lighter colors. Once you lighten, the affected hair will always be lighter than your virgin hair. To darken back up you'll have to dye it again, and you can get close but it will not be a 100% match (though if done right it should be close enough that a casual observer wouldn't know the difference). Temporary colors can only be used to darken the hair, and they gradually wash out leaving your hair in its natural color and texture. If your hair is fairly sturdy and you aren't drastically lightening it you could probably manage it with little damage...there's a whole thread here for people who regularly bleach their hair successfully and plenty of them have hair at least as long as yours. Do your homework, understand the risks and trade offs, and have fun with your color if you decide to go for it! BTW I love your natural color, I've dyed my own medium ash brown just to get to your lovely shade. I'm certainly not saying "don't color" just because your virgin color is pretty; I totally understand wanting to experiment with color regardless of what you're starting with.

DreamSheep
December 11th, 2015, 05:01 AM
I guess it depends. :) Some things to consider might be:

- potential damage (there are many tips on the LHC on how to reduce damage, but there is also the issue of whether to get it done professionally - in which case it may look better but there is a chance they may damage the hair more unless they use a product like Olaplex)
- different haircare for coloured hair (lightening hair can require toner for colour correction, and different products to look after the hair better)
- roots - if it is the whole head, it will need to be touched up often

Maybe you could do a strand test, or try it out on the ends, to see whether you like the colour / texture / effect, and if you do, then I'd say go for it :)

lapushka
December 11th, 2015, 05:18 AM
When you go lighter, there is going to be upkeep. You have to make sure the dyeing isn't just a one-time thing, and is something you can commit to from now on, otherwise you'll be stuck with quite the outgrowth.

Agnieszka
December 11th, 2015, 06:30 AM
if you lighten everything, you will have to deal with root touch up every month. Also lightening hair at home, especially on such a long hair can be tricky. I really recommend going to the salon for this ( you are risking orange, patchy hair) You have beautiful hair now, I would leave it... Or what about few face framing highlights? Easier to upkeep...

Anje
December 11th, 2015, 06:42 AM
Definitely, it's up to you. But yeah, you should consider whether you want to have roots come in or deal with upkeep. If you don't want to deal with that, I'd suggest doing an ombre or bayalage to lighten your hair overall, but in an uneven way that can grow out without looking off if you don't feel like repeating the process.

FallingDarkness
December 11th, 2015, 10:20 AM
Okay, firstly, what is Olaplex? Secondly, how much different would my hair care routine have to be?

Ve
December 11th, 2015, 10:28 AM
Have you thought of trying to lighten with honey or lemon. Your colour looks very light and beautiful already. For me hair colour even just toner has been a dry straw hair. That virgin hair softness is often lost.

parkmikii
December 11th, 2015, 10:31 AM
Okay, firstly, what is Olaplex? Secondly, how much different would my hair care routine have to be?

The olaplex topic ^^
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=124721
I never tried it, but the ones who did say that it helps reduce the damage quite a bit, worth a read

FallingDarkness
December 11th, 2015, 10:42 AM
Have you thought of trying to lighten with honey or lemon. Your colour looks very light and beautiful already. For me hair colour even just toner has been a dry straw hair. That virgin hair softness is often lost.

I didn't really consider that at all! How would one go about lightening hair with honey/lemon?

Ve
December 11th, 2015, 12:03 PM
I am sorry I don't know how to link you but type in the search lightening with honey, lightening with lemon and forums will show. Honey can give you a shade or two lighter.

Chocowalnut
December 11th, 2015, 03:09 PM
I wouldn't do it. Your hair color is very pretty. Just to go a shade lighter, you're looking at damage and upkeep.

meteor
December 11th, 2015, 04:16 PM
FallingDarkness, I think your hair is stunning the way it is :D and I wouldn't change a thing, but if you already plan to go a shade lighter, you might want to consider honey lightening method: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=148 Also, in summertime, it might work even better, because of exposure to UV rays. But going lighter always takes some damage, unfortunately. :(

If you do go the bleach route, for keeping damage to a minimum, I'd highly recommend using lightener over already greasy and then heavily oiled hair - use coconut oil or a mix of coconut oil with argan oil (overnight), it seems to buffer the damage a bit and also helps apply peroxide more evenly. Details on how this works and reports about results: http://ktanihairsense.blogspot.ca/2009/11/part-1-of-3-part-series-on-innovative.html,
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=10495,
http://www.hairdyeforum.com/index.php?topic=3806.0

For avoiding root retouch and for a more natural look when going just a shade lighter, I'd recommend doing just a balayage/ombre, hand-painting highlights as you go, focusing on the areas where the light would naturally fall and around the face. There are lots of good video tutorials with techniques for achieving this.

Research damage-buffering products like Olaplex (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=124721). Some people have good results with that but it's pricey and hard to get without a hairdresser's licence... and I'm not too sure if it works so well in the long run, after all the reports. :hmm:

Always strand-test first. And, I don't know what level your hair is currently, but you might need a toner, even if you are going just a shade lighter. It's just something to keep in mind. ;)

Also, chelating, regular oiling and protein treatments and using conditioners with silicones are helpful for bleached hair in terms of upkeep. Products with ceramides (here's a good list: http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=120288) can help damaged hair, as well. For protein, my top recommendations would be Aphogee 2-step (very strong), Joico K-Pak, Redken CAT, and gelatin masks.

Robot Ninja
December 11th, 2015, 05:59 PM
Why do you want to do it? If it's just because you're bored with your hair, there are other, less permanent things you can do to make it interesting again.

If you really do want lighter hair, then I say go for it. Your hair should make you happy. Going a shade lighter isn't catastrophic, especially if you're careful. Along with all the other suggestions people have made, I'd suggest looking into bleach baths. That's where you dilute the bleach mixture with shampoo, so it's less damaging.