Dyed Dark Hair

[Goddessa]

So after being dye free/heat free for more than a year i decided i finally was ready to go back to my natural color and settled on my perfect auburn in a semi-permanent to make sure before i commit to permanent. It was wonderful so i went to permanent.

Oops this formulation is different now i have red-black hair. Not that im bothered, it now matches my eyebrows and everyone wont shut up about how shiny it is. Plus it is so dark i cant do anything else to it without damage.

So i found the thread about dyed blondes... what about one for us who went to the dark side. What special care is needed? How does one touch up? Is it terribly damaging to maintain? How do you maintain the shine?

[grenadine]

I dyed my hair black two years ago with Revlon box dye and was able to grow to MBL; actually, that was the longest and healthiest my hair had ever been! I didn't heat style, but I used sulfatey/coney drugstore shampoo and conditioner (I used Garnier Damage Repair shampoo and Sleek & Shine conditioner). I found I never really needed to touch up as I liked how the black faded (from jet black to brownish-black to very dark brown to chocolate) and my roots weren't terribly noticeable since my hair was a level 5 or so ash. Honestly, dying my hair darker didn't really cause any damage for me, except maybe some raggedy ends but I fixed that with a trim. I only got that bad chemical, structural, hair splitting damage when I went lighter with bleach. For shine, the best thing for me was the conditioner that came with the box dye--I know it was loaded with cones but my hair drank it up, it was so shiny and healthy and detangled. YMMV of course but that was my experience on the dark side :)

[turtlelover]

It is likely to fade.....give it time. If you want a less damaging option there is demi color, which will last longer than semi but give less damage than permanent. From what I have experienced, permanent color and super long hair are not a good mix. There is bound to be some damage eventually. Demi is a better option, or if you want red, henna.

[Dark40]

It's a been a year since I've been dyeing my hair black, and I haven't suffered any significant damage at all! I use Nice N' Easy box dye, and I love it! And, also never fades. I only have to touch up my roots, and particially gray hairs on the sides. My hair's length is also BSL, and I'm trying to grow it out to floor length.

[Goddessa]

It is likely to fade.....give it time. If you want a less damaging option there is demi color, which will last longer than semi but give less damage than permanent. From what I have experienced, permanent color and super long hair are not a good mix. There is bound to be some damage eventually. Demi is a better option, or if you want red, henna.

Is it possible to henna with cool tones? Almost all I've seen is too orangey/scarlet. My natural hair color is a cool toned auburn.

[Goddessa]

http://i66.tinypic.com/2ilorx4.jpg

Top was my holy-grail and what came out with semi(trying to cover up 2yr old blonde ombre). I liked it so much I wanted to commit and did permanent after it began to fade... which is the bottom, a picture of me at work. lol big difference. But I'm going to deal and learn to enjoy it. Both are shown after 1 wash.

[sumidha]

I would highly suggest using a vegetable dye (Adore, Manic Panic, Special FX, Pravana, to name a few) to maintain a dark color, rather than a traditional box dye with developer.

On a whim I dyed my hair jet black using Feria dye about three years ago:

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g469/blackcatpictures1/IMG_0131.jpg (http://s1103.photobucket.com/user/blackcatpictures1/media/IMG_0131.jpg.html)

This is what it looks like now:

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g469/blackcatpictures1/IMG_0660_zps7kzsgfbd.jpg (http://s1103.photobucket.com/user/blackcatpictures1/media/IMG_0660_zps7kzsgfbd.jpg.html)

The part that was dyed is the stuff from BSL down that's pretty obviously a different color... In my experience, without re-dying, it will definitely fade. Because I was not so smart and used a permanent dye with bleach in it, all that's left are the bleached ends, the black color completely washed out over time.

[littlestarface]

I would highly suggest using a vegetable dye (Adore, Manic Panic, Special FX, Pravana, to name a few) to maintain a dark color, rather than a traditional box dye with developer.

On a whim I dyed my hair jet black using Feria dye about three years ago:

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g469/blackcatpictures1/IMG_0131.jpg (http://s1103.photobucket.com/user/blackcatpictures1/media/IMG_0131.jpg.html)

This is what it looks like now:

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g469/blackcatpictures1/IMG_0660_zps7kzsgfbd.jpg (http://s1103.photobucket.com/user/blackcatpictures1/media/IMG_0660_zps7kzsgfbd.jpg.html)

The part that was dyed is the stuff from BSL down that's pretty obviously a different color... In my experience, without re-dying, it will definitely fade. Because I was not so smart and used a permanent dye with bleach in it, all that's left are the bleached ends, the black color completely washed out over time.

What No way!? I would not even think black hair dye would do this to hair, thats insane.

[Hay_jules]

I would highly suggest using a vegetable dye (Adore, Manic Panic, Special FX, Pravana, to name a few) to maintain a dark color, rather than a traditional box dye with developer.

On a whim I dyed my hair jet black using Feria dye about three years ago:

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g469/blackcatpictures1/IMG_0131.jpg (http://s1103.photobucket.com/user/blackcatpictures1/media/IMG_0131.jpg.html)

This is what it looks like now:

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g469/blackcatpictures1/IMG_0660_zps7kzsgfbd.jpg (http://s1103.photobucket.com/user/blackcatpictures1/media/IMG_0660_zps7kzsgfbd.jpg.html)

The part that was dyed is the stuff from BSL down that's pretty obviously a different color... In my experience, without re-dying, it will definitely fade. Because I was not so smart and used a permanent dye with bleach in it, all that's left are the bleached ends, the black color completely washed out over time.

This perfectly illustrates the truth about permanent dyes. All permanent hair dye, including black contains peroxide in the developer. The peroxide has to be there to remove natural colour molecules to make room for dye molecules, that's how permanent dye works.

I second the recommendation for a vegetable based dye, Adore has narural colours too.

[Goddessa]

Wow that fade is so unexpected! I would have assumed that was purposely ombre.

I only used 10% developer, and half of what was reccomended. Mixed it myself. Im under the impression that most box dyes are 30-40%. Is this something i will have to worry about i wonder? And have you guys used the adore demi permanents?

[Babyfine]

Very pretty hair!!

[Babyfine]

I color my hair brunette with a demi-perm color to cover greys and I really think it looks so much better on me than the old highlights I used to get.
I get so many more compliments on the color and shine, too. And my hair is so much more less damaged.
However, with increasing grey, and and older looking face, I'm going to decide whether to let the silvers come in or go lighter.
I have considered henna-indigo but that is a huge commitment and a stark line of demarcation for me increasingly grey front part of my hair.
The demi color fades naturally and believably.
My fine, fragile type 2 hair looks thicker, shinier and longer with the darker color than with highlights
I'm naturally a medium brown with silver.
the demipermanent color is much less damaging, IMO, too, than permanent so if you have no greys to cover I would go that route instead.
I have read that demipermant does not remove the color of the hairshaft like permanent does it deposits only but it does lift the cuticle somewhat unlike strict semi or vegetable dyes which coat the hairshaft only

[sumidha]

What No way!? I would not even think black hair dye would do this to hair, thats insane.

I know, right?! :S

Thanks Hay_jules that's a super clear explanation for exactly what happened! :)

I should add that I looked back through my photos today and it's been closer to four years than three, and I think I have a little bit more bleaching than normal (and a little bit more damage) because I accidentally left the dye on abut ten minutes longer than I was supposed to. Still though, I think the concept is solid- eventually the dye molecules will wash out, and leave the lightening from the bleach, if you're using one with developer.

[BeccaAngel]

Mine was colored a blue black and faded to a gray blue. I didn't care for it so I cover it with a soft black. That faded and now it's just a dark reddish brown, I like it. But i'm growing it all out! My natural is a light brown, so this will be interesting.