Dark box dye without bleach in developer?

[Esya]

Hi,

I've read somewhere that even dark hairdyes have some bleaching elements in the developer. Is this true? I can't seem to find anything reliable online and my chemistry knoledge is lacking.

I'm planning to use box dye to cover the greys, but I don't know now. Do you guys know any box dye brands that don't have anything bleaching/damaging for hair? Or are at least the least damaging?

Thanks in advance.

[TreesOfEternity]

I can’t speak about henna as I have zero experience with it, maybe someone could talk about that option.

I used black dye for years and yes permanent hair dye has hydrogen peroxide, used to deposit the pigment inside your hair and activate the dye. This is the same ingredient used to “lift” or lighten hair, but on dark dyes the idea is using only a 10 volume, the necessary amount for fixing the new color without removing too much melanin from your strands.
The only option without this are semi permanents, which go away when you wash your hair and are not really effective covering greys, so you have to apply over and over which ends up being a harmful process.

If you really want to cover your greys I would go to a profesional colorist to have the color treatment done, and then use really good products not only to preserve your hair’s health but also to not lose the color on your length, as you want to avoid dying again that part and only do touch-ups on the new growth.

[MoonRabbit]

I can’t speak about henna as I have zero experience with it, maybe someone could talk about that option.

I used black dye for years and yes permanent hair dye has hydrogen peroxide, used to deposit the pigment inside your hair and activate the dye. This is the same ingredient used to “lift” or lighten hair, but on dark dyes the idea is using only a 10 volume, the necessary amount for fixing the new color without removing too much melanin from your strands.
The only option without this are semi permanents, which go away when you wash your hair and are not really effective covering greys, so you have to apply over and over which ends up being a harmful process.

If you really want to cover your greys I would go to a profesional colorist to have the color treatment done, and then use really good products not only to preserve your hair’s health but also to not lose the color on your length, as you want to avoid dying again that part and only do touch-ups on the new growth.

Still have to be careful with some semi. I used one back in 2014 and I still have a demarcation from that dye. Though it has turned more red since darker dye always tends to fade to a red brown on my hair.

[TreesOfEternity]

Still have to be careful with some semi. I used one back in 2014 and I still have a demarcation from that dye. Though it has turned more red since darker dye always tends to fade to a red brown on my hair.

Yes I find semis not that different from permanent dyes...
At the end of the day they have peroxide and probably ammonia as well, they oxidize the melanin in your hair and the first color leaving is the black/brown (eumelanin) which they substitute with the artificial pigment. As they don’t rise the cuticle as much as permanents do, artificial color goes with 20 or so washes and your natural pigment gets revealed, which now that you don’t have eumelanin will be pheomelanin, aka red color. So probably that red is indeed your natural hair color after all.

[MoonRabbit]

I don't know how it could be my natural color. I actually have a line where I have grown out the dye. It definitely changed my color permanently. I guess some hair is just different and semi dye can be permanent for some.

[TreesOfEternity]

Sorry I didn’t explain myself really well. I meant the semipermanent dye bleached your hair and made it red, so when the dark pigment disappeared after X washes the bleached hair (red color) was revealed. Hope this makes sense

[cathair]

:snip:

not really effective covering greys, so you have to apply over and over which ends up being a harmful process.
:snip:


I cover my pure white hair with deposit only dye without bleach just fine. It's grows roots before it fades if applied correctly.

Adore is the brand you need if you're looking for natural colours in a deposit only dye. Manic panic, Directions etc do some natural, but mostly unnatural colours

[lapushka]

Hi,

I've read somewhere that even dark hairdyes have some bleaching elements in the developer. Is this true? I can't seem to find anything reliable online and my chemistry knoledge is lacking.

I'm planning to use box dye to cover the greys, but I don't know now. Do you guys know any box dye brands that don't have anything bleaching/damaging for hair? Or are at least the least damaging?

Thanks in advance.

Yes even dark dyes have a "developer" in the box, and that lifts so it can deposit the dye well. When you buy box dye, make sure it is ammonia-free. Old dyes weren't and to be frank, you don't want that in there.

[MoonRabbit]

I think Shea Moisture has box dye that is supposed to be less damaging. Though I have never really looked into it.