Photoshopped Haircolour Frustration

[Tornerose]

I am so bored with my haircolour. I really want to do change it somehow, but I'm too chicken to actually do it.
Natural is the only way for me theese days, so I have to be really sure that I am prepared to cut it if the worst should happend.

I was originally going to ask you girls (and guys) for ideas and suggestions, but then my friend said "Why don't you just photoshop it, to see what it may look like?"
And so I did :)

I figured I'd post it here and ask for your ideas, suggestions and other things anyhow, and thought maybe you'd like to see it :D

I'm sorry about the size of the pic in the post here, I don't know how to rezise them, so the ones who are interested can click and make it bigger.

Please give me your opinions.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=3331&pictureid=42259

Personally I only like the blonde one, but I'm not sure if I got it the way it would look without chemicals.

But if you have any suggestions as to what to, please please please tell me.

[Naava]

If I would be you, I would try the honey. It would most likely suit you and the contrast to your natural color isn't too big, in case you would want to go back to your natural color. So unless you want more dramatic change immedeately, I would at least start with honey lightening :)

[Torrin Paige]

I actually kind of dig the Henna and Hendigo, myself. I am partial to red, though. I, like you, am a natural blonde and I've always been terrified at the thought of coloring my hair. What if I hate it? It's so hard to go back to blonde that I've never had the guts to go red. Good luck! I hope you love whatever you decide.

[Tornerose]

If I would be you, I would try the honey. it would most likely suit you and the contrast to your natural color isn't too ig, incase you would want to go back to your natural color. So unless you want more dramatic change immedeately, I would at least start with honey lightening
Thank you :)
After seeing theese results, I'm gravitating heavily towards honey myself ;)

The thing with the honey and contrast to natural haircolour it mainly due to the light on the picture I used. I must be right under a lamp or something, it's normally alittle darker. Depending on the light it looks everything from blonde to black, the most normal version is a light golden brown to pavementcoloured hue..

But it was the only pic I could findthat would be easy to edit.

[Spike]

I like the honey and the henna. They're both close to the value of your natural hair, just different hues.

[Tornerose]

I actually kind of dig the Henna and Hendigo, myself. I am partial to red, though. I, like you, am a natural blonde and I've always been terrified at the thought of coloring my hair. What if I hate it? It's so hard to go back to blonde that I've never had the guts to go red. Good luck! I hope you love whatever you decide.
I really like red too, but beeing blonde-ish I'm afraid it'll turn very orange. And when I see the picture there with orange hair, I really don't like it. I think it makes me looks like a cheap prostitute.

I've coloured my hair in the past with chemicals, and liked it. But at the time I was more into the gothscene, so I didn't mind looking like I just woke up from a grave :wannabe: (I hear theese days the goth blondes go platinum instead of black or dark red though). This time around I'm more cheerful and want to look pretty, and since my colour isn't as blonde as it once was, I don't really like it. Hence the desire to do something with it.

[Madame J]

I also dig the "Henna" and "Hendigo" ones. I think the "Henna" makes you look the healthiest of the five. Something about the dark strawberry color lends your skin a kind of glow. I assume you only changed the hair color?

Also, hendigo can lend a warm dark brown, not just a dark red. Check out the goat's hair swatches in Catherine's booklets on the Henna Page.

[Tornerose]

Wow now that you mention it, I do seem to get a pink glow on my cheeks on the henna-pic :D

Yes I only changed the hair. I drew out an outline of the hair and played with it on different layers.
The Henndigo was made by putting the henna-layer over the indigo-layer and playing with the visibility until I found something that looked what I guess will be right.

[Wanderlust]

I actually like your original photo. I love that haircolor - kinda ashy blonde. It's very pretty. I can understand wanting a change though...

Out of the other colors, I'd say the henndigo color looked best...it makes your skin glow.

[feralnature]

I'm partial to you in the henndigo. I think more people look good in red hair than they realize. It warms the complexion and it makes them stand out in a crowd. I like that.

[Tornerose]

I actually like your original photo. I love that haircolor - kinda ashy blonde. It's very pretty. I can understand wanting a change though...

Out of the other colors, I'd say the henndigo color looked best...it makes your skin glow.
Yeah thing thing with ashblonde is that it loks so boring and dull. There's no life in it.


I'm partial to you in the henndigo. I think more people look good in red hair than they realize. It warms the complexion and it makes them stand out in a crowd. I like that.
I really like red hair too, especially dark red.
I think the henndigo colour was the prettiest of the colours, but I think it looks too dark for me.

[brok3nwings]

I would go for honey, you can get it into a warm natural blonde, but there are two things i think you should consider. First, i think you should do it at a hairdresser never at home. Blonde is very difficult to get it natural. Second, you should try some highlights first only on top to give contrast.
what are you thinking? :)

[trollkjerring]

I like the henna and the henndigo best. These colors give your skin such a healthy glow:)

[Xandergrammy]

I love your natural hair color.

[Ryanne]

I like your natural colour, but henndigo looks amazing.

[Cherry_Sprinkle]

I like the henna and henndigo the best :)

[gmdiaz]

I really like your natural hair color. . .but think some strategic honey highlights would look great.

I wouldn't highlight the whole thing. . .just some strands!

[janeytilllie]

I like the honey the best It's a pretty colour. :D

[Akiko]

I think your natural color suits your complexion the best. Your hair color truly looks great on you. If any, maybe honey.

If I were you, I would not take henna/indigo route. It is a commitment. You might get really tired of henna or hennindigo color later. And it's going to be a real pain to go back to natural. You have such long beautiful mane now.

[Bunnyhare]

I like the honey best, then henndigo..the others apprear too dark for your complexion, IMO. Have fun whatever youdo and LOVE YOURSELF!

[physicschick]

I like your natural color best. It's a pretty color. Otherwise, I think going a touch lighter would be better than darker.

[Laurenji]

I really like the "Henna" picture--but I think that to get that color, you're going to need to do a Henna+Cassia mix. The picture that you've labeled "Henndigo" to me looks more like what you'd get from straight Henna. Henndigo's going to give you more of a brown than that.

[Shorty89]

I like your natural colour or honey. Have you tried honey-lightening? You could maybe achieve that blonde without chemicals.

[nowxisxforever]

I really like red too, but beeing blonde-ish I'm afraid it'll turn very orange. And when I see the picture there with orange hair, I really don't like it. I think it makes me looks like a cheap prostitute.

I've coloured my hair in the past with chemicals, and liked it. But at the time I was more into the gothscene, so I didn't mind looking like I just woke up from a grave :wannabe: (I hear theese days the goth blondes go platinum instead of black or dark red though). This time around I'm more cheerful and want to look pretty, and since my colour isn't as blonde as it once was, I don't really like it. Hence the desire to do something with it.

I'd try the honey first, myself, and see if you like it... you can always color over it. Perhaps instead of pure henna, try henna + cassia or a henna *gloss*? Just a small amount of henna with a bunch of cassia so you get more of a strawberry blonde than red. Blonde is such a pretty color, especially when it's natural... it makes me sad when people go away from it! I know, I know, not here to decorate my world... but natural blonde hair is so rare that I'd be more inclined to hold onto it and just alter the type of blonde and go from there.

I hennaed the hair of a friend recently, it ended up pretty reddish, like ginger. She had darkish blonde hair and was a ginger as a child, so she wanted to go ginger again...and after seeing the coppery tone on my hair after I did it, she agreed to let me do hers. Perhaps a future LHC member in the making... /cackles

[ClareDee]

I think the honey would be a good experiment. My favourite picture is the lightest one, followed by your natural colour, and then henna. :)

[Pegasus Marsters]

I like the hendigo, but I'm biased towards red hair. :lol:

[Tornerose]

Thanks for all the comments you guys :) You are all so positive and supportive here :grouphug:
The original photo has some chemical blonde streaks in it, and I must be right underneath a light or something, because normally it's alittle darker and more ashy. In some lights it looks almost dark brown, in others (like this one) it looks more blonde. In normal indoor lighting I think it looks like a mix between caramel and pavement :disgust:

I chose to play with that pic because it was the one that was easiest to play with in photoshop. The other pics of me seem to have hair on only one side of my face, or all over the place, making the editing VERY timeconsuimg. This one was pretty much straight lines around the face :D

I would go for honey, you can get it into a warm natural blonde, but there are two things i think you should consider. First, i think you should do it at a hairdresser never at home. Blonde is very difficult to get it natural. Second, you should try some highlights first only on top to give contrast.
what are you thinking? :)
Yeah it was hard guessing how much lighter I should do the honey lightening in photoshop. I was also thinking that honey might leave a soft red tone to it, but I wasn't sure so I figured I'd just turn up the light.

Would a hairdresser put honey on my hair though? Isn't that kind of against their "rules" or something? (Not to bash hairdressers, but I've never met any who thought natural was better than chemicals).
I was thinking of asking my sister for help no matter what I end up doing.


I think your natural color suits your complexion the best. Your hair color truly looks great on you. If any, maybe honey.

If I were you, I would not take henna/indigo route. It is a commitment. You might get really tired of henna or hennindigo color later. And it's going to be a real pain to go back to natural. You have such long beautiful mane now.
Thank you :)
Yeah I've been thinkning about that too. If I do the henna (or henndigo) and don't like it, the only way to correct it naturally will be (more) indigo, and then eventually cut it off, when it's grown to shoulderlenght or something. And I'm not sure I'm ready for that.


I really like the "Henna" picture--but I think that to get that color, you're going to need to do a Henna+Cassia mix. The picture that you've labeled "Henndigo" to me looks more like what you'd get from straight Henna. Henndigo's going to give you more of a brown than that.
Really? I thought that with the blonde tones, henna would make it pretty orange?
My neighbour is from Iran and has black hair. She tried henna a while ago, and even her hair turned orange. Now I don't know if hers was 100 % pure henna, but I figured that when her black hair turned orange, my blonde-ish hair would definately turn into a carrot-y colour.


I like your natural colour or honey. Have you tried honey-lightening? You could maybe achieve that blonde without chemicals.
No I haven't tried it yet, wich is why I decided to play in photoshop. I have done chemical blonde streaks for a couple of years previosuly, but I don't want to mess with streaks any more. I kind of feel like I'm hurtng the hairs that's been selected, and that they think I'm punishing them or something. (Yeah I'm weird).


I'd try the honey first, myself, and see if you like it... you can always color over it. Perhaps instead of pure henna, try henna + cassia or a henna *gloss*? Just a small amount of henna with a bunch of cassia so you get more of a strawberry blonde than red. Blonde is such a pretty color, especially when it's natural... it makes me sad when people go away from it! I know, I know, not here to decorate my world... but natural blonde hair is so rare that I'd be more inclined to hold onto it and just alter the type of blonde and go from there.
Yeah I really like natural blonde too, just not my shade of dark blonde/light brown. Around here everyone with this shade bleaches it down to some form of blonde, or if they have a dark enough complexion, they go for a chocolate brown, and everyone comments on the few of us that doesn't bleach/colour our whole head.

I've been thinking about glosses also. I saw one girl who, if my memory serves correctly, said she did henna gloss + indigo gloss + henna gloss again like a routine, and it was a very nice brown shade. But I don't know what her natural colour was. (I think I saw her on here, but it might have been a random site when searching the internet)
Wouldn't a henna + cassia make it even more orange though? Seeing as henna = red and cassia = yellow-ish?

[Natalia]

I like your natural the honey and the hendigo. Lol im not of much help just adding an opinion :p

[Dementia1013]

I really like the henndigo and the Indigo.

[Altocumulus]

I really like the "Henna" picture--but I think that to get that color, you're going to need to do a Henna+Cassia mix. The picture that you've labeled "Henndigo" to me looks more like what you'd get from straight Henna. Henndigo's going to give you more of a brown than that.

I agree. My natural color is also ash blonde, and I used 50% cassia and 50% henna to get the color in my signature. It was only orangey before oxidation. After oxidizing, it turned more of an auburn shade. Multiple applications made it even less orange.

I liked my henna/cassia red, but the maintenance was too much for me! After only a week, my blonde roots would show, and my hair would look like it was floating above my head. Then I'd look like I had a balding streak. I also began to miss my natural color, so I decided to grow it out. A year and a half later, I've got blonde hair to chin length and red hair to TBL. I guess this is a really long winded way of saying be sure you really like the red if you decide to henna, because it's quite a commitment.

[HairColoredHair]

Speaking as someone with an original hair color similar to yours, the hennidgo picture represents best a henna result, especially after a few applications.

I do like the 'honey' one, maybe you could try cassia to golden it up? Cassia is relatively temporary, so it needn't be permanent, like henna is.

[Demetrue]

Your natural hair color is so beautiful and your hair is so long, I wouldn't do anything as permanent as henna to the entire head and length. I would do a rinse with lemon, honey and chamomile, let it dry in the sun, then rinse it out. When I was younger, I used to mix lemon juice and hydrogen peroxide (the kind you use to disinfect cuts or gargle with) in a squirt bottle and after I washed my hair and it was still wet, I would squirt a little on my hair and comb it through and then let it dry in the sun. I got a lot of pretty golden highlights with that method.

[Tornerose]

I agree. My natural color is also ash blonde, and I used 50% cassia and 50% henna to get the color in my signature. It was only orangey before oxidation. After oxidizing, it turned more of an auburn shade. Multiple applications made it even less orange.

I liked my henna/cassia red, but the maintenance was too much for me! After only a week, my blonde roots would show, and my hair would look like it was floating above my head. Then I'd look like I had a balding streak. I also began to miss my natural color, so I decided to grow it out. A year and a half later, I've got blonde hair to chin length and red hair to TBL. I guess this is a really long winded way of saying be sure you really like the red if you decide to henna, because it's quite a commitment.
Yeah I've been thinking about that too. If I do something drastic I will have to keep it up until I get bored of long hair, and I may be a tad too lazy for it. But then again, I'm so bored with my colour. I've been altering it since I was 12 with different chemical dyes, so I guess I'm just not used to seeing this ashbrownblonde-thing on me.


Speaking as someone with an original hair color similar to yours, the hennidgo picture represents best a henna result, especially after a few applications.

I do like the 'honey' one, maybe you could try cassia to golden it up? Cassia is relatively temporary, so it needn't be permanent, like henna is.
That's good to know. I've only heard henna turns orange on people around here. It was very popular in the 70s and a little in the early 90s to do henna around here, and most people got orange hair from it.

Wouldn't Cassia turn it pretty yellowish though? (Just what the world needs, another fake yellow-blonde ;) )


Your natural hair color is so beautiful and your hair is so long, I wouldn't do anything as permanent as henna to the entire head and length. I would do a rinse with lemon, honey and chamomile, let it dry in the sun, then rinse it out. When I was younger, I used to mix lemon juice and hydrogen peroxide (the kind you use to disinfect cuts or gargle with) in a squirt bottle and after I washed my hair and it was still wet, I would squirt a little on my hair and comb it through and then let it dry in the sun. I got a lot of pretty golden highlights with that method.
Aww thank you :flowers:

I think I just HAVE to try your recipe now. It sounds awensome :)