Semi-Permanent Hair Colour

[*Aoife*]

Is semi-permanent colouring very damaging? I have the dye bought, I just don't want it to wreck my hair.

My main question is about CO and semi-permanent colour. I read somewhere that you shouldn't use conditioner for three washes before putting in the colour. Obviously this isn't going to work for me. Is there a way to get around it? I could shampoo even though I already did it this week.

Thank you :)

[BelleBot]

I've never heard the 3 washes thing before. Sometimes conditioner can act as a barrier preventing the hair from taking up the dye, which is why it's often not recommended for the wash before you dye. Though 3 washes seems unnecessary. Just use a pH balanced shampoo ideally.

As for how damaging it is, vegetable dyes and the like often aren't damaging, or rather the damage they cause if negligible. Like manic panic etc. Generally semis aren't too damaging as they don't contain peroxide. You just need to check the back of the box to see what's in it in case there are any nasties lurking.

However the last semi I used was Loreal Casting which did horrible things to my hair. I've never had a problem with it before, but for some reason the last time I used it was nasty, but it is also loaded with silicone. I'm still having trouble getting rid of it all after colour stripping and nearly 3 months of washing/fade time.

[*Aoife*]

I'm using Stargazer, I haven't seen Manic Panic IRL.

This is the ingredients list (copied from somewhere online, so it may be a little different)
Aqua, Cetarly Alcohol, Distearoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate (and) Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteareth-20, Citric Acid, Methylparaben, Butylene Glycol, Clyceryl Stearate, +/- Basic Brown 17, Basic Brown 16, Basic Red 76, Basic Yellow 57, Acid Violet 43, Basic Green 4, Basic Red 46, Basic Orange 2, Basic Violet 4, Basic Violet 14, Basic Blue 7, Basic Blue 9, Basic Violet 2, HC Yellow 4, HC Yellow 2, HC Yellow 1, HC Red 1, HC Red 3, Acid Red 8, Acid Green 1, Inci 12251, Inci 12250, Inci 12719, Inci 60730, Inci 42000, Inci 110825, Inci 11270, Inci 42600, Inci 42510, Inci 42595, Inci 52015, Inci 42520, HC Yellow 4, HC Yellow 2, HC Orange 1, HC Red 1, HC Red 3, Inci 10020.

That sounds nasty! This is purple though and the thought of having purple hair for three months is a little tempting :D

[Kristin]

I use Natural Instincts once a month and I've never had a problem with it. It isn't really temporary because- if you use a color that is darker than your natural color- it doesn't necessarily wash out. Ever. I use a color close to my natural color primarily to cover grays.

I also have never heard of that conditioning rule. In fact I oil my hair before coloring to prevent damage and the color still absorbs.

[*Aoife*]

Is Natural Instincts permanent or semi permanent? I've heard you can put anything on your hair before using permanent dye and it still works.

[lux_aeterna]

I'm using Crazy Color semipermanent dye.
There's a german page where you're able to check the ingredients of cosmetics (www.codecheck.info), and for the Crazy Color, only 2 of the ingredients are listed as "not recommended" (could elicit hypersensitivity)
If I compare it with the harsh chemical dye I used before, 7 ingredients are listed as "not recommended" (2 of them non-degradable, 5 of them cancer-causing! And of course none of them good for your hair or scalp)

I never had any problems with Crazy Color and think it's the best solution to use a semipermanent dye (if you don't have to bleach first).

I had the best results when leaving that stuff on my head for 4-5 hours under aluminium foil and using the blowdryer on it 2-3 times.
Besides, I only use shampoo before dyeing and no conditioner.
I don't have to bleach first and the color is really, really long-lasting. :cheese:

[ZaBasDa]

If you aren't using a bleach first then Stargazer shouldn't damage your hair. Most dyes of that kind, Manic Panic, Special Effects, Raw, etc. are more like conditioner that deposits color. Using conditioner right before you dye your hair with these types of dyes can prevent the hair from absorbing as much color. Before I dye my hair, I just use shampoo, then apply the dye, let the dye sit for a few hours/overnight, and then do a CO to get the excess dye out.

[Carolyn]

NI is semi permanent hair color. I believe it's supposed to wash out in a few weeks. I used to use it. It didn't damage my hair but it turned my ashy blonde hair to strawberry blonde. I hate my hair with reddish tones. So I quit using it and now get professoinal color.

I've never heard the thing about not using conditioner for 3 washes. That alone would kill my hair.

[jera]

Is Natural Instincts permanent or semi permanent? I've heard you can put anything on your hair before using permanent dye and it still works.

It's a semi permanent color.:)

[Liss]

I was using a cheap semi permanent colour when I couldn't afford to continue highlighting and wanted to get past the visible roots phase. It worked perfectly fine for me and washed out in about double the amount of time that the box claimed. This was good for me because it was technically only half the price of what I would have been paying for the few times I used it. I didn't get any damage from it, the only downside was the colour being a bit darker than I wanted when it was first applied.

[Isilme]

Stargazer is totally hair friendly! But it doesn't last very long if you haven't bleached your hair. And depending on your starting color it may not be purple at all. Purple is only on bleached hair, however if you're a blonde you will likely get purple.

[walterSCAN]

I've never heard not to condition hair before using semi-permanents... that sounds like an awful idea!

I would guess that the '3 days' thing is directed more at really cone-y conditioners, anyway, and I'm guessing you CO with no-cone? It shouldn't be a problem then... :shrug:

[*Aoife*]

Thanks to everyone who answered :)

I just put the purple in earlier. My hair seems darker but not very purple. I'll have to wait and see what it looks like dry in daylight. I'm very dark brown so I wasn't expecting much.

I guessed that the conditioning rule was for cone users when I was putting in the colour earlier.

[DarleneH]

Thanks to this forum, I've cut way down on my shampooing, and right now it's been about a week since I last did. So my hair has that thick, heaviness to it that is probably a build-up or coating on the hair strands(I'm sure sebum and the last spray gel I put in a few days ago). But do I need to shampoo to remove the coating before I color? I've got a couple boxes of a bronze Natural Instincts dye I want to use on it, but I'm afraid it won't take and will just be pointless if I don't shampoo first to strip out the gunk.

Also, those of you who like the more permanent colors, I wonder if mixing it with conditioner and then applying to your hair would get you the color you want without the damage? Mix dye and developer with a small amount of conditioner making a creamy paste, apply all over, leave on for 15 minutes. It is probably more for refreshing your current color than changing the color, but it should be much more gentle.

[LoveMyMutt]

I was just wondering the same thing...but my box of Natural Instincts said to NOT apply to freshly shampooed hair. However, it is supposed to be free of products.

My guess is that they are assuming you use 'cones, which I imagine would interfere with the dye getting into your hair. The warning against freshly-shampooed hair assumes you are using sulfates in which case your hair would have no protective oil on it and thus would be more likely to sustain damage.

I did mine over hair that had henna on it several months ago, and has been lightened with 3% peroxide on two applications about three weeks apart. I did oil my hair with coconut oil first and the dye "took" fine, but it's only been 36 hours so we'll see if it actually sticks or not.

[DarleneH]

Well, maybe if I just do a water only rinse tonight, with a good bit of massaging my scalp (mostly cuz it feels good :D ), that'll be sufficient.

[goodenough]

Just thought I'd add that I've used many of the natural instincts colors and have been very happy with the product. I think the not washing the day of using it is so your scalp is more protected by oils. You basically CO your hair afterwards. I've used it with light hairspray in my hair, and also with several days of not washing, and both haven't affected the outcome. I've also put the dye on dry hair, which is less messy but harder to work through, and wet, which was a big mess but easier. The dye wipes up easily from the sink, etc.

I think it is a great product. It tends to be too dark/dense looking the first week or so, then stays in with great gray coverage for about a month. It's fun if you like a change, to cover grays, or if you feel your natural color isn't as vibrant anymore. I like using the reds in the winter to brighten a pale face, then switching to black when I have more of a tan. I feel I've had zero damage from it.

[kateeg]

To be honest, when I dye my hair (just re-did my roots last night), I try to avoid shampoo for as long as I can, seems to strip the colour sooner, but I make sure to condition as often as possible, because it keeps the hair in better condition and makes your colour last. Also, if you're using a semi-permanent like Manic Panic etc., another tip is to mix some of your colour in with your conditioner to keep it replenished.

[kristymarie87]

I used manic panic and it made my hair feel great!!

The semis you see in boxes such as casting, nice and easy etc are not actually semi's. They are demi permenant. They still use peroxide (and those that claim they dont use a substitute) and lighten the colour before depositing dye, its just that the molecules are differant and are supposed to fade more easily.

The general rule is that if you get a semi that comes in 2 parts (eg. mix bottle 1 into bottle 2), then its a demi and will damage you hair. But less than a Perm colour.

I used to use a dye from healthshops that was permenant but less damaging because it had natural ingredients (mainly). It was from holland and barrett.