I hate my two-toned hair!

[Yarn Muse]

I've been chemical-dye-free for almost sixteen months...the good part is that my non-chemically dyed hair is softer and shinier. The BAD news is that I'm beginning to think that the second year of no-dye is harder than the first! Even six months after my box dye job people who didn't know me asked if I were a natural redhead, or assumed I was. "Do any of your kids have your red hair?"

Now it's obvious that I'm two-toned. My "roots" are 8 or 9 inches long. I can't stand my light, brassy ends. The red all faded out long ago leaving the bleached out hair.

Another option that I've been considering is henna red. I LOVED being a redhead, and have the pale skin and blue eyes that made it believable. Right now I do weak henna glosses to blend in grays. (I have pics of me as a redhead in my photos if anyone cares to look.)

Do I just tough it out? Find a sympathetic hairdresser to give me some low lights on the bottom part or try to match it with the upper? CUT IT? :::shriek::: I don't really want to cut it ALL off. I've considered gradually cutting off the brassy ends. It just TAKES. SO. LONG. Sigh.

[TiaKitty]

I vote for henna... but I love henna!

There are so many henna gurus here that could help you with the effect you want, to cover your brassy ends and blend in your greys.

If you like being red, be red!

[Luckysock]

I wonder if the sun will give you some highlights, and help blend it all in over the summer....

I understand not wanting to cut, I wouldn't cut it - there has to be something that can do done, colour-wise with minimal damage. I would take it to a good colourist, let them know you are trying to grow out your natural colour (more or less) and need some help. they should be able to give you some suggestions :)

[Aevra]

I'm a natural red-head so I've never henna'd, but from reading a lot of the threads that people have posted, henna is supposed to be amazing. I"d say go for it, if you don't like it then your hair will grow out.

[Silver & Gold]

Ha! I could have written this post.

All the things you mention are viable choices, it really just depends on your level of tolerance.

I tried highlighting to blend in the part of my hair that was growing out but in the end I realized that for me it was only prolonging the agony so I finally went cold turkey 1 1/2 years ago.

I loathe my brassy, faded out ends and yet to cut them now would make my hair far too short.

The way I deal with it most of the time is to put my hair up. French twists are especially good at hiding the ends because they are tucked inside the twist.

My plan is to tough it out until I get to APL and then continue to trim to maintain APL until the previously dyed ends are gone. Right now my hair is just long enough that it's beginning to split at the shoulders when I wear it down because its just past shoulder-length so I have until probably around the first of the year before I reach APL.

Really there is no single good answer, only the solution that you can live with.

[NuclearMosquito]

I vote for henna as well. It is a longer process than regular dye, but I think the results are worth it. Just be sure to do some strand tests including the dyed ends so there's no surprises.

[Yarn Muse]

Thanks, ladies! Wow, a lot of pro-henna responses. It's so permanent that I'm waiting on that one, but in the end the red may win out.

Silver and Gold, I like to do updos but usually my brassy ends still show. Ugh. I haven't mastered a French twist yet, but I think I should learn.

[catysue]

You looked fantastic as a redhead. You should absolutely go for henna! Not only is the color beautiful, it is FANTASTIC for your hair. Though I understand wanting to wait because of how permanent it is, and I think that's a great idea. I think of henna kind of as a tattoo for your hair... you have to make sure you will never, ever get sick of it

[chloeishere]

If red hair worked for me, if it was a color that I would want, work to maintain, and would work well with my skin tone, I have to say I would absolutely do henna in a heartbeat.

But, I don't know that it does, I have no burning secret desire to be a redhead, and therefore I have determined that henna is not for me, unless someday I feel like experimenting after I've chopped all my hair off and it'll only take a year to get off the color if I hate it.

If you would dye your hair red anyway, you like the way red hair looks on you, and you are willing to keep up with the dyeing commitment, I would do henna.

I do think your natural color is lovely, though, but red hair does also suit you well.

If you aren't ready for the henna commitment, I would probably try to match the dyed ends with your hair, and gradually trim out the damage. That's pretty much what I did back in the day. I used permanent dye, and went darker though (10vol peroxide, so it didn't lighten much), and I just did a long color fix and got my mostly unchanged color back (after a few weeks of pumpkin orange, sewage smelling hair. Blech).

[Silver & Gold]

Thanks, ladies! Wow, a lot of pro-henna responses. It's so permanent that I'm waiting on that one, but in the end the red may win out.

Silver and Gold, I like to do updos but usually my brassy ends still show. Ugh. I haven't mastered a French twist yet, but I think I should learn.

I hear ya. It's a very frustrating process.

If it's any consolation to you, I really don't think it looks all that bad. But then, since I'm committed to my course I've learned to view these things with a more tolerant eye.

The only thing I would suggest is that sometimes, when you can't decide what to do, it's best not to do anything. At least you know where you stand and you aren't doing anything regrettable.

So take your time to consider your next step if you can't stick it out. Unfortunately I do have some regrets for how I handled it and I now realize I could be a lot further along if I had just had a bit more patience.

I hope you find a solution that works for you or else the resolve to stay the course. Whatever gives you peace.

[spidermom]

There are deposit-only dyes that you could experiment with, some in regular, human-being colors rather than the fantasy color that I picked. I recently divided my hair into 6 panels and dyed 3 of them. So now I have many, many tones, and if the dye sticks around long enough for grow-out, roots won't be noticeable.

Don't despair; have fun with it.

[GoddesJourney]

Even if you henna it will still be two toned. If it really bothers you that much, I would suggest just dying the bleached part. It won't matter since you will be cutting it off eventually anyway, but you will be able to enjoy it more while you're getting there. No big deal. Waiting it out, to put if plainly, just sucks. I've done it before and it's horribly boring. Even just growing out my damage now is irritating. I'm right about at the stage that you're at of 8-9" of good hair and APL of not. Patience, patience. You and I will have long, beautiful, natural hair before we know it. You may be happier putting it up or braiding it so you don't have to see it while this all happens.

[Yarn Muse]

Wow, so many options to think over! I do wonder about dying the bottom to try to match the top. I know it wouldn't be a perfect match, even if I went to a salon...but it would be less obvious maybe.

I asked about that at Sally's, and the lady tried to tell me that the TOP of my hair was lighter than the bottom. Huh??? I was standing under their fluorescent lights, and have some golden threads running through my hair from henna gloss covering my grays, but my ends are definitely lighter. The lady told me what I wanted to do wouldn't work.

So what are some hair colors that I could try, that are not too damaging and not permanent?

[TinaDenali]

I'm sorry if someone already mentioned this - I don't have time to read all the comments.

Have you considered getting some highlights to help incorporate your lighter ends? I know you're probably going for virgin hair, but I think it might help you to transition without having to drastically change your color (henna) and have to continue to dye it (henna does create roots).

I think it would look lovely with some well places highlights and would be a much easier thing to grow out as it wouldn't have harsh roots.

Just my two cents. :)

[Yarn Muse]

There are deposit-only dyes that you could experiment with, some in regular, human-being colors rather than the fantasy color that I picked. I recently divided my hair into 6 panels and dyed 3 of them. So now I have many, many tones, and if the dye sticks around long enough for grow-out, roots won't be noticeable.

Don't despair; have fun with it.

Spidermom! That is some awesome red hair you've got there. How fun. And no, I'm not despairing...it's just such a long process. I could cut a really short bob and be done with it, but I do not want that.

BTW...what deposit-only dye did you use? Is it washing out?


I'm sorry if someone already mentioned this - I don't have time to read all the comments.

Have you considered getting some highlights to help incorporate your lighter ends? I know you're probably going for virgin hair, but I think it might help you to transition without having to drastically change your color (henna) and have to continue to dye it (henna does create roots).

I think it would look lovely with some well places highlights and would be a much easier thing to grow out as it wouldn't have harsh roots.

Just my two cents. :)

Tina,

Thanks for the suggestion. Yes, I have considered highlights. I've also considered lowlights on the bottom. Maybe I'll talk to my friend who (used to) cut my hair. She's a licensed beautician and was actually very interested when I told her about my henna glosses. She is pretty open to things and would want to help me find a way to grow longer if that's what I want, instead of just suggesting a big chop.

[Quixii]

I have to admit, I love you as a red head in your album. It looks so natural and beautiful.
However, I also think everyone should give their natural colour a fair try. I vote for finding someone to blend in the second half of your hair with the first half. See how you like it when it's not so two-toned. :) And then if you start using henna... well, I don't blame you. ;)

[Jeni]

Growing out SUCKS!!!!! I'm growing out light ash blond dye (last used in March 08) which I then covered in a mix of cassia and henna (stopped last year about this time) which gave me the strawberry blonde I have now.

I love red hair but I just do not have the coloring to pull it off. I don't think I look horrible but I definitely don't look great. I'm at the annoying length now where when my hair is up in a bun (which is pretty much always) the bun is red vs. my hair which is a dark blonde/light brown. It looks like I'm wearing a hair piece...aggravation!

The good news for you is that you don't have that much hair to grow out really so you should be rid of it sooner then some of us here...

Oh and I looked at your pictures, you look fantastic as a red head!

[Tovah]

I went through the same thing except that I also had silvers coming in so I had three toned hair. I ended up having my hair colored my natural color with a demi-permanent dye. It lasts for about 26 washings. My hair is soft and shiny and no more brassy ends and no more lines of demarcation. Eventually, you can cut out the bleached part of your hair and you won't have to dye at all.

[prosperina]

The one thing I will say about henna to blend lighter ends and darker roots is strand test first. I was in the same boat about two and half years ago and I kind of just jumped into it and I had some orange hair on my bleached parts. Then I ended up with a cherry color on my dark strawberry blond roots, so strand test. And consider cassia to mix in. I doubt anyone is as impetuous as I am, but just a word to the wise beause I've been there done that. Also I did eventually tone down the pumpkin orange ends with indigo.

[turtlelover]

I vote for *gasp* cut off the colored parts and get a fresh start -- I just did that w/ mine and no regrets here. But then, I don't mind short hair. I just like long hair better than a lot of short hair, though some short hair is super cute! :-) But, you know yourself, and there is no use traumatizing yourself if a big chop scares you. I don't recommend henna -- it is a much bigger pain to maintain that regular color in my opinion, though it can look pretty.

[long.again]

I am going through the same thing. You can see it in my profile picture.

For me, my lighter shade is almost exactly what my natural highlight color is, it's just monotone and I hate. It was a TON worse but I dyed it to match (as best I could) my natural color. It's faded but it made it far less noticeable.I've also considered cutting it but my hair grows so slow.

I vote to dye the ends to match. At the very least it would allow for you to wear up dos that are not noticeable.

If you want to be a red head forever - go for it, but, if you want to go natural, decide now and stick with it. I had APL natural hair and I seriously regret dying it.

[Fethenwen]

Even if you henna it will still be two toned. If it really bothers you that much, I would suggest just dying the bleached part. It won't matter since you will be cutting it off eventually anyway, but you will be able to enjoy it more while you're getting there. No big deal. Waiting it out, to put if plainly, just sucks. I've done it before and it's horribly boring. Even just growing out my damage now is irritating. I'm right about at the stage that you're at of 8-9" of good hair and APL of not. Patience, patience. You and I will have long, beautiful, natural hair before we know it. You may be happier putting it up or braiding it so you don't have to see it while this all happens.
There is a huge risk that this will happen.

I really suggest you get lowlights on your lower parts. Lowlights aren't as damaging as highlights.
After that you would have to just grow it out, and cut of the lower parts if you want to henna it later on. Just to make sure you wont end up with two toned hair again. Henna takes on bleached hair differently than natural hair.

I think the red suited you well, but in my opinion the darker blond is really beautiful too :flower:

[Yarn Muse]

Wow, thanks everyone! I have read all comments though I can't respond to each one separately. I appreciate everyone who took the time to write.

For now I am going to keep henna glossing my roots, and I'm going to talk to my hair stylist friend about the possibility of low lights just on the ends.

Thanks to the ones who warned me about henna looking two-toned. I don't want orange ends! So I'll hold off on the henna and keep growing out my own color, eventually cutting off the colored ends. Happy growing everyone!

[dropinthebucket]

Yarn Muse, i had the same problem! I used to dye my hair blonde, and then I wanted to go back to my own colour. I let the roots grow out several inches, and then I coloured the length medium brown to blend. Looked good at first, but the chemical dye washed out pretty quickly - the damaged blonde ends just wouldn't hold it. Tried a few times, it kept washing out. I really disliked the two-toned hair, too!

If yours is not already deep red or brown, what about doing a light gloss, with proportions you'd need to push it in one direction or the other (light red, or light brown) of henna and buxus, on the lengths only, to get it to match the inches of own hair grown out?

I hennaed all over - if I had it to do again, I think I would have just done a light henna/buxus gloss on the previously-coloured length. I got a beautiful colour with the full-head henna, but it didn't look right on me. It did even up the colour difference between my own roots, that were now about 7 inches down, and the previously coloured portion. I was surprised, but it blended them really well! Since I didn't like the very red colour I got with henna, though, I went over it with a strong buxus gloss, and got a medium brown very close to my own colour!! it's a bit warmer than my own, but that's ok - I can probably grown my own out with very little demarcation now, I think! so happy! :D
P.S. - my avatar pic is *before* the buxus! I posted pics before, with henna, and then after the buxus on another thread - Recipes- Buxus Success, in case that is of any help! I think my starting colour was close to yours, maybe a wee bit darker?

[Henrietta]

I vote for henna... but I love henna!

There are so many henna gurus here that could help you with the effect you want, to cover your brassy ends and blend in your greys.

If you like being red, be red!

I agree. Personally I don't do henna, but I think that in your case it is best solution. And the fact that you like to be red is the most important.

[Ravenne]

I'm dealing with a glaringly obvious two-toned head too. It really does suck.. But I've learned that braids and buns hide it very well. Breaks up the line so to speak. A single french braid will weave the dyed part in with my natural color and give it a natural highlight look while it's braided.

I suggest delving into the land of braids and buns and trying to put the demarcation line out of your mind. :) It'll grow faster that way. ;)

[SurprisingWoman]

I am delighted I toughed it out.

I cut my hair shorter than many on this board would have but I am glad I did.

I was tired of the whole coloring thing, the $$$, the time, the fake color.... so henna wouldn't have worked for me.

Do what makes you happy. In the end it's just you and the person in the mirror.

[Nera]

I would say henna too, because it will probably give you just what you want.
The only thing is; it's going to be permanent again. And you don't want to have to live with two tonedness the rest of your life.
So you have to be sure you want RED hair FOR EVER. If you're sure; just do it(:

[Blueglass]

At this point I would say get some speciality "henna" like light brown or Marigold from a reputable source like Morrocco method, or Avigal, but test strand to make sure it's highlight compatible. (That way chemical will remain an option) (test this by exposing the hennaed hair to ammonia/peroxide) If it is, use it on you ends along with Cassia to make them darker. Block the top with heavy conditioner. Once you get your ends more even in color to the top, then you can re-examine red henna, or henna cassia mix.

[natt i nord]

Looking at your avatar I actually think it looks good. :D

But if you want to be red, be red! I've thought that, too, and am a happy hennahead now for a few months after I decided to grow my dye out due to damage in September 2008.

[spidermom]

Spidermom! That is some awesome red hair you've got there. How fun. And no, I'm not despairing...it's just such a long process. I could cut a really short bob and be done with it, but I do not want that.

BTW...what deposit-only dye did you use? Is it washing out?




It looks red on your screen? It's more a magenta/fuchsia. I used the Punky by Jerome Russell brand as it's supposed to last the longest, but there are other brands out there - Manic Panic, Special Effects, and I think Clairol has a deposit-only line of products, too. Yes, it's washing out a little at a time. I look at this totally differently than you, I think. I really dislike the all-one-tone look; it's too flat and boring. I prefer two and more toned looks.

[Yarn Muse]

It looks red on your screen? It's more a magenta/fuchsia. I used the Punky by Jerome Russell brand as it's supposed to last the longest, but there are other brands out there - Manic Panic, Special Effects, and I think Clairol has a deposit-only line of products, too. Yes, it's washing out a little at a time. I look at this totally differently than you, I think. I really dislike the all-one-tone look; it's too flat and boring. I prefer two and more toned looks.

Spidermom,

It doesn't look fuschia on my screen...more of a bright cherry, but not a natural coppery red. I can appreciate those fun colors on others...my blonde daughter did bright purple streaks last summer! But it's not for me. I'd consider highlights or lowlights, but I'm sticking with natural colors. I might look into a deposit-only color in a natural tone.

[RoseRedDead]

Perhaps dye the blonde to match your roots? Then cut off the coloured part when the virgin hair is at a length you're pleased with??

I have two-tone hair, and I've never even coloured mine. My bun and my roots are two different colours. Not a huge difference, but still noticable.

[spidermom]

I understand; there are plenty of human being deposit-only colors that you can experiment with. Good luck resolving your dilemma. It's no fun to hate what you see in the mirror.

[jaine]

Another option: layers! Almost all of the dyed hair would be gone with no loss in overall length.
But I'm biased ... I love layers :)

[Yarn Muse]

Another option: layers! Almost all of the dyed hair would be gone with no loss in overall length.
But I'm biased ... I love layers :)

That would be a good option if I wanted layers...but I just got done cutting off most of mine! :) I do have a few bangs...at least they're natural colored.

My almost-virgin henna glossed hair is down to the middle of my ears...and longer in back...so I will keep growing but no layers. I have to remind myself that really, it's only a few inches of brassy hair. I've seen photos of others with much longer dyed hair...a foot...two feet...and they grew it out successfully.

[Bianca]

As soon as the dyed hair is away from your face, and can be gathered in a pony, it's easier to live with the two- tone thing (I think)

I'm a two tone myself, havn't dyed my hair in 1 year and 4 months. I say stick it out :)

[restourceful]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it here, forgive me if so. I know you aren't trying to go gray but the Salt & Pepper thread has lots of great suggestions about how to grow out dye. You might just give a peek over there for some tips on doing it without being so two-toned.

[Idun]

Have the same problem (except my hair is brown), and I´m reading this thread with great interest. :drama:

[teela1978]

Personally, I chopped mine off once I got to about shoulderlength. I even did some layers on the first cut to keep a bit of length! For me, the loss of length was worth not having a demarcation line anymore. Not having to think about dying is very nice.

[Yarn Muse]

I don't think anyone has mentioned it here, forgive me if so. I know you aren't trying to go gray but the Salt & Pepper thread has lots of great suggestions about how to grow out dye. You might just give a peek over there for some tips on doing it without being so two-toned.

That's a great idea and something I wouldn't have thought of, since I'm not growing out gray. I will check it out, Restourceful. :)