Stay brown or go black?

[Cholera]

Well, I've been thinking about dying my hair black for a couple weeks now. I kind of like the reddish sheen I get with my henndigoed hair, but I really feel like a change and miss wearing colored things in my hair (not to mention I'm going through a tough break up). Not everything looks good with brown.. but you can wear anything with black. I dyed my hair black for years, but now I'm kind of worried about being too pale for it. What do you guys think?

Black, from last October:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/NatNat2000/Picture0026.jpg

Brown, recently:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/NatNat2000/dsc05314.jpg

I really have no idea why the brown-hair picture is so small D:

[Dragon]

The brown looks really nice on you. The black looks good to.

[Tiina]

In my opinion, black looks better on you but it will be a pain to go back from black.

[JenniferNoel]

Too pale for black? Nah.
You have a beautiful skin tone that suits both colors very well, the only thing about black is that it's near impossible to get out, but I think it looks great on you. Maybe actually just a really, really dark coffee brown would suit your skin tone wonderfully!

[Cholera]

I don't really worry about coming back from black, it usually fades way too quickly! I'm thinking of using Lush Caca Noir. Any experiences?

[slythwolf]

The only advice I can give you is think about it for at least a month before you decide. Don't do it because you think you might like it, do it because you know you want to.

[Boudicca]

I like the brown, personally - it's a lovely rich shade. It makes your eyes really pop, too.

[CourtneyBee]

Both are lovely, black looks great with your skin tone! Do you think you'll ever want to go back to brown though?

[ibleedlipstick]

I love the black, although I dye my hair black and am even paler than you are, so I really couldn't say :p. I dye it because I like it that color.

My only issue is this: the bad breakup. Wait a month, and then dye your hair. I have done the breakup dye before, went from brown to red for M, went from red to blonde after breaking up with M, went black after D, am now dating B who wants to see my natural color.

The issue is that I remember all of these colors in relation to those guys, not in relation to how much I like/liked the color. I like the black, and I did it 2 months after the breakup, because I was ready. I won't go natural for my current bf, because I love this color. I think that you should do what makes you feel the most beautiful, the most "you."

But that is just my opinion. I have mad affection for the black, and I think it looks good on you.

[Rain]

Once you go black, you never go back. :wink: It's a commitment. You may be able to Colorfix it out. You may not. If you are prepared to grow it out and cut it off should you change your mind, then go for it.

No one is "too pale" for black. I have the whitest skin you're ever likely to see and I dye my hair black. It's your skin tone and overall coloring that makes or breaks it, not just the fact that you're pale. Personal pet peeve as a freakishly pale person.

[Sylvanas]

I think you suit both colours, but the brown looks a little bit better to me :)

[rachelily]

I love the brown on you, it really compliments your coloring :)

[Deborah]

I think your face looks prettier with the brown hair. :)

[Angeletti]

I'm a big fan of black, but do whatever you feel suits you best. As for the pale thing I think pale skin and dark hair look really pretty together (but I'm anti tanning so go figure : )

[Beesweet]

You are adorable and both colors look good.

My caution? I saw the phrase "going through a bad break-up" and that makes me want to tell you to think before you do anything.

Break-up hair changes aren't always what they are cracked up to be. :hmm:

[Hotrox]

I am probably a similar colouring to you - I had black hair a few years ago, am now dark drown and find it easier to wear.

With the black hair I always felt that I needed a little more make up, so that it didn't wash me out. It was like my features disappeared under the blackness. I needed a lippie, blush and mascara as a minimum to feel ok. With the brown hair I don't feel this need and can happily wear no make up.

[GlassEyes]

I prefer the black hair, but I'd consider the waiting advice.

Ultimately, it is up to you, though. People are going to pick different things based off personal aesthetics and often other preferences. I, for one, love black hair with almost any skintone, and I'm partial to it with pale, so I'm biased.

[Thinthondiel]

I think the black hair looks better, but then I love black hair, especially combined with pale skin, and I prefer it over brown hair on myself as well. And I know what you mean - it really does go with everything (except brown, I suppose - at least in my opinion). That's one of my favourite things about it!

You've had black hair before, so you know approximately how long it will take for you to go back from black if you should choose to (at least if you use the same dye as before), and I'm sure you've already taken that into consideration, so I think you should just do whatever you find out that you want to do. :)

[Katurday]

I've personally never been a fan of pale skin and black hair unless you've got very Asian or vampiric features. The black makes you look a bit sick, but the brown makes you look awake and refreshed.

But you're talking to the person who wore blonde despite the fact that she looked downright gross with it. You wanted opinions, but the next time you feel something in your heart, go for it and skip the opinions.

[Cholera]

Well, I kind of went lighter with my hair because my ex wanted to see my natural color, or close to it. What I have now definitely isn't, but he liked it a lot. I feel black is more me. I've had black hair from when I was 11 til recently.. since last October. I just don't remember if it made me look sick, cause I didn't care back then. I like to hear opinions. :D

[bahoban]

black looks better,,, just my oppinion :)

[kritir]

I like both, but I'm very partial to black hair on pale skin. I think it looks gorgeous!

[tofuowl]

Both work really well for you! I don't think black looks bad with light skin at all, though I think it's a better "winter" look. I guess I like the brown more, because it's warmer. It's totally a personal thing, but I know when I'm feeling down, surrounding myself with bright, warm, happy colors cheers me up! Sorry to hear about the breakup : / I know the hair color probably doesn't matter a whole lot in the grand scheme of getting past that, but every bit helps, right?

[Loreley]

I like both but I think black looks a bit better. :)

[melikai]

I think I'd go for a very dark, non-reddish brown...after waiting at least two weeks. ;)

[Evie]

I think I'd go for a very dark, non-reddish brown...after waiting at least two weeks. ;)

This +1 :)
You could go darker with an indigo gloss over your henndigo, or I got a very dark, almost black but with a cherry glow, type colour from using about 70:30 indigo and dye released henna?

Not sure about the Noir, if your roots are lightish, it might be best to do it using BAQ henna and indigo, I think it can look richer than the lush bars, and I have used both in the past. HTH

[BlackfootHair]

What is it with guys wanting to see the natural hair color??? My bf said the same thing. I was trying to grow it out for him till I realized I had whites all over my head! lol

I LOVE my black hair. I've dyed my hair blue black for so long that I can't feel comfortable for long in any other color. I just don't. If you feel more natural in black, go for it! I'm thinking the way you are talking that you just want to return to where you were before you changed for someone else. :) It's like taking back your identity. I think the pic of you with black hair has dimmer lighting than the one with you in the sun. I don't think you look sick at all...I think it's just the lighting. And of course, I think pale skin and black hair rock. You know what I think is gross? When I see these girls who living at the tanning booths dye their previously bleach blonde hair black, and wear a ton of bronzer. Their hair ends up looking very dull from bleach damage, and has no shine. And don't even get me started on their orange-brown tan and caked makeup. lol Not everyone I see looks like that....just a bunch. So don't worry about having pale skin with black black hair. As long as black hair is shiny and healthy, it's gorgeous! :D

[Toadstool]

I think the black suits you much better. As someone said, you could always go dark brown. But if you view your "true self" as black then go for it!

[whoanellie]

I think they both look great but I'm partial to the black! You can really pull off either. But it sounds like you think black is more "you" and that is a hard thing to ignore. I know as I'm going through the same decision, my natural brown vs. black, so I feel your pain. I love myself in black but also kind of want to let my hair be natural and let my grays come in naturally... too bad I can't have them poke through black hair instead of my boring brown. :laugh:

[redneckprincess]

i think brown looks great on you

[heynormy]

I love the black hair and it looks great on you too!

[kristymarie87]

Have u ever tried manic panic, directions or special effects? They don't damage the hair and last 6 to 8 weeks, the blacks sometimes last longer. You can mix some with shampoo to keep it freshened up too.

Just a thought!

You can get them on beeunique's website and amazon etc

[Nera]

Yay for black! I really like both colors on you, but I'm a big fan of black hair and it really does suite your pale skin.

[Joliebaby]

It's really hard to say from just these two pictures. Those who say the like the black better, are you sure you prefer the actual hair color, or just like the picture better?
I suggest waiting for a month as well, don't do anything rash. I personally prefer sticking close to your natural color...

[hairg33k]

I like the black better :) it's always hard to decide about what to do with your hair though!

[amaiaisabella]

I love the black- I've actually never seen someone so suited to it before! Even my mom, who's a natural black-hair. For something that sticks, what about the Wella line and a 10 vol developer? 10 vol is super gentle and deposit-only, even if you use a permanent color. There's a Wella thread around here with reviews and posters' experiences, I think.

Joliebaby, she just seems more suited to the black color by her expression and demeanor. It fits her, IMO. :)

[handsclean]

I vote black! :) And it's just hair. If it helps you through your break-up, do it. It will grow back if you don't like it.

[sibiryachka]

I agree that it's best to let the emotional dust settle from the breakup before making any changes. That said, lucky you to have the skin tone that allows you to pull off black and brown equally well! Something that struck me in your original post was the "everything looks good with black" remark, about wanting to use colored hair toys. That suggests to me that the colors you prefer to wear look better with black than with brown, and it's very telling - chances are that the colors you prefer to wear are the ones that look best with your skin tone. Probably a subtle difference, but significant.

[Cholera]

I agree that it's best to let the emotional dust settle from the breakup before making any changes. That said, lucky you to have the skin tone that allows you to pull off black and brown equally well! Something that struck me in your original post was the "everything looks good with black" remark, about wanting to use colored hair toys. That suggests to me that the colors you prefer to wear look better with black than with brown, and it's very telling - chances are that the colors you prefer to wear are the ones that look best with your skin tone. Probably a subtle difference, but significant.

Your post is quite interesting to me. I've never really thought about the colors I wear as matching my skin tone.. I just wear very bright colors usually on a solid black (Like bright shirt and black pants, or black shirt with colored pants), and I used to wear cute bow clips or bright colored headbands in my hair. More recently I bought clip-in extentions and realized that I couldn't wear the bright red ones because it didn't work with the brown hair. The blonde ones looked fine, but bleh.

[littlenvy]

Honestly, I would keep it brown.
I like the brown ... maybe because it has so many more outcomes? The colour is never the same, it all depends on the light. From your pic I would say it looks very rich and lovely :)
My stepdaughter likes to dye her hair black from brown. She tells me its the "in thing". EVERYONE dyes it black.
LOL ... so I tell her to be an individual and stay nice and brown.
Besides, the black never looks ... natural? I don't know how to describe it, but it never has that same luster that natural black has. I know I'm not saying this righ. :(

[masa_inn]

I would wait a couple of months after the break up (I'm sorry to hear about that) and then make a decision. I've had my share of post-break up hair styles... Nah, don't go there :)

[ObsidianShimmer]

I say brown is better for you. For most people who dye their hair black, it usually just makes them look goth, especially when they're pale.

[Unofficial_Rose]

Another vote for the black. It looks exceedingly cool on you.

But also agree with those who said wait until you are over the breakup before you decide. ;)

[Dark40]

I think you would nice with both colors.