Fading haircolours

[Svenja]

Hello all

I have been a chemical head for a long time and although henna has popped into (not on to ^^) my head quite often I have not stepped down from chemical dyes. I like them.
Anyway, my problem is that no matter if it is a semi-permanent, demi-permanent or permanent box dye they always fade out. I know they do fade out and do not stay shiny and great for a long time, but usually even the permanent dye looks nothing like itself after only 2 weeks (I was every other day).
Do you know why ? Is there anything I can do to prevent the dye from fading so quickly?

Thanks!!

[RancheroTheBee]

What brand/colour are you using?

I find that using a sulphate-free or baby shampoo can help cut down on the fading, as can stretching washes. When I had bright reddish-pink hair, I just used to do a temporary glaze every two weeks to keep it fresh (think Manic Panic). It depends on the shade you're after.

Henna still changes colour, though. After a few months, mine would always start to look blonde-ish in some spots, which actually looked very sweet.

[iwonder]

You can try color fading shampoos and conditioners or washing less with cold water. I had more of a problem when I dyed my hair red it would fade to an ugly orange/pink.

[UltraBella]

Normal baby shampoo will strip color easily, so I am wondering if RancheroTheBee is referring to some of the all natural baby shampoos you can find now ? I have heard they are very mild, but something like Johnson's & Johnson's is not recommended.
The product lines made specifically for color treated hair have a lot of fans, and they are supposed to protect your color.
I am opposite of you, I can't get color to fade on my hair. I used a Demi-color for five years, a really coppery red, and when I finally decided to go with something closer to my natural color, I had to bleach the Demi out. It was still shiny and vibrant. Maybe it has to do with the porosity of your hair ?

[Dreams_in_Pink]

My mom (who's a regular box dye user) always says some peroxide is always needed for the dye to stay. Any chance you're cutting down on the bleach?

[Svenja]

Thanks for all your answers!

RancheroDeBee I use L'Oreal Herba Shine, usually a toned-down reddish tone. It's only a semi-permanent colour, which must fade out. However it is supposed to last 24 washes and it's all faded and nasty after about 5 washes already :( - I have used L'Oreal Excell 10 in the past, which is a permanent colour and it was all the same after a few washes.

iwonder, I have actually thought about these shampoos/condis but the only ones I can find around here are full of silicone-nastiness :(

UltraBella, interesting thought actually. This whole dilemma of fading colours has started when I finally had all my dry, split ends and lengths cut off and my hair was healthy for the very first time. Can hair be too healthy for colour to stay in?

Dreams in Pink - I am not sure I understand (sorry!!) :( . I do not use bleach.

[Dreams_in_Pink]

Dreams in Pink[/B] - I am not sure I understand (sorry!!) :( . I do not use bleach.

Box dyes often come with bleach, even if it's a dark color. Its purpose is to lift the cuticles a little to increase dye intake. What i ask is, do you apply the instructions as written in the box? It usually says to mix dye with the bleach that comes with the product.

[Svenja]

I use the dye as written in the instructions :) I wouldn't know how to do the application differently :)

[BelleBot]

I think pretty much all permanent box dyes contain bleach, which is why you have to mix usually two parts together. The bleach lifts the hair cuticle so the pigment can impart itself and stick.

I had the same problem though, it might just be my hair type, but hair dyes never stuck for much longer than a few weeks.

Mind you saying that, when I used L'Oreal Casting in a dark chocolate brown to cover pink that stuff wouldn't budge for months. It was only supposed to be semi permanent. I ended up using a colour remover and honey lightening to try and rid myself of it.

Try using gentler shampoos without sulfates, not baby shampoo though, that stuff is designed to strip cradle cap so it's very good at stripping colour too. You can also try hair care specially formulated for coloured hair. Or you could have a go at CO washing (conditioner only) as that can help reduce fade and help keep colour longer.

[bunnii]

I just started dying again after a year of not, I was dying black now i'm using dark red. I always had trouble with red fading before when I was S+C now i'm CO and do a final vinegar rinse the colour is staying alot better, it's still fading but nowhere near as much as with S+C.

I also try to keep my showers quite cool I haven't for the last couple because i've been ill and needed warmer, which I think has made it fade more than before.

[UltraBella]

Dreams in Pink, I think the confusing is because peroxide and bleach are different. Peroxide, or ammonia, is used as a developer in box dyes to open the cuticle so the new color can penetrate it. A darker color will penetrate and deposit color, but not bleach your hair.
If you are using bleach, you are actually stripping your cuticle of it's own natural color. You would only use bleach for highlights, blonding, or for lifting your natural color to go several shades lighter.
Otherwise the developer will not have bleach in it, only peroxide, ammonia, or a combination of ammonia and peroxide.

[Svenja]

Hi again,

would this mean that colours without ammonia do not stick to the hair as well? I use ammonia-free stuff if possible.

:)

[stkl]

if you put a hair gloss treatment on after colouring it can healp colour stay in longer. also washing in cold water helps too :)

[chelseamichelle]

using head and shoulders shampoo is known to lighten colour. And my hairdresser told me not to use shampoo and conditioners with silicone like Pantene because it coats the hair and doesn't let dye penetrate completely, which is why it washes out.

Not sure if these are 100% true but in my experience, i've never been able to get hair colour not to fade.. it just happens