dyeing for shine!

[x0h_bother]

Hello all,
I am interested in dying my hair dark dark brown possibly black for the shine of it. I currently have virgin hair, this is my natural hair color, and while I like it I lack shine. I believe I have a combination of naturally coarser hair strands and some heat damage that dull shine. I look at some of my friends who dye and I am jealous of their shine!
So those who dye, what are the dangers? Will I regret it? I looked in the articles section for dangers of permanent dye but couldn't find one. And do you think the color is a good idea?
I am not a good "chemist" and I doubt hennindigo (SP?) would be a good choice for me. I thought about cassia but I'm not sure it will be enough for what I am looking to do.
TIA, x0

[young&reckless]

DON'T DO IT!

OK, so if your hair is dull from heat damage just think what will happen after you damage it more with dye.

There it tons of info here on how to improve shine without chemical damage. Start reading arround in the Herbal hair care section before you do something unreversable.

[Fiferstone]

Three words: Apple Cider Vinegar

this REALLY improved the shine for me, no fooling, and if you find you don't like it, you don't have a color change to deal with. I find that a 1/2 teaspoon in about 8 ounces of water works for me as a final rinse (following rinsing the shampoo out). I have mad shine from this. I've also found that coconut oil soaks the night before I wash have helped improve the overall condition of my hair. Here's a good picture showing the shine.

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=4590&pictureid=62990

Full disclosure, I'm also a henna-head, because I like the color. Henna also improves shine, but again, you'll get the henna flare in sunlight and if you don't want that, don't henna. If I were you, I'd try apple cider vinegar (ACV) rinses to start with and see if that helps.

[Kristin]

I agree with young&reckless. Don't dye. You can get great shine from henndigo (I think I do), coconut oil, or even 'coney serums if you really want it. Plus, black dye=bad idea. It never comes out. Ask me how I know...

[christine1989]

I have heard that permanent (as well as semi permanent) dyes can make some people's hair shiny but through personal experiance I have found that the opposite is true (for me anyway). When I dyed my hair darker it decreased it's shine and caused it to look dull until the color grew out.

[triumphator!]

Chemical dyes seem like the wrong choice, in my opinion. Like putting diesel in your car because it is cheaper...

I'd say try ACV, then try serums, then try henna.

[Tiina]

I had dyed my hair for years before I gave up this february. Dying hair isn't too bad if you maintain short hair but with long hair the damage accumulates on the length. If you only dye the roots, the length will lose it's shine as time passes. However, if you dye it all it will affect the strength and texture of the length. My virgin hair is completely frizz free but the length is a mess even though I have never abused it with heat or excess products. When I still dyed it was frizzy from scalp to tips. All of my breakage happens lower than my demarkation line. I wouldn't recommend you to dye just for shine as it in the long run creates more problems than it fixes. I can recommend from experience a honey treatment for shine. Honey has some bleaching power but that can be neutralised by microwaving it prior to application.

If you really want to dye your hair, take a good look at the ingredients list. Even dark colours sometimes have bleaching agents in them (usually they are labeled as 2-step dyes but that is not always the case).

[mellie89]

My virgin hair is MUCH shinier than the dyed ends. I would advise you to try less drastic measures first.

(Am I the only one who thought at first that the OP was figuratively dying for shiny hair, not literally?)

[PineappleJello]

No you are not alone. If you hadn't pointed it out I still wouldn't have noticed (minds on vacation today)

[teela1978]

Wouldn't shine serum be a less drastic method of getting shinier hair? I vote for the super-coney conditioner route :)

[swellmel]

I'm going to chime in and agree with the previous posters. There are plenty of options to add shine that I think will give you the shine you want without damage. One thing that has worked for me is a cold water rinse right before I get out of the shower. I'll tilt my head into the water stream so my whole body doesn't get drenched in cold water. I run the cold water over my hair until it the whole length feels significantly cooler. The result is noticable for me. If you are interested in a product Frederic Fekkai has a shine spray that is amazing! Mega shine and it's super light- not heavy or oily. Ah, found it... http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?productId=xlsImpprod1500586

[teela1978]

One more thought... When I used to dye, I always thought the shine was more from the conditioner pack in the dye box than from the actual dye. I think you can get the little tubes of certain brands at sallys and other beauty supply stores. That might be a easy thing to try.

[sarah061]

When I dyed my hair darker it decreased it's shine and caused it to look dull until the color grew out.

This has been true for me! I dye my hair a darker brown and it always looks very shiny and nice for the first several weeks but then it begins to lack the luster it once had. The color is still good, but it's not as fresh looking.

I agree with the others who had suggestions on alternative ways to achieve great shine.

For me, permanently coloring my hair every few months doesn't seem to negatively affect its health (actually, it always seems healthier after I dye...) but from a shine perspective, I get better longer-lasting results from oiling, cold water rinses and deep conditioning.

Good luck with whatever you choose! :)

[Leena7]

I read this shine tip once. After your hair is dry, take a fresh from the freezer ice cube and run it down the length of your hair. It is so cheap and easy that it is worth a try.

[little_cherry]

If you don't like the smell of ACV, the lemon rinse (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=53745) is great, if not better. I was contemplating using cones on my hair, but after doing the dilute lemon juice rinse, I have no need to. It is such a weak dilution that it won't dry out hair...I've tried this with both real lemons and the realemon bottled juice with great results.

[Bene]

Don't dye just yet. Not until you've checked out other procedures and techniques that would be less damaging to your hair. You didn't mention what products you use currently, but the lack of shine could possibly be due to product build-up. Washing with diluted baking soda could take care of that, and a diluted ACV rinse to finish off works wonders.

[Barniie]

I vote for honey!

[MissManda]

Please don't dye your hair!

I remember dying my hair with chemicals a grand total of twice. It left my hair shiny and soft, yes, but it was not worth it because my hair started to dry out and split like crazy. It did remain shiny, but the damage caused by the dye caused too many problems with the above as well as breakage.

There have been many great suggestions on how to improve the shine of your hair and I'm sure you can find something that is right for you. Once you do, your pretty waves will look even more gorgeous.

I know since I've found things that my hair likes, the shine has become insane, and quite frankly, is way shinier than when my hair was dyed. I'll be sending good thoughts your way and I hope you will share your findings with all of us on LHC.

Best of luck to you! :blossom:

[kitten1986]

I agree with what everyone has said... If it is really just the shine you are after there are plenty of other ways to get it without dying your virgin hairs!
Lemon/ACV rinses
Cold rinses
coney conditioners
clarifying wash
and shine serums will all help with that
If you have damage that is dulling your hair then dying it will make it worse I promise!

If you decided that you must dye your hair, please only use a semi permanent or a wash out dye and dont go black straight away. Black is REALLY hard to get out of your hair... trust me I dyed my hair black for 10+ years which was ok while it was short but now I am trying to grow it out it is SO damaged from all the dye and the buildup of dye. It splits easier where the dye is and I have a very strong demarcation line where the horrible dyed ends stop and the virgin hair begins. Eventually I will have to cut it off because this is the only way to get rid of it short of bleaching it out then dying it back over the top again.

But at the end of the day hair is meant to be enjoyed and if you want to dye it then it is your choice, you just have to be prepared for what might happen if you do :) there are plenty of people on here with uber long beautiful healthy hair who dye it so it is doable if you do it right!

[trinc]

I think Lush Caca color is less difficult than making your own henndigo and gives incredible shine + improves the condition of your hair. you can choose lush caca brun or noir, which are dark and not so red.

[Marjolein]

You might want to look into the Elumen thread. Elumen has a "dye" that's called clear. It doesn't deposit any color, but gives great shine. And this stuff isn't damaging to your hair at all.

[xoxophelia]

I was coloring my hair before and even with semipermanents, it will be very shiny (at first). When it starts to fade though it becomes much much duller. And, over time if you continue it only gets worse. I wouldn't suggest it.

[juliaxena]

Interesting, you are the third person who said this in the last couple of weeks. I'm not sure this is the right way though. I dye my hair and it has not lost the shine yet but I kind of took that into account for the future.

[ncgal25]

I understand your frustration! My hair is dull unless I dye my hair - however dont do it! Dont start coloring your virgin hair! Over time you will have numerous hair issues!
Ive colored for 6 years and now have very coarse unmanagable hair!

Find an herbal solution if possible! Good Luck!

[little_cherry]

There is also coconut oil... :)

[x0h_bother]

Thank you for your responses!
I use coconut oil and a coney serum sometimes for curly hair (sig). I have a shine spray and Biosilk but they work best on straight hair.
Often, like today, I don't use leave ins but I always use coney conditioners of some kind.

My virgin hair is MUCH shinier than the dyed ends. I would advise you to try less drastic measures first.

(Am I the only one who thought at first that the OP was figuratively dying for shiny hair, not literally?)
YES, I meant to be both figurative and literal. I am dying and NEED shine whether I dye or not!

One more thought... When I used to dye, I always thought the shine was more from the conditioner pack in the dye box than from the actual dye. I think you can get the little tubes of certain brands at sallys and other beauty supply stores. That might be a easy thing to try.
I used the old Feria tubes for GREAT shine, cant get the old formulation anymore unfortunately. It was AWESOME though. I still look for it at discount stores.

I read this shine tip once. After your hair is dry, take a fresh from the freezer ice cube and run it down the length of your hair. It is so cheap and easy that it is worth a try.
I will try this! Great idea.

If you don't like the smell of ACV, the lemon rinse (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=53745) is great, if not better. I was contemplating using cones on my hair, but after doing the dilute lemon juice rinse, I have no need to. It is such a weak dilution that it won't dry out hair...I've tried this with both real lemons and the realemon bottled juice with great results.
I've been reading on this and will try it!

You might want to look into the Elumen thread. Elumen has a "dye" that's called clear. It doesn't deposit any color, but gives great shine. And this stuff isn't damaging to your hair at all.
I am looking into this, not sure if it hurts hair like hair dye.

Thank you all for 'scaring' me into keeping my color and hair condition! I had shine envy but you are right, there are other ways. I will stay strong! :D

[Yozhik]

Your hair looks so shiny in your siggie! You definitely don't need to dye in my opinion :flower:

Good luck looking for natural alternatives -- I'm glad you posted this thread -- now I'm off to read about Elumen :)

[littlenvy]

One more thought... When I used to dye, I always thought the shine was more from the conditioner pack in the dye box than from the actual dye. I think you can get the little tubes of certain brands at sallys and other beauty supply stores. That might be a easy thing to try.
*nods head*
I have to agree with that.
I have been dying my hair for many years now and its the conditioner that makes it shine, dye itself with make your hair very dull.


So, if you don't have to dye your hair - DON'T.

It totally changes the texture of your hair. You may not like it at all. Listen to the ladies and try some nice conditioner or ACV rinse.
And stop the heat to the heat damage. :) Your hair will thank you for it.

[little_cherry]

Thank you for your responses!
I use coconut oil and a coney serum sometimes for curly hair (sig). I have a shine spray and Biosilk but they work best on straight hair.
Often, like today, I don't use leave ins but I always use coney conditioners of some kind.
When was the last time you clarified? Cones have a tendency of building up and dulling the hair.

[Shany]

I was coloring my hair before and even with semipermanents, it will be very shiny (at first). When it starts to fade though it becomes much much duller. And, over time if you continue it only gets worse. I wouldn't suggest it.

True...I used to dye my hair black for a couple of years and it was very shiny for 2-3 weeks max and after that it looked very dull. It's a vicious circle because you need to dye your whole hair again to get your shiny hair back for another 2-3 weeks. It's very damaging... Also, if you use a flat iron, there's a product called Vavoom by matrix gold..it's a ''protective'' spray that makes your hair sooooo shiny, but you need to heat style your hair to see the shine because only heat activates the product. So... damaging your hair can make your hair shine :hmm:

Like the others said, ACV rinses, and cold water rinses are great for shine.

[ElusiveMuse]

I don't have problems with cones, but coconut oil can cause build up as well. I use a clarifying shampoo about twice a month for that.

Also, has anyone recommended Nightblooming's herbal rinses? Her Forest Glen rinse darkens my medium-brown hair and makes is shinier. It's really affordable and good for your hair. She has an etsy store.

[x0h_bother]

Update: I just clarified with no (low) SLS poo and my hair was nasty...I always suspected it would be from clarifying...dry as heck. I was compelled to put some coney conditioner on after and it still is a frizz mess. I was way better off before clarifying. I also tried a diluted lemon rinse on wet hair, no dice. Frizz galore, no shine. I guess it's back to my coney and coconut routine, with an addition of yet more cones :D

[Sundial]

don't do it!! it's really not worth it!

i colored my hair black because i got sick of seeing regrowths, but i didn't realize that black doesn't come off. so when i decided to color my hair for my wedding photoshoots, the stylist colored my hair without asking for my hair history and i ended up with black hair and brown roots :( ugly!! the only way she could fix the situation was to strip the black with bleach and that totally ruined my hair.

so try other methods and leave the dye as a last resort

[Sundial]

also, did you try cold rinses yet? it's supposed to help hair look more shiny

[x0h_bother]

also, did you try cold rinses yet? it's supposed to help hair look more shiny
Yes, I usually do well with cold rinses but today since I stripped with the clarifying poo and then did the lemon rinse, my hair was just too dry and frizzed right up. So next time I will cold rinse again, the cold rinse is something I do but forget to do many times.

[chelseamichelle]

Hair dye is only shiny at first! Please don't do that to your hair, it's extremely damaging..

If you want darker shinier hair you can use The LUSH henna dyes, in either caca brun, caca noir, or a mixture of both :) They are WAY better for your hair and will give you more shine than dye

[amaiaisabella]

I color my hair frequently and have seen the most shine from demi-permanent dyes. The damage, relatively speaking, is quite low, at least IMO. I rec the Ion demi line from Sally's :) I currently use their permanent line, because I need the color, but their demi was great and had no harsh smells. Use a 10 vol developer as well.

Also, the Feria conditioner is sold at Sally's, but I have no idea if it's changed formulation. It worked for me for a bit, but then seemed to stop working. I use their generic form of Nexxus Hydrating, or whatever the name is. It's not horrible, but not great either, at least for my dry hair.

One more thing- there's a lot of chemical users on this board, and many (some?) of them experience little to no damage. You might want to look on the Chemical Colorers thread, or ktani's thread on how to dye with coconut or other oils as a protectant. Those might also help increase shine, but YMMV.

Good luck! I have seen the most shine in my hair when I dye, but of course, other members may feel differently ;)

[Anje]

Have you tried soaking your hair in something like an SMT? Honey contributes to shine for a lot of people, and I'm sure your hair would welcome the extra moisture after clarifying (which only makes hair feel better immediately after if it was horribly coated beforehand, otherwise hair generally is a bit nasty after clarifying, particularly if you use baking soda).

It may be a long shot, but another thing to try for shine is damp bunning. It doesn't work for everyone, but for some folks, letting hair finish drying in a bun seems to increase shine and decrease frizz.

[saippuakuplia]

It may be a long shot, but another thing to try for shine is damp bunning. It doesn't work for everyone, but for some folks, letting hair finish drying in a bun seems to increase shine and decrease frizz.

That makes at least my hair shiny and it feels more moisturized. I usually let my hair dry inside a towel for a while and then I make a bun. I let the bun be while and then open it, let it be and then make a new bun. Usually I change it like every 15 minutes. My hair isnt very long but it still takes long to get dry so the whole thing takes time. I don't have energy do that every time so sometimes I just make a braid the wet hair and go to bed. But the result is not that shiny that way. I reckon is best way for me to wear hair down and up down to get shiny hair.

[little_cherry]

Usually after clarifying, a SMT is the best route.. same with protein treatments.

Always follow with a moisture treatment...always.

[LittleOrca]

Super coney will work, but this stuff I got at The Body shop is also nice. It's their grapeseed glossening serum. No cones and it smells great.

[Anje]

Super coney will work, but this stuff I got at The Body shop is also nice. It's their grapeseed glossening serum. No cones and it smells great.
Umm, it does have cones. Dimethiconol is the first ingredient.

Not that cones are necessarily bad, but they necessitate different haircare regimes.

[x0h_bother]

Not to hijack my OWN thread, but when I went to do that lemon and clarifying thing, my hair became a mess and it still is a mess :( I am so depressed about it. Dry dry dry, NO shine whatsoever. I hope it doesn't take long to recover from this one. Neither oil last night nor cones did anything for me today. Off to moisturize I guess. *sigh&

[little_cherry]

Sorry to hear, but like I said, a moisture treatment is always recommended after clarifying and protein. In the most dire of cases, I SMT and oil after washing the SMT.

I'm surprised the lemon rinse didn't help...did you use a teaspoon of realLemon or real lemon juice per 250 mls of water?

I wish you all the best..

I used to use that grapeseed glossining serum....yep, it has cones.

[Luna12345]

Try using apple cider vinegar, it always makes my hair super shiny, You can use it after u shampoo(make sure it's mixed with water) rinse your hair with it and then use conditioner, the smell will disappear.

[x0h_bother]

Sorry to hear, but like I said, a moisture treatment is always recommended after clarifying and protein. In the most dire of cases, I SMT and oil after washing the SMT.

I'm surprised the lemon rinse didn't help...did you use a teaspoon of realLemon or real lemon juice per 250 mls of water?

I wish you all the best..

I used to use that grapeseed glossining serum....yep, it has cones.
Thanks, the moisture treatment is working alreadyy. Slurp slurp!!
I wish I knew that rule about using moisturizer post-clarifying sooner...:doh:
I sheepishly will admit that the lemon juice was more like 1tsp per 100ml..But in my definse, I didn't do my typical, "Oh let's go 50/50!" and restrained myself. :uhh: On the otherhand, it didn't work.