Hair NEVER holds colour??

[09robiha]

Anyone else with the problem??. it doesnt matter what I use, it never holds onto colour and eventually washes out to the previous one. At first I though great! I can change my colour more often without that much damage and I really enjoyed it...but know I am ready to settle for one colour and it just wont stick. I am trying to keep a dark chocolate brown colour but its been 2 weeks and I swear its nearly all gone!!

[Gabriel]

What's your routine for using color? For example, do you clarify before hand?

What kind of color are you using?

Is your hair very porous? Very porous hair sometimes will take color very strong initially but lose it very fast without protective measures to help the color cling to it better.

Is your hair very non porous? Usually this hair needs a strong level of peroxide to help open the hair cuticle to allow the color in, otherwise the color doesn't have a chance of staying.

It's important to know the difference though because what works for one type of hair might destroy another.

I'm sure some other folks might have better advice and more details will only help them so they can help you out more. :)

[KittyLost]

I agree with Gabriel, if you could give us some more information we may be able to help better :) also what's the colour of your hair before you dyed it dark brown?

My hair used to be the same when I first started dying it. I tried dying it red, purple and dark brown and as soon as I rinsed the dye out the colour was gone, it didn't stick at all too many hair even though I followed all the instructions, used semi-permanent dyes and dyed it on day old hair. The most my hair got was a blinding shine.

I then didn't dye my hair for 2years, dyed it mahogany and it stuck and I've never had a problem since. Try maybe leaving your hair for a while and then trying again.

[Sundial]

I had issues with this. I have gone lighter many times and tried to cover over it with black or dark brown later, but the darker color always washes out.

(http://img17.imageshack.us/i/img0070dpt.jpg/)

Can you see the demarcation mark where the reddish brown starts? It used to be a shade of copper which was covered over by permanent black dye when I decided to start growing out my natural color, but the black started fading fast and somehow the lighter shade started showing through.

[09robiha]

eeek! sorry I fogot to include more info...silly me!! Anyways this is my routine (my hair is mostly 3a nowadays but there is some 2c and is fine to medium in texture as well as average thickness):

CO wash twice maybe 3 times a week, usually only twice though and use lots of protein heavy products which my hair love however I avoid glycerin based products because I have a sensitivity to them
I regularly protein treat my hair - at least one, occasionally twice a week
Shampoo where needed but it is rarely once a month

I have used every kind of colour (perm, demi, semi) and have coloured by hair my self and had a hairdresser do it..the results were the same. (fyi, they gave my a huge lecture about dying my hair dark and were shocked when I came back with virtually the same colour!!)

...oh and yes my hair is fairly porous although acv rinses never really helped this.

[aenflex]

Well if your hair is very porous, you would think it would have no trouble with taking colour. There was a girl that used to come in to the salon (I worked in the office not a stylist) and her hair was long, straight and thick, very asian although she was not. She got perm after perm and they would fall out within a month or two. I think her hair was the same with colour. It was like her hair was indestructable. I was jealous :) But really, I think it maybe speaks to the health and condition of your hair.

[curlymarcia]

Are your shampoo and hair products color safe?? I believe that a lot of shampoos and all the oils wash away the color (among other things).

[Angelica]

My hair used to respond well to the colour mousses that were available at one time, especially a nice plum one I tried that turned the hair almost a deep burgundy purple under the light, but henna never takes.

I was happy with the colour mousses, but them being unavailable now I don't bother.

[spidermom]

After my niece bleached/colored her hair a number of times, color would no longer hold. If you've been using color for a long time, your hair may be too porous to hold onto anything. Maybe give it a rest - trim the bottom, grow the top.

[BrightEyes7]

I suggest dying day old hair first. Make sure you leave they dye on long enough, I sometimes leave it on 45 minutes. When you rinse your hair out make sure to use luke warm to cooler water, you don't want HOT water. After dying wait at least 48 hours to wet your hair again.

I know it is strange but I've always found my hair holds home box dye better than salon dye. I think Clarol Nice N' Easy works best.

[Crazycatlady]

I suggest dying day old hair first. Make sure you leave they dye on long enough, I sometimes leave it on 45 minutes. When you rinse your hair out make sure to use luke warm to cooler water, you don't want HOT water. After dying wait at least 48 hours to wet your hair again.

I know it is strange but I've always found my hair holds home box dye better than salon dye. I think Clarol Nice N' Easy works best.
I used Clarol Nice N' Easy on my aunt's solid grey hair a few days ago and I couldn't believe how well it took. Covered all her grey and the med. brown color looked really pretty.

[lordofthespoons]

Don't wish to butt in but do not, under any circumstances use nice 'n easy, google "nice 'n easy allergies" its the most likely to develop a sensitivity too.

Also pourosity could be the issue here, how many times have you dyed your hair?

What conditioner are you using, also did you wash your hair fully befor dying, if you didnt clarify or somthing pior to dying the hair would have been tough to colour, because of build up and tightly sealed cuticles.

[Eire]

I've had that problem too. My hair wouldn't even hold four applications of BAQ henna. It worked out in the end since I decided to go back to my natural color anyway. For me, at least, I think it has to do with hair porosity.

[BrightEyes7]

Don't wish to butt in but do not, under any circumstances use nice 'n easy, google "nice 'n easy allergies" its the most likely to develop a sensitivity too.


That is why you strand/spot test. I've used Nice n' Easy for YEARS, before and after their newer current formula. Never had any issues of any sort. It is the only box dye that actually stays for a long period of time. I have a sensative scalp and have never had any allergy problems.

...

I googled Nice n' Easy allergies as well as the same for a few other box dye brand names. Got no more results for Nice n' Easy than I did for every other dye brand available. All chemicals of any sort you put on your body has a risk for allergies.

[ddiana1979]

If you want a dark chocolate brown color that lasts (i.e. PERMANENTLY), have you consider trying henndigo?

Make sure you *really* think about it though before you do it. It is apparently difficult if not impossible to remove.

When I was using box dyes (I used Clairol Natural Instincts #35 Brown Black / Ebony Mocha or #36 Neutral Black / Midnight), I always used a shampoo & conditioner that specified that they were safe for dyed hair.

[jojo]

I was going to suggest hendigoing too, i love my results from this and its as permanent as permanent is!

[GlennaGirl]

After my niece bleached/colored her hair a number of times, color would no longer hold. If you've been using color for a long time, your hair may be too porous to hold onto anything. Maybe give it a rest - trim the bottom, grow the top.

This, exactly (The explanation for why your color won't hold.) You've hit your hair with peroxide a number of times and now your "base" color is actually lighter than your natural color. It's also become more porous. Between those two things, you have a) color that won't "grab" because of the porosity and b) a lighter color than your natural color once the color that didn't grab, is gone. :p (Got all that?)

You could trim the bottom...or you could go to a salon and get a "filler" and then color. This will make the color "grab."