Root Touch Up or Dye Whole Head?

[paper]

When I first dyed my hair, it covered all my grey hair and the color was pretty. After that I just touched up my roots and combed dye through the rest of my hair for the last 10 minutes. The last time I did this, it didn't cover greys well and the color is a little dull. That was in March. I have to dye my hair again and was thinking of dyeing my whole head this time instead of just roots. Would that be ok, or should I always just dye the roots?

[Celebrian]

Paper, a couple of things spring to mind.

First, it's possible that you just didn't cover the roots etc. properly last time (were you in a rush? Was your hair particularly oily?)

Second, how long have you been doing the 'roots only, comb through for the last 10 minutes' method? I'm wondering if you have 'build-up' of color on those lengths, making them look dull. That can happen if dye hits them too often - and depending on how long you've maintained this routine, they could have quite a few minutes of dye on them! This can result in an opaque sort of effect, both with semi's and permanents.

Without seeing your hair in reality, it's difficult to advise - but I think I would suggest some kind of clarifying of the hair, followed by a good deep conditioning in the hours/days leading up to your dyeing the hair. Then, I think I would just go for roots again - and consider leaving out the 'pulling through lengths' part. See how the roots take this time, and if those lengths look fresher?

Just my 2 cents... :D

[paper]

I'm pretty new at this. I dyed my virgin hair in Nov. 07. Covered greys looked great. The color is not much different then my natural hair so I waited long time before doing touch up. March was the first and only root touch up I did and combed it through last 10 minutes. My hair wasn't oily, I shampooed only the day before. It didn't cover the greys like first time. It's now been 3 months since root touch up and over all the color is dull, and alot of greys showing. :shrug:

When I did the root touch up I used left over dye. I mixed half of one color and half another and saved the rest, and used that. I wonder if it was old?

Sounds like I shouldn't dye whole head, and just do roots? Thanks for your help.

[heidihug]

I dye my hair, too, and do root touch-ups every three months (though I am thinking of switching to every two months or so).

I would advise using brand-new dye each time, not left-overs, as I have found left-over dye loses its "potency".

Also, make sure your hair dye is the kind which is permanent, not semi-permanent - sometimes it's hard to tell from the box unless you search the fine print. I used to use semi-, and it gradually washed out and exposed the grays again after a while.

As I just do the roots, I sometimes have a few squirts of dye left in the bottle, and I use it to add a few "streaks" of the newest color to the hair around my face or underneath in the back. But I really don't color more than the inch nearest to my head as a rule.

Make sure your hair care routine does not fight the color, too. What I mean is that some oils and conditioners can strip the color out of dyed hair with extended use. It's different for everyone - I use silicone conditioner, and carnation and nut oils after washing, and do not have a problem with this, but I have heard of other people having issues.

Hope that helps you!

[Celebrian]

I'm pretty new at this. I dyed my virgin hair in Nov. 07. Covered greys looked great. The color is not much different then my natural hair so I waited long time before doing touch up. March was the first and only root touch up I did and combed it through last 10 minutes. My hair wasn't oily, I shampooed only the day before. It didn't cover the greys like first time. It's now been 3 months since root touch up and over all the color is dull, and alot of greys showing. :shrug:

When I did the root touch up I used left over dye. I mixed half of one color and half another and saved the rest, and used that. I wonder if it was old?

Sounds like I shouldn't dye whole head, and just do roots? Thanks for your help.

Hmmm, well you certainly haven't got build-up then, have you? :confused:

When you say you mixed solutions, I assume you didn't save mixed solution, as that can be dangerous (think mini explosion!). Do you mean that you opened bottles, took solution from each to mix in a seperate container, and then tightly closed those same bottles? If so, it should be ok to use - but it's entirely possible that you didn't seal them tightly enough, and they've depreciated (or whatever the word is!).

When I've partly used solutions, I usually use remainders up about a month later - so maybe they had aged, as you say. I don't know for sure.

Was it a semi/demi or a permanent you used?

Anyway, I would use fresh stuff - and as you say you've only used it once (not counting the unsuccessful attempt) I would say to do what you did before i.e. roots first, 10 minutes through ends. See if that takes and if the color is refreshed. The time after that, you can decide whether you need the lengths doing or not.

Hope this helps!

[paper]

Thanks Heidihug for the advice. I have been careful to use S&C for color treated hair.

Celebrian, thats right the dye wasn't mixed. :poot: lol. I did buy some new stuff, I'm going to try that, like you said. I'll let you know how it turns out this time.

ETA: Wanted to add, I use permanent dye.

[Velvettt]

paper, I dye my hair with L'Oreal Excellence. I do the roots every 6-7 wks, or as soon as I see 1/4 inch showing.

I coat my hair below my ears with coconut oil first, because I don't want any more dye on that hair.

I do the roots carefully and then leave it on for 50-60 min, instead of the 30 min recommended. Yes, there is a reason for this. It has to do with the amount of "lifting" my colour needs.

I do NOT, at any time, allow the dye to reach my length, except during the rinsing when it runs down and off.

If I were you, before I dyed again, I would do a clarifying shampoo the day before DDay.

[paper]

Thanks Velvettt, for the advice. I'm going to be touching up my roots this week. I will clarify like you suggested. I've been keeping the dye on for 45 minutes to make sure it covers grey. Maybe I'll leave it on a little longer and not touch the length, see how that goes. Thanks again.

[Velvettt]

Good luck and let us know how it went!:)

[longinthehair]

Hope this might help you. The advice I was given by an experienced hairdresser (where I buy my products) (and I have been doing it) is once your timing of your roots is done with your usual mix; take another batch of whatever you use - add same quantity to that of conditioner (becomes a 50/50 mix condish and hair color mix) - mix it up well; so in essence you have halved the developer volume (I use 20-vol., so this would bring it to 10-vol) which becomes a deposit only on the length - ergo, freshens up color by depositing only and not so severe on length.
He says 'the trouble is most people don't know to do this..and this is where they get in trouble with variance in colors..'
Now my hair has a few different shades mind you, from changing products previously and from when I used a much stronger 30-vol. developer which is way too harsh IMO for me to keep my hairs on my head, ha ha.
Anyway, this method is much easier on your hair length, and provides for more consistency in overall color, but the trouble is I can't help but do it everytime..which I probably shouldn't..probably should be every third or whatever time (that is to put the diluted with condish mix thru length). Hope this could possibly help you.
- tlc

[longinthehair]

Oh yuh, and then just leave that on for whatever is the recommended timing for the length, ten minutes more or whatever.
Hope I explained that well enough.
- tlc

[Velvettt]

Interesting idea, longinthehair, but I think its value would also depend on whether or not the hair dye was a lightening one. For someone who is simply applying a darker colour to cover grey, it might work really well. However, if (like me) you're also lightening up dark roots, that might be a recipe to disintegrate your length eventually. I know that the top 6 inches of my hair is much stronger and more resilient than the lower length. That's approx how much I've grown since stopping applying dye to the length. The bottom half is extremely fragile, porous and easily tangled and broken.

[longinthehair]

Well too true Velvett..I have to be extremely careful in the coming months about what I do. But definitely the depositing formula is much less damaging then putting remainder of a root-touchup mix on one's length - that's for sure. The dilution factor of it is the key, I think.

[Celebrian]

Oh yuh, and then just leave that on for whatever is the recommended timing for the length, ten minutes more or whatever.
Hope I explained that well enough.
- tlc

Yes, I've heard of this before. I think you explained it very well. :D

[Curlsgirl]

If it's a permanent color you shouldn't have to pull it through the ends EVER. If you do I would just use deposit only color occasionally for the ends and use the regular mix for the roots. If you are going lighter you should have to put anything on the length ever. It will definitely take a toll on your hair to do that. That's my 2 cents though. :D

[paper]

Oh yuh, and then just leave that on for whatever is the recommended timing for the length, ten minutes more or whatever.
Hope I explained that well enough.
- tlc

Yes, that does make sense. If I need to freshen up the length, I will do that. Thanks

[paper]

If it's a permanent color you shouldn't have to pull it through the ends EVER. If you do I would just use deposit only color occasionally for the ends and use the regular mix for the roots. If you are going lighter you should have to put anything on the length ever. It will definitely take a toll on your hair to do that. That's my 2 cents though. :D


Thanks Curlsgirl for the advice. My color is lighter then my natural color. I'm glad I asked this question, now I know to just touch up roots. :)

[Patrycja]

wow.I just redyed my entire hair again to a darker red and I so should have read this thread before I did it.The coconut oil tip was very useful.I like this color,although its not nearly as bright as the color I recently had it at.That vibrant red was awesome untill it started to fade big time.The next time I do my roots-I'm doing the coconut oil trick and not pulling the dye through my ends.Thanks for posting this thread Paper! :flowers:

[longinthehair]

I must say that I always coconut oil my lengths as well when I start out intending only to do roots..so when I fall into that "oh, I'll just freshen up my length" mode with my diluted mix (as explained above), it always ends up being over that oiled length..so that's probably why it ends up being a little less damaging procedure for me.

[longinthehair]

And then again, I could always cut it another 50 per cent with even more condish..bringing the dilution of volume developer down to vol 5..instead of 10.. volume 5 would be very low, and even less damaging..something for me to think on. I guess I'm paranoid about demarcation..but then again there are many, many different shades in my hair.. I'll think on that.

[paper]

wow.I just redyed my entire hair again to a darker red and I so should have read this thread before I did it.The coconut oil tip was very useful.I like this color,although its not nearly as bright as the color I recently had it at.That vibrant red was awesome untill it started to fade big time.The next time I do my roots-I'm doing the coconut oil trick and not pulling the dye through my ends.Thanks for posting this thread Paper! :flowers:

Your welcome Patrycja :) I know it is tempting to "freshen up ends" I like the coconut oil idea too.

[Tap Dancer]

I color my roots every month. This is what I do: I shampoo and deep condition my hair. I don't use any product, like mouuse, on my hair so that it stays clean and free of build-up. The next morning (about 24 hours or so later), I color my roots. It's okay to "freshen up" the color once a year, though.

[paper]

Just wanted to update. I touched up my roots today, and it turned out beautiful. :cool: The color looks good and all the greys are covered. The last stuff I used must of been old. Oh, and I only did roots too, and it turned out great.

[Velvettt]

Yayyyyyyyy!