Starting over!?!? Color issues...

[skydancer7]

Hello everyone,

This is my rant over my color frustrations. I am gradually coming to the painful realization that I may have to start ALL over again as far as having long hair that is one uniform color.

I have been doing various mixtures of hendigo, and my length is now black. 80% of the time I try and hendigo my ash blonde roots to match, it ends up STILL being too light after all that sitting with runny mud on my hair, fades within a couple days, AND even if the roots take, I have to go through it all over again in not even 2 weeks because my hair grows so fast!

I am sick, sick, sick of doing my roots only to have them not match the rest of my hair, and then having to redo it multiple times per month. It's just too much, and I prefer a lower maintenance lifestyle!

So, I tried some semi-permanent chemical dye, thinking I would just do the roots until I could cut off the permanent black, then let the semi-perm color fade out. Well, after 10 minutes my scalp was burning, itching, and tender so no more chemical dyes for me.

Since I am not willing to bleach out hendigo, because of the risks and likelihood of disaster, I am left with no choice but to grow it out.

So now I am faced with living with blonde roots and black length, which looks pretty horrible in my opinion. I guess I will have to make use of wide headbands, scarves, hats etc while I grow out the black. Once the black can be contained in a bun, I can just let it grow, or maybe just chop it off into a cute chin-length bob. Either way it will be 6 months before I can even get that far.

I know, I know, cry me a river... but I worked so hard to get to almost bsl from an aweful pixie chop. I don't know why I even touched henna, or worse, indigo again, but I did. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

Woe is me! Heehee

Ideas? Experiences?

[Lianna]

I change my hair color all the time. I must be one of the few who aren't afraid of chemicals/dyes/bleach in this forum. Too bad you have indigo too, bleaching it could go green, and I hear is some green you can't color correct. If it was just henna I would advise sun-in or bleach (if you're not scared, lol). I hate living with color I don't like, I change. Maybe you could try to bleach a little patch...and see how it goes, because a few highlights on top would help a lot with your roots.

My hair is shoulder length, and survives coloring/bleaching with no ill effects, yours is APL (siggy)? I don't think your hair would melt down with some highlights, since isn't too old or fine. The main problem could be the green, but patch test before.

I only said anything because you seem unhappy with your hair. Seems like we can't talk about bleach here, but my hair has been bleached about seven (?) times, and looks the same. I have colored for many years, and only began to feel bad about it because of this forum (this feeling comes and goes).

[Eire]

I agree, I'd be uncomfortable with a dramatically 2-toned look as well.

From what I see, there are two ways to avoid it. You could

(1) Just cut it all off, get a clean start. The disadvantage is that it will take a long time to get back to where you are.
(2) Maintain at BSL for a while, dying with a non-permanent dye to even out the color. Then, when the virgin hair has reached BSL, simply let the dye wash out and stop re-dying. The disadvantages are that your hair will be damaged from the constant dying, and the dye might not fully wash out, leaving you with the problem you already have (although this time you could bleach it if you had to)

[cuticom]

I've had this same issue, though my hair is thankfully finally back to the original colour now.

Just a thought, depending on how it's worn, platinum and black can work. Maybe if you got some platinum clip in hair extensions, so there's not such a rigid line between the new growth and the dyed hair? Make it look like you did it on purpose? It would be the least damaging option and then you could just slowly trim the black off as it grows.

[skydancer7]

Thanks for the replies!
I would totally consider bleach but I've heard nothing but "never bleach over indigo" stories. I would use semi-permanent dye, but that dye still makes my scalp burn, and that type of allergy can only get worse, or at the very least leave me with scabs on my scalp (which has happened before). Not willing to risk anaphylaxis!

I suppose I could test out some bleach and see what happens, on a small section of hair of course. Any other ideas?

ETA: I just saw the clip in idea. That could work...

[Quixotica]

I hate to hear that you're having such a hard time, dear....I just had a not-very-pleasurable experience with Lush Caca Noir and ended up using L'Oreal Excellence Black over it to fix the icky color I was left with (It didn't turn a lovely dark shade on me, just a muddy ugly red that covered NONE of my grays).

I have a relatively sensitive scalp and the L'Oreal didn't agitate me at all. No interest here anymore of using hennindigo :(

I'm sure you'll find something that works for you, just give it some time. I know how frustrating it is to grow from a pixie.

Take care!!

[ibleedlipstick]

I would recommend collecting shed hairs for a few days, and then testing sun in/bleach on them. That way you can see how your hair will react, and you won't have done anything permanent to your hair.

Honestly, I would bleach it before letting it grow out with a huge line of demarcation. I know that isn't the typical view of this community, but I think you should do whatever it takes to truly enjoy your hair.

[iris]

I would use semi-permanent dye, but that dye still makes my scalp burn, and that type of allergy can only get worse, or at the very least leave me with scabs on my scalp (which has happened before). Not willing to risk anaphylaxis!
Semi is a term that is used for two different types of dye (semi and demi are confusing terms, people use them for different things and then fight to the death over what it means :lol:. They just mean different things to different people). One type has oxidative pigments and PPD, and is used with a low level peroxide developer, usually it is marketed as 'washes out in 28 washes'. It sounds like this is the type you used?

If so, you could try the other type of 'semi' to hide your roots, which has azo pigments suspended in a conditioner base. No peroxide developer, just one bottle. This kind is also called 'acidic dye'. They're usually marketed as washing out in 6-8 washes. Some of them have PPD too, but a lot of them don't. Should be marked on the ingredient list. Manic panic may have a black one without PPD, I'm not sure. (Black dyes of this type often don't wash out completely from blond hair so that is something to take into consideration, too).

I used the 6-8 washes kind to hide my roots when I was growing out henna, for the first six months or so. It worked OK. A lot of work to redo it every week but way better than the contrast of hennaed length and ashy dark blond roots (which looked green because of the contrast with the henna - ugh).

I wouldn't do bleach over hendigo, I have never heard a success story with that, only horror stories.

I found the first 6-8 months of growing out my henna the hardest. It gets easier once the roots are long enough to look intentional, not like you forgot to dye. Also better when the dyed color gets further away from your face. It's not a fun thing to go through, at all, but you do get used to it and it does get better.

[Lianna]

I've had a "light brown henna" bleached, so it had indigo...but I guess wasn't much. No green.

(it only had henna, indigo, shikakai and cassia)

[UltraBella]

You can bleach over some hendigo, in some instances, with good results. Caution is neccessary and strand tests are a must.

Another thing about hair color, box dye you purchase at the store is typically much more irritating than professional color. Also, a good salon will have an additive to mix with your haircolor before it is applied if you have had sensitivity in the past. Aveda hair color makes my scalp feel like it is on fire, but the additive 100% fixes it for me. I currently have been using Matrix Colorsync Demi color and I can't even tell it is on my scalp, and usually I have issues. So, you do have some options, conside them all very carefully.
I understand your frustration and I wish you the best !

[morecowbell]

I've grown out black hair dye on light ash brown roots before... not fun. :( They sell color 'washes' at Sally Beauty supply that are really just a colored water that you apply and let dry. The color isn't super deep, but it works enough so you don't look like you're balding. ;)
Give it a try, they're like $5-6 a bottle, and it can really help. :)
HTH

ETA, I believe the brand is Fanci-Full

[Joliebaby]

I bleached henndigo - green hair. So definitely do strand test if you are thinking of trying it.

I'd probably use cute headbands until the natural color grew out to my chin and then chop it to a bob and grow from there..

Good luck!

[skydancer7]

I will look into the "color wash" idea for sure. Also, didn't know there was an additive salons can use to make dye less irritating! Cool!

I have used manic panic dyes in the past, with no irritation. Maybe I can find some before/after pictures of black on un-bleached hair...

Lately I have been making use of headbands. Every day either a headband, scarf, or wrap with the lenght in an updo so I can forget about it for a while :) It really does help "distract" the eye from any color differences.

I like the idea of letting the virgin color get to chin length, then cutting to a bob. I had a chin-length bob for a few years, and I do really like that cut on me. Just wanted to go for longer hair... but it just might take longer than I expected ;)

[PrincessTieflin]

I know when I was trying to go all natural last year.. I layerd. Just to get it all off that much faster.. to me it was better then having to risk bleach and it seemed to come off much faster since I was trimming the "interior" not just the length.

BTW I love your Idea of headbands.. wish I would have thought of that.. But now I am back to henna.. and love it.

Good luck