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View Full Version : Mixing hair dyes? Any suggestions/help?



dainaleeo2
May 28th, 2011, 02:22 PM
Before I even start, if there is already a thread for this I couldn't find one that would pertain to my situation, so forgive me. Also, I wasn't sure if I should be putting it within this forum or the Conventional Products forum, since it kind of overlaps a bit, so if it needs to be moved then that's fine. Sorry in advance haha.

Ok, so I need some hair coloring advice :)
I had used a semi permanent medium auburn shade on the back of my hair almost 2 1/2 months ago. The front is still a very light blonde shade that I rarely change, so the rest of my hair [3/4 I guess] is now a quite faded, light coppery tone. It looks almost like a very light brown with a copper tint, or a very dark blonde with a copper tint. I don't have any good pictures for reference.

My natural color is a medium/dark ashy blonde, something I'm trying to get back to, or at least close enough anyway. I know ash shades & the undertones within them will cancel out the red tone, but since I did want to pull some through my bangs [& also did not want the color to run -too- dark, as I bought a Dark Ash Blonde shade], I was wondering if it was ok to mix the Dark Ash Blonde with a Medium Natural Blonde. That way it would still have some of the ash undertone, but wouldn't pull too greenish on the ends for my lighter shade, but would still have enough to cancel out some of the red. And, also, that the medium may help it from going too dark. I was thinking a ratio of 50:50, then the developer, would work out.

I know mixing chemicals isn't the best idea, but as they are from the same brand [Revlon Colorsilk], I assumed it was alright. Various people have mixed them before & gotten good results, but I just love to get as many opinions as I can. I know that the dye is ammonia free as well, & it doesn't do the best job of lifting, but that's fine. It'll fade in a few days so as long as it isn't going to pull super dark I'm fine. Anyway, any advice or suggestions would be super appreciated! :)

Lianna
May 28th, 2011, 02:46 PM
It's fine if you mix those shades, in that proportion. This is actually recommended for grey/white hairs, since they need the neutral. But if the person also wants another tone (warm or cool), this is how it's done.

Firefox7275
May 28th, 2011, 03:13 PM
Why not e-mail Revlon and get the answer from the horse's mouth? Then do a strand test or two using hair from your plughole. :)

dainaleeo2
May 28th, 2011, 03:25 PM
Thanks for the responses :)
@ Firefox: Well, I was going to, but sometimes they just...give strange information. I had a bad experience in the past asking the people that worked for the company, not Revlon but I think either L'Oreal or Clairol, so sometimes I tend to cast a wary eye to it. It was more about just mixing colors anyway than the brand.
On Clairol's website, though, they did say that [for their colors, which I assume would be fine across all boxed brands then], that mixing to create a more 'custom' shade was fine as long as you remain with the same brand & close to the same shade. I just wanted to get more takes on it. I'm crossing my fingers that it'll be fine. I would go to the salon...but I just don't have the money :( Ah to be a poor college student.

Thanks again to the both of you :)

DuckyDot
May 28th, 2011, 04:56 PM
Wait until a LHC member who is a stylist comments! You don't want to do anything silly! :)

selderon
May 28th, 2011, 05:47 PM
Or you could take the empirical approach. :P Think of it as an experiment.

Line up a series of test strands (clean and dry, of course) and mix a variety of ratios, recording each ratio on a piece of paper. (Calling to see what the hair color people say is a GOOD idea! Even if they're wrong, you learn something valuable about how to get what you want.) Color the test strands. After they are rinsed and dried, tape them to the paper next to their formula.

Use the formula you like best on your hair. If it turns out a little too dark or a little too light, you know to adjust it next time.

Lianna
May 28th, 2011, 07:14 PM
I'm not a hair stylist but I've read a lot about the subject and I've been coloring my hair for 10 years. If I wasn't clear before, I just wanted to say that it is safe. I won't say your results will be exactly what you expect, because that will depend a lot on your porosity level. I've also mixed dyes before.

dainaleeo2
May 29th, 2011, 12:42 PM
Thanks everyone :)

I did end up emailing them for the heck of it. They said that it would be fine & safe, so that eased my worries.
I should have done a test strand, but my hair is pretty thin so I just didn't want to snip a piece out. Plus I used a 10 volume developer so I knew it wouldn't lighten anyway, just deposit.

it turned out not too shabby! I had to apply once more to the roots, since I always have 'hot' roots, but after that it was fine :) I'm deep conditioning as we speak.
Thanks for all the help/advice to everyone! :)