Temporary haircolor for theater - safe?

[racrane]

So, I'm a musical theater major. I was asked to temporarily dye my hair a "mousy brown" for an upcoming role. They gave me Wella Color Charm First Color Professional Temporary Haircolor in ebony brown. The director asked me to try it out tonight. I've never done this before so some girls said they would help me. Normally, I'd wear a wig but he'd prefer I'd have my natural hair because I'm playing a character that needs several hairdos. It really is easier that way. Nevertheless...

It does only wash out in 1-2 shampoos but I'm freaked out because, well, you all understand. Will it stain my blond hair? Will my hair get damaged from using it now until the start of November (the length of the run)?

I am put in an awkward position here. But I wanted to get your feedback first. Thank you everyone. :)

(If you want to know, I'm playing Cinderella in "Into the Woods". They are already so many blondes in the show including Rapunzel who has to have blonde hair. They would rather Cinderella be a brunette.)

[BeckyAH]

Given just how light your hair is? Yeah. Honestly, I'd worry about staining. Especially using it that often, for that long.

[Vallena]

I can't say for sure, but I would really worry about it staining your light hair. A wig might be harder to deal with, but if you could do that, it might be worth it, so you don't run the risk of staining your hair.

[UltraBella]

Is your hair virgin ? Has it ever been lightened, highlighted, or dyed ?

This product will likely stain your hair, especially if it's ever been processed and if you have to use it over and over until November. If your hair is virgin then you may be able to fully wash it out.

[racrane]

The first five inches of my hair since this spring is completely virgin. The bottom has been highlighted just about a shade lighter.

I honestly am more worried about damage than staining the hair. I was pondering using henna to attain a strawberry blond shade at some point. I still don't want anything permanent, though, because I haven't made any decisions.

The damage is the biggest factor. My hair is super fine.

I'll try it once tonight, see how it is. But I'm still very nervous.

[MychelleC]

Damage-wise you might be better off just dying your hair brown and dying it back after the run of the show. Treat your hair gently - little to no heat styling, lots of moisture treatments, etc. It would be easier and less damaging to just dye your hair with a semi-or permanent color than doing this to your head every few days. I understand your concern, but as performers this is the price we pay. I am a dancer/actor/model and my hair has been every color imaginable. Your hair will recover from this! You won't have that virgin hair anymore, but if you are going in to the theatre you might have to let go of that hope anyways. :)

ETA: seriously, every color - blonde, black, purple, orange...

[racrane]

Damage-wise you might be better off just dying your hair brown and dying it back after the run of the show. Treat your hair gently - little to no heat styling, lots of moisture treatments, etc. It would be easier and less damaging to just dye your hair with a semi-or permanent color than doing this to your head every few days. I understand your concern, but as performers this is the price we pay. I am a dancer/actor/model and my hair has been every color imaginable. Your hair will recover from this! You won't have that virgin hair anymore, but if you are going in to the theatre you might have to let go of that hope anyways. :)

ETA: seriously, every color - blonde, black, purple, orange...

I know, I really want my hair to be as healthy as possible. What I don't want to lose is length. I already cut my waist length hair to a chin length bob a couple years ago.

I will try the temporary dye, see how it looks and then possibly buying semi-permanent color if that's what you suggest.

And yes, I know that's the price I have to pay. My hair has been tortured and teased beyond recognition at times, but with lots of pampering, it's still relatively healthy. Thank goodness.

[jojo]

Can't you tell him a white lie and say you have had bad reactions to dye in the past and don't want to chance it and then they would have to provide you with a wig. Thats what I would do.

[racrane]

Can't you tell him a white lie and say you have had bad reactions to dye in the past and don't want to chance it and then they would have to provide you with a wig. Thats what I would do.

I'd do it if that were okay. But it's so much more complicated with a wig. Playing Cinderella I have to go from peasant to ball gown fancy "look" and back again a few times. And other girls wearing wigs mostly need blonde wigs. One of the actors who doesn't need a wig actually is blonde, in addition to me. There are too many blondes, wigged, natural and dyed running around onstage. He needs a couple brunettes.

So my costume director asked me if I was willing to dye my hair. I told him I was already thinking of using henna to dye my hair red. He then went on to say he didn't want me with strawberry blond but rather a mousy brown. He handed me the temporary dye and told me to try it. I didn't want to say "no". I"m hoping the color looks bad on me and I can wash it out... but it's not that simple.

I know as an actor I am required to change my hair, anyway. Which scares me, because I want long hair. I already had to cut it once for a role, I don't want to do it again. I know because of heat styling and potential (like now) dyes I can't achieve super long lengths, nor would it be possible for theater. But waist length is an okay length for the stage.

(But I'd LOVE to have CL+ hair.)

It's just more complicated with me being asked to dye my hair. If I'm going to have to, what is the least damaging thing to do?

[ange1ito]

I use wella color touch and that definitely cause's some damage. I'm sure color charm use's a developer too and this will more than likely cause some damage. I would be worried about the damage as well as the staining if you are a blonde. The color touch is supposed to wash out but I can assure you it doesn't on my virgin or dyed hair. I would have to vote for the wigs on this one if you are trying to avoid the issue's you stated.

[Anje]

With hair as light as yours, you might want to try something like those Roux Fanciful rinses instead. They tend to be marketed for toning gray hair... They come out the first time you wash your hair, so you wouldn't have to worry about staining nearly as much as anything that's supposed to survive one shampoo.

[Ginny Mae]

That's so strange, when I think of Cinderella I ALWAYS imagine her blonde! Probably because of the Disney film. To be honest "ebony brown" sounds quite dark as well, is it definitely going to turn it mouse brown rather than brown-black? I've never seen a problem with dying my hair darker (although I've also never used Wella), I think the real problem would be if the dye did stain your hair and you tried to lift the stain back out.

[racrane]

Hmn, well, I tried the color today. A friend helped me but she rinsed most of it out by accident. My hair, thank goodness, doesn't look any different. I am instead wondering what would be the best thing to do at this point. I don't want to use temporary hair color 15 times. I DO want to eventually dye my hair permanently with henna. I DO need my hair to be a mousy light brown. Should I a) continue with the temporary color b) use a semi-permanent color or c) experiment with henna now or later?

I really do need to get used to being expected to change my hair color. It's a question of what to do to be as nice as possible to my hair.

[Kaelee]

Unfortuneately, if you henna, you won't be able to change your hair color. You'll be able to go darker (if you use REAL BAQ henna not a compound henna) but never much lighter. The henna won't come out. If I were to try to go blonde, my hair would melt from too much bleach before I ever got all the henna out (because henna bonds to the keratin instead of the way most dyes work.)

If you use indigo and then do any lightening process your hair is almost guaranteed to turn irreversibly green.

Just FYI before you find out the hard way!

I agree with whoever said a semi permanent (or is it demi permanent? The box that says 2 on it) might be the better way to go and less damaging in the long run considering how long it has to stay brown for.

Good luck!

[Peggy E.]

She accidentally washed the color out?! Maybe someone's trying to tell you something!!!

In my previous "real" life, I used to do singing/dancing theater roles and there was lot more call for long hair than for short. Long hair is so versatile, whereas short hair is what it is.

Also, wigs today are excellent - you say you have to go from mousy to dressed up and back a few times - sounds like two wigs, to me. Couldn't that do it? A mousy one you could style to fit the "put-upon" and a glamorous dark wig for the ball.

This should not be that hard to change back and forth into and I'd just tell the director and your wardrobe manager that the dye is simply not going to work, you would prefer not to ruin your hair and not have it available for upcoming parts in which you'll be acting.

Because this is not a professional theater production you shouldn't be expected to do anything that is so likely to be potentially permanently damaging to your hair.

Does this make sense? And "Break a Leg!"

[Demetrue]

Use this: http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/fanci-full-plush-brown-temporary-hair-color/ID=prod5457494-product?V=G&ext=frgl_Google_Beauty

It just temporarily coats your hair and washes right out with shampoo.

[racrane]

She accidentally washed the color out?! Maybe someone's trying to tell you something!!!

In my previous "real" life, I used to do singing/dancing theater roles and there was lot more call for long hair than for short. Long hair is so versatile, whereas short hair is what it is.

Also, wigs today are excellent - you say you have to go from mousy to dressed up and back a few times - sounds like two wigs, to me. Couldn't that do it? A mousy one you could style to fit the "put-upon" and a glamorous dark wig for the ball.

This should not be that hard to change back and forth into and I'd just tell the director and your wardrobe manager that the dye is simply not going to work, you would prefer not to ruin your hair and not have it available for upcoming parts in which you'll be acting.

Because this is not a professional theater production you shouldn't be expected to do anything that is so likely to be potentially permanently damaging to your hair.

Does this make sense? And "Break a Leg!"

I'm going to ask the director if I can wear a wig underneath. There are still issues to be determined. I cut up a wig yesterday and sewed it onto my cap that I'll be wearing as the peasant. The idea is that my real hair will be underneath the cap and the peasant wig is over that. The wig color is not as dark as I feared it would be. So I don't know what to do.

I'll let everyone know what's going on. :)

[Jezerellica]

Whew! Good luck with this! We are so exited for your performance as well! Looking forward to hearing how this is going for you! :smile:

[Magdalene]

Hi there, I'm a professional actress and I never, EVER put dye in my hair- in fact, I always stipulate that I will only make temporary hair changes.

Roux makes a mouse that is pretty easy to deal with, the rinses are a bit harder.

Really, I would do the two wigs- that's what they do for most shows that have a long run because it is so hard to style your hair EXACTLY the same every show.

[melmmo]

And other girls wearing wigs mostly need blonde wigs. One of the actors who doesn't need a wig actually is blonde, in addition to me. There are too many blondes, wigged, natural and dyed running around onstage. He needs a couple brunettes.

I don't know much about temp hair color but I'm just wondering why he doesn't just have a couple of the brunettes not wear blonde wigs and then you can keep your natural blonde hair, since Cinderella is blonde in anything I've ever seen anyway...

[Rosetta]

Damage-wise you might be better off just dying your hair brown and dying it back after the run of the show. Treat your hair gently - little to no heat styling, lots of moisture treatments, etc. It would be easier and less damaging to just dye your hair with a semi-or permanent color than doing this to your head every few days.
Actually, if it's just a truly temporary colour without developer, like it seems to be from this link http://www.haircolor-tips.com/color-charm-first-35.html, it won't cause any damage, no more than a conditioner! So dyeing with a this kind of colour every few days, or even a 100 times, would be less damaging than using a developer-based dye just once.

(Developer-based dyes are those where you mix two bottles together, temporary colours are the ones where you just use one bottle (or jar, whatever), they're also known as direct dyes.)

[AshleyTheRed]

I have had to change my hair for theater. I've used wigs, and when my hair was short it got styled into a "boy cut" a few times. When I did have to play a man or boy I had to go through a complete transformation of hair and face. The easiest being a Victorian like part where it was just worn in a low ponytail and dark circles under my eyes.
I've used that spray in a can stuff you get around Halloween to get black (there were too many red heads! :D), and gray/white (older lady) hair. I never had any staining with it.
In Sweeney Todd we had a double cast. One Johanna lightened her hair and wore pretty exstentions, when one just wore a wig that we styled. Both were just as complicated when you have small periods of time in between scenes.

Did you sign something that said if need be you would change your hair, body, etc.?
If not then just tell him you would prefer a wig, and maybe one of the other girls could try the dye.