Growing out hair color completely in order it color it again...? (pics)

[tokidokichi]

So, I have been pondering this for a while.

I have always been after a light light blonde. I achieved it when I was in high school, but of course that was after many other colors and it damaged my hair a lot. I loved the color and it was fun, but I didn't keep it for more than a year. I got it cut into a pixie and colored it several different times, each time a different color, but never blonde again because I knew my hair couldn't handle it.

Finally, in late 2009 I decided that red was the color for me and that I needed to stick with it and I did. In summer 2010 I started using Elumen, which I LOVE. It has just the right intensity and can be pulled off as natural.

OKAY so here is the point! Honestly I am bored with my hair. I feel stuck as a redhead. And I'm having that blonde itch again.

The Elumen is literally like a stain. When I lighten it, it just goes to a brighter red/orange color. And I know that if I put any other color on top of it, it will fade and I’ll have to do it over and over again. That can add up to a lot of damage. And really, even though I am a hair stylist and it is free for me, I'm really just not into that kind of maintenance.

The color I have now is like a level 7/8 and my natural is a level 9/10. So.. maybe I’ll just grow out my natural color. Then later on I can go as blonde as I want, and it won’t be so damaging because I’ll really only be going 1 or 2 levels lighter and won't have to use bleach. I’ll continue to ponder this. Anyway, here are pics!

here is when I was blonde
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5358&pictureid=125798

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/album.php?albumid=5358&pictureid=70142

http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5358&pictureid=70140

Here is my color now (It looks a lot lighter in this pic than it really is)
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5128&pictureid=119611

And here is my pretty virgin hair :)
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=5358&pictureid=70151
SO PRETTY, RIGHT!?

So other than just wanting to go blonde, It would be really nice having my natural color back for a while =]

Sooo anyone else growing out their hair just to color it again or am I alone here? =P Anyway, tell me your thoughts.

[MonaLisa]

I love your natural color :)
And reading your story, I really think you should grow it out :)
Maybe you will like it and even give up the idea to lighten it, but even if you still wish so, it should be quite easy :)

[NightOwl26]

I was in the process of growing out my hair and decided to go dark again. So I went dark..it happens. You look very pretty with the blonde hair. Go for it if you want. It will be more damaged though so you'll have to take really good care of it.

[gabee]

I thought that elumen also sold a product that removed the dye from the hair? That would save you the pain of growing out the dye. And I also agree, your natural colour is beautiful :)


Just looked it up, the product is called Elumen return. It says its best when used immediately after colouring, but I don't see why it wouldn't at least help greatly fade your colour.

[Kapri]

Oil treatments and some shampoos such as Nizoral anti-dandruff REALLY strip the hair of its colour. You would fade the colour but not lose it altogether... Perhaps fading pale red is not that attractive tho' and it is better to leave it to grow out cleanly. All the best with it.

[jacqueline101]

I went dye free until I decided to dye it temporary color. I think our hair is a reflection of who we are. Sometimes we need to change just make sure to use a healthy dye.

[Amber_Maiden]

Yep. I'm in the process of growing out my natural colour- auburn/red, and I'm naturally lightening the rest of my hair which I dyed dark brown... And what I plan on doing when I have my dark brown to a lighter colour is henna all of it, since it won't affect my natural hair colour much.

[Dutchesse]

Yeah I am, though it's only by bangs. I dyed them brown and that was really painful on my scalp. Now I realise that my natural colour is light enough to use semi-permanent dyes on it without bleaching, I can't wait for it to grow out. I even wonder why I used permanent dye in the first place!

[tokidokichi]

I'm glad I'm not alone here! ^_^ I'm feeling a little bit better about my hair today. It's not like I don't like my red, its just that feeling that if I want to change it, I really can't. I'm going to let my new growth come in, maybe 2 or 3 inches so I can get a good look of what my natural is. Then I'll decide what I want to do =]