thisispulp: Hair dye top tips!

We now have a full range of Crazy Color semi-permanent hair dyes available in stores and on-line. If you want to know how to get the best results here are Pulp staff and customers top tips …

1. To achieve brightest possible colour use the dye over pre-lightened hair, bleached to the light yellow stage. (It's advisable to get a professional to do the bleaching to make sure you don’t damage your hair.) Using Crazy Colors over dark hair will have a ‘high-lighting’ effect making your hair shine the chosen colour; this is particularly effective with darker red and blue shades.

2. If you haven’t used a colour before always do a strand test before dying, this will help you work out the correct developing time achieve to the desired colour result. Different hair types can have different results when using Crazy Colors, more porous hair will have a more vibrant result.

3. If you have thick/long hair get two bottles of dye, you don't want to make the mistake of running out of dye half way through! Don’t underestimate how much dye you will use.

4. Don’t worry if you do have dye left over, to maintain your colour for a longer period of time mix a pea sized amount of dye with your conditioner each time you wash your hair, this helps boost the colour with every wash!

5. If you have contrasting colours in your hair you might need to wash the different sections of your hair separately so they don’t mix with each other, also when the dye is on your hair roll up each coloured section into small food bags and secure to prevent colours mixing.

6. If you want the colour boosting once it’s dyed, dye it again on top of the previous layer adding a second coat, when the dye rinses off it should be as bright as a traffic light!

7. To keep your hair extra bright it may need re-dying once every 2 weeks, reds colours usually last the longest.

8. Apply hair dye to dry hair rather than wet in using a tint brush, making sure you apply the dye to really thin sections of hair, this will ensure you even coverage and a brighter result.

9. Once you’ve applied your colour, cover your hair with cling film or a colouring cap to prevent the dye from drying, you can also heat with a hair dryer which should help open cuticles allowing dye to take a better hold (be careful not to use it too hot as this can dry out dye as well as burning you)

10. To get a more intense colour leave dye on for a few hours or even overnight. Crazy Colors are conditioning crèmes and without harmful chemicals that damage your hair, so can be left on for longer periods of time. (Skin Patch Testing is highly recommended before using any hair dye product. If a reaction occurs rinse off immediately and discontinue use.)

11. If Crazy Color doesn’t make the exact shade you want colours can be mixed together, just make enough to do your hair and a little extra as it will be hard to get same shade again for touching up roots etc. To achieve lighter or pastel shades mix colours with the ‘Neutral’ dye.

12. When mixing hair colours always be aware mixing colours from opposite sides of the colour wheel will counteract one another, lilac shades can be used to tone down yellows, however dying green shades over reds may result in a murky colour. Make sure you always do a strand test!

13. Don't use Baby Shampoo, Dandruff Shampoo or any other strong shampoos; they strip your colour, try and use a shampoo designed specifically for coloured hair.

14. Avoid washing your hair every day. Washing your hair with only small amounts of shampoo and rinsing with cool water will also help to prolong your colour .

15. Avoid using the straighteners every day, regular straightening/curling will cause your colour to fade quicker.

The hints and tips on this post are from our own personal use, our customer’s and various websites and forums. Pulp are not professional hairdressers or dye expert so cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of all the information, if unsure it’s probably best to consult a trained hairdresser. Any hints and tips should be used with caution and what works for one person may not necessarily work for you!