Hair Help needed

[Kiwi]

I have naturally blonde hair, but I started dying it black a while ago.

I want to get rid of the black and go back to my natural colour as quickly as possible but....

1. I do not want to cut it short (I've spent the last two years getting it to shoulder length)
2. I can't just re dye it blonde over the black, not only would that turn my hair to straw, I can't afford to go to a decent salon at the moment and I don't want to chance it with home dye packs.

Here is what I thought might be possible.

I use this product at the moment, root touch up, using the "match any black" colour. I thought I could switch to the dark brown, then to the medium brown, then to the light brown....

I would get my hair trimmed every 4 weeks to cut out the black dye as much as possible and wouldn't switch to a lighter colour until almost all of the black colour was out before I jumped from the dark brown to medium brown and so on down through the colours. Once I had medium or light brown in my hair I could go to a salon then as its not such a huge jump to blonde.

That way each new section of hair that grows out would only ever get one dye, instead of the many layers of dye it has one the ends now.

What do you guys think? Will that look bad (and by bad I mean worse than just growing out black hair with light blonde roots)?

I'm trying to balance not ruining my hair/cutting it all off.

I'm just at a loss as to how to do this and not look like an idiot!

HELP!!!

[wagegoth]

There are color removers, but they can leave behind scary hair. If you want the color removed go to a professional. You'll probably have to get your hair recolored after that to at least a light brown to cover it, but highlights will help blend the brown into the growing in blonde.

I cut and color my hair, but I've been doing it for a while. I used a color remover and my hair turned light orange after accidentally dyeing it a too deep red that came out purple (I hate Clairol). So I had to dye my poor, fried hair another color to cover that. I stick to L'Oreal Feria now. That's why I suggest you go to a professional if you want the color out or lightened sooner.


The other option is to add a lot of highlights. You can even rinse a highlighter through your hair to lighten up the color that's on it. Just don't leave it on any longer than the instructions say. I've used some different ones and, once again, I'd use L'Oreal. I have no idea, though, what that would do to black hair. Have a box of brown haircolor ready, just in case.

[Kiwi]

Yeah I know I should go to a pro, but I really cant afford to.

Im trying to figure out the best way to get the black out without going to a salon.
I guess it goes back to the old addage you can only have two of the following, good, cheap, fast.

I can go to a hair salon and have good hair fast, but not cheap.
I can bleach it myself and have it fast and cheap, but not good
or
I can grow it out slowly dyeing it lighter and lighter and have it good and cheap but not fast.

Sigh..

[wagegoth]

Other option: Start washing your hair with no more tears-type baby shampoo. It's a detergent, not a soap, and will wash out the color much faster. If you're really serious, use dish detergent, not automatic dishwasher detergent, for the same result.

Try washing your hair that way, then apply semi-permanent -- make sure it's not permanent -- color to tone out the results. Your hair may turn a dishwater gray from trying to wash out the black.


If you can't afford a professional, go to a reliable beauty supply and ask for help.

[Ljt09863]

your best bet to go from black to blonde without frying your hair, is to go to a salon. i know you can't afford it at the moment, so i would advise to set aside some money solely for this purpose.

my hair was a medium brown. to get it to a dark blonde, the guy i went to had to bleach my hair and remove the color first.

and get some amazing shampoo and conditioner to use after your hair dying process is over, cause it will still damage your hair. i like using TIGI with oatmeal. but you can always ask whoever does your hair what their recommendation would be.

i wouldn't use the root touch ups, cause you want your hair as close to one color as possible when you dye it. also, if you want it done as quickly as possible, that wouldn't be a good option.

if you are worried about going from black immediately to blond, then i would go to a salon and get it dyed to a color in between, and then 8 weeks later, go back and get closer to your natural color

[Shpepper]

Try looking for a beauty school in your area. I know the ones here have salon hours at GREATLY reduced costs. The students who work in the salon hours are almost ready to graduate and know what they are doing. They are also supervised by the instructors. It's worth a shot and you might get all three if it works out for you.

[freeatlast]

(I hate Clairol). So I had to dye my poor, fried hair another color to cover that. I stick to L'Oreal Feria now.

I have been coloring my hair blond for 20 years now and have always used L'Oreal hair color. When I first started coloring it, my hairdresser told me NEVER to us Clairol and that L'Oreal was the easiest on your hair. And with Feria, it's not just allover the same color. It looks almost like it has highlights.

[Monica]

If there are any Sally Beauty Supply stores, I would suggest going there. I used to work at one. Almost all of the staff are licensed hair stylists. They would be able to help you the best. Hair stylists go there to buy their hair products, so they have quality stuff. The stuff they sell is salon quailty. Just think of this if they have you get a lot of stuff: the products you buy in the store come pre-mixed with everything you need. At Sally's you need to buy the stuff seperate and mix it yourself.

[malmalthekiller]

My sister went to sally beauty to strip black from her hair, and bought this stuff that wasn't damaging to her hair at all.

[Kiwi]

thanks for the advice!!

Im going to leave it for now just slowly dye it lighter and save until I can go to a salon and get it over and done with in one go.

Its completely ironic you know, I used to have my blonde hair highlighted lighter and then hate the darker roots that grew in. Now next to the black my natural colour looks almost white blonde.... maybe I should just change my name to Pepe

[blas]

When I dyed my hair black, nothing would get rid of it but bleach. Sorry

And yes, it is quite funny when your blonde roots grow back. I bleach my hair and my roots appear dark brown when they grow back even though my hair is a light ash blonde, but if I dye my hair very dark, my roots grow back almost bleach blonde.

[Kiwi]

I hear you Blas, for some reason K's mother always likes to make nasty comments on my hair no matter what it looks like

when I dye it blonder she snarks that Im not really a blonde because if I was I wouldnt dye it, when I went black she said "wow your hair looks..." then just raised her eyebrows

when I don't let it grow out any i get comments on the cost of upkeeping dyed hair, when I do let it grow out even 1/4 inch I get comments about how a blonde my hair is because she can see my skunk strip SO BADLY... I can't win

one thing I do like, my own mother who told me all the time growing up that "only blonde hair is beautiful" now doesn't want me to go back to blonde because black hair makes me look "twice as beautiful"....sigh