The hair color guideline suggests that brides should come in for a routine color two weeks before their wedding to give it time to settle, look more natural, and make any necessary adjustments. For drastic color changes, it is recommended to do so about six months in advance. It is important to plan ahead and have style consultations early to ensure the healthiest hair on your wedding day.
For long wedding hair, it is recommended to use a deep conditioning mask to nourish and strengthen the hair in advance. Hair should always be maintained with regular trims and treatments to look as natural and beautiful as possible. Colouring your hair at least three days prior to the big day is highly recommended. If you have a vibrant color or a color you want, it is better to have it professionally done that time.
When getting your hair dyed, consider the condition of your scalp before dyeing your hair. Dirty hair can provide natural oils that protect against irritation caused by dye. It is important to consult with your hairstylist before deciding whether to wash your hair prior or skip it.
In most cases, two weeks is the sweet spot for bridal hair color, as you will have had a few shampoos since you left the salon but not so many that your new hair color is starting to fade. It is okay to hire a new colorist if you have a least nine months before your wedding. A good rule of thumb is to go every two months to get your color freshened up, especially if you want to go lighter.
For fashion colors in the pastel family, touch up your color as close to the wedding 1-2 days if possible. Make sure that the final cut and color happen a couple of weeks before the wedding.
📹 Watch This BEFORE You Color Your Hair! – Hair Color Crash Course
I go over the basics of color and the color levels to hopefully help you better understand your hair so you can make better color …
How do I prepare my hair for a wedding?
DO: SHAMPOO AND BLOWDRY YOUR HAIR THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING: Shampooing your hair the night or day before the wedding will ensure your hair is clean and free of oil or build up. If your hair is very oily, you can wait until the morning of, to complete this step. Your hair MUST be blow dried after shampooing. This will help smooth your hair and add shine. It will also help reduce frizz and create some natural volume in the hair.
DONT: GO TO SLEEP WITH YOUR HAIR WET/IN A MESSY BUN:
After shampooing your hair, please make sure it is completely dry before going to sleep. Sleeping with wet hair or hair up can not only damage or break your hair, but it can also cause your hair to become more frizzy and also can add unwanted textures to the hair- creating a less than perfect canvas to work with.
How soon before a wedding should I get my hair done?
“For a pre-wedding haircut, a month or three weeks prior is good,” says Morwani. This way, you have enough time for your fresh cut to sit just right on your hair and you can always go for a quick trim a week or so prior if you feel the need to.
From multiple food tastings for every event, big or small, to even more fittings to ensure every outfit looks its best, there are a million things that will need your attention—and your bridal hairstyle is one of them. If you have a schedule of multiple events, you want to make sure your hair looks on-point every time. This only goes to show how essential it is that your hair is the right colour and cut just before you step into wedding week. Healthy hair that looks great by itself makes for the perfect foundation to play around with. Here, Mumbai-based celebrity hairstylists Anchal Morwani and Priyanka Borkar answer all your questions on having the perfect hair colour and cut before your wedding day.
How to choose the right hairstylist for your wedding hair colour, cut and style?. “Its important that whoever you choose to put you together for your wedding is someone you are comfortable with,” says Morwani. “Be it your makeup artist, your hairstylist or your hair colourist, it’s important to have free-flowing, two-way communication. They should be able to read you and understand your goals. This is possible through detailed chats and with reference pictures.”
How close to the wedding should you schedule your haircut?. Achieving your dream hairstyle for your wedding requires giving it some thought at least a couple of months in advance. Step one: make sure your trusted hairstylist isn’t booked out or on holiday when you need them the most. Have a chat with them in advance and take their suggestions into consideration to set up a haircut schedule. According to Borkar, “two months before the wedding is a good time to get your haircut.” If you’re deciding to let your hair grow out or maybe trying new layers, let it grow and get your first cut two months prior followed by frequent trims. “For a pre-wedding haircut, a month or three weeks prior is good,” says Morwani. This way, you have enough time for your fresh cut to sit just right on your hair and you can always go for a quick trim a week or so prior if you feel the need to. “Make sure you get a good haircut because layers are important for styling.”
Can I dye my hair if I haven’t washed it in a week?
What Happens If You Wash Your Hair Before Dyeing It?. As it turns out, most hair dyes are designed to work better on hair that is not freshly washed. Skipping a wash allows for oils to build up on your scalp, which in turn helps protect against irritation that can be caused by hair dye. So, if youre about to color your strands and find yourself asking if its better to color clean or dirty hair, keep this in mind.
However, that doesnt mean that you cant dye freshly washed hair — youll just need to be aware that your clean hair and scalp will have less of a barrier between it and the hair dye. In that instance, it may be best to use an ammonia-free dye option to reduce any possible irritation.
Can You Dye Hair When Its Greasy?. Following up on the information we just shared, you can dye your hair when its greasy, and it actually benefits your hair and scalp. The natural oils coat the hair and scalp, which can lead to less hair damage, and it can reduce the risk of potential scalp irritation. Ultimately, youre better off dyeing hair thats a tad greasy, than dyeing squeaky clean strands.
When should you wait to dye your hair?
Typically it is suggested to wait 6 weeks between getting colored. This depends on the health of your hair, how fast your hair grows, the type of hair dye used (semi or demi permanent hair color), and your natural hair color. Consult a professional at Aveda Institute if in doubt.
The experts at Aveda Institutes can help. Its the perfect time to book an appointment today to refresh your color and ask for some great advice! Each service includes a consultation, and a technical service utilizing Avedas botanically based products, so you always leave looking your very best. All services are performed by instructor-supervised students.
How many hours before an event should you get your makeup done?
Skin prep – My number one tip for any big event is to give your makeup an hour to settle in.
Can I dye my hair if it’s greasy?
Should Your Hair Be Dirty or Clean Before Dyeing It? While you may be going greasy out of sheer convenience, its actually the best thing you could be doing for the health of your hair. “Your hair should be dirty because the natural oils help to protect against the harsh chemicals,” says Fe.
When I have a balayage appointment coming up, I stop washing my hair days beforehand — we’re talking five-day hair that’s full of dry shampoo. After all, if they’re going to wash it at the salon, why should I? While my colorist is admirably non-judgemental about my oily, greasy hair, recently I’ve been wondering if my product buildup and excess oil might be messing with my blonde hair color. To find out if it’s better to have dirty or freshly washed hair before a color appointment, I turned to Terri Fe’, my Washington DC-based colorist.
While you may be going greasy out of sheer convenience, it’s actually the best thing you could be doing for the health of your hair. “Your hair should be dirty because the natural oils help to protect against the harsh chemicals,” says Fe’. “The grease serves as an extra coating so that when we go to break down the cuticle, there’s less damage and breakage to the hair and irritation to your scalp.” The more oil on your hair, the more protection you’re going to have during the bleaching process. Fe’ explains that after bleaching, your hair gets washed and cleaned before toning ensues. That way, buildup doesnt interfere with the actual color payoff.
Beyond that, clean hair can make things more difficult for your hair colorist, especially when doing a paint-on technique like balayage. “If your hair is freshly washed, you’ll have more flyaways, so it’s a bit harder to get the new or baby hairs down and colored,” says Fe’. “Sometimes I’ll even go in with hairspray and dirty up the hair if it’s too clean before spreading the bleach.”
Should I get my hair done the day before my wedding?
Or, you might get cold feet about your hair. So, dont put yourself under pressure. Give yourself at least a week before the wedding to get your hair done, so you have time to make sure it is absolutely perfect.
Did you know that at Tierney Salons, we have a 100% Happiness Guarantee? This means that in the (very unlikely) instance that you are not completely satisfied with your hair, we will do it again for free. If that doesnt give you peace of mind for your big day, we dont know what will!
Worried that your hair will be difficult to manage on your wedding day? Perhaps it gets frizzy easily, or your curls dont form evenly.
Is 4 weeks too soon to dye hair?
How often can you dye hair? Below well offer some specific guidelines on how long to wait based on three key factors. Generally speaking though, its best to wait 4-6 weeks before having another color treatment – in most cases, this is enough anyway and reduces the risk of hair damage.
If you enjoy experimenting with different shades of color, you’ve probably already asked yourself, how often can I color my hair? The answer is, well, it depends! But don’t worry, we’re here to help you estimate how often you should be visiting the salon or dipping into your collection of dyes at home.
Although the specifics of how often to dye hair vary depending on your situation, one thing’s for sure: coloring it too often can be bad for your hair, while overdoing it can lead to brittle strands that are prone to breakage and split ends. This is especially true when you consider how to lighten hairwith bleach or some other permanent dye types, since they expose the hair’s cortex, making it more vulnerable to breakage. However, it’s worth mentioning that quality products are perfectly safe when used correctly and not too often!
Below we’ll offer some specific guidelines on how long to wait based on three key factors. Generally speaking though, it’s best to wait 4-6 weeks before having another color treatment – in most cases, this is enough anyway and reduces the risk of hair damage. There are some exceptions, but in general, it’s better to err on the side of caution and wait for this long.
Is it better to get hair or makeup done first?
Do your hair first…if you have oily skin. Those that are prone to having a bit of shine sneak up and ruin their makeup look should opt to style their strands first. This way, you can cleanse your face right before applying your makeup and have a freshly-applied face closer to the start of whatever is on your agenda.
Do your hair first…if its your wedding day. If youre torn between getting your hair or makeup done first on your wedding day, well make it easy for you: hair comes first! This way, if you break a sweat whilst your hairstylist is using their heat tools, you dont have to worry about your makeup melting. Also, you dont have to stress about layers of hairspray ending up on your makeup!
Do your hair first…if its the summer. During the hot summer season, your best bet will be to style your hair before doing your makeup. For the same reason, you may want to style your hair first for your wedding, hot tools plus hot weather is likely to lead to perspiration. So, do yourself and your makeup a favor and save your makeup products for last! (Need more help keeping makeup meltdown at bay? Use a waterproof foundation, like the LOréal Paris Infallible Up to 24HR Fresh Wear Foundation.)
How soon before a wedding should I dye my hair?
This six-month timeline will also give you ample time to test out hairstylists and hair color dyes that will provide you with your dream look. There are thousands of hair colors to choose from, and on top of that, your stylists can combine colors to create a hue that is one-of-a-kind. Perfecting the right tone for you can take time. A good rule of thumb is to go every two months to get your color freshened up, especially if you want to go lighter. Then have your final color done approximately two weeks before the wedding – unless your hair grows fast, then you may want to do it closer to the event, so your roots dont show.
Wedding Hair Color Donts. Some definite things that you dont want to do with your wedding hair color are below.
Drastic Change. Please, please, please! Dont do anything too drastic. Your wedding photos will last a lifetime and will be cherished, so dont go crazy and do something drastic with your color. For example, if you have never been a platinum blond, why try to do it for your wedding. You dont know if it will look good on you, and you will be risking damaging your hair during the process. Also, dont do anything too trendy, like adding pinks or blues to your hair.
How many days before an event should I color my hair?
Every person is different with unique hair needs. As a general point of reference and depending on the hair event, book a haircut and color 7–10 days in advance to give your hair time to settle in.
📹 Why And When Should You Color Your Hair | Over 40
This video is sponsored by L’Oreal Paris Men Affiliate links included #40overfashion.
Yessss 👏 thank you, I’m going thru this right now with my bayalage. I’m a level 2 trying to get to a level 8! I’m on my second bayalage due next week and my stylist was trying to explain to me my hair will only lift so much and more red will come out. So it’s a slow process but she cares about the integrity of my hair and will not over process. I understand it better now from how u explained it & your handy dandy charts! Thanks soo much 😃
Thank you SO much for sharing your knowledge with us! I’ve torn apart the internet looking for advice on how to color my hair properly and your website is quite honestly the only place where I felt like I learned an abundance of knowledge on the complexity of hair. I really appreciate you taking the time out of your day to genuinely educate your audience on hair care and just know that you are an amazing teacher! ❤️ If you ever decide to open up any masterclasses or courses please let me know so I can sign up ASAP!
I now understand the process of lightening. I am not licensed, but I have been doing my own hair for years. I learned how to highlight and ombre. I understood the level my hair needed to be to get certain colors to show more, but my hair is so naturally dark, I never knew or understood how to get to a level 9 or 10 without damaging my hair with lightener. For this reason, I’ve been too afraid to try my entire head of hair. Ty. This article is permanently saved to my playlist for reference.
Thank you so much- you always explain things so clearly. 🌸💜✨ I think it’s important for us to understand what the process actually entails because sometimes your ‘dream’ hair is much closer to your natural colour when you realise how many changes and how much commitment and cost it involves. I’m so thankful for my natural brown hair colour now 💜✨💖
This is very clear & easy to understand. I’ve done hair for decades so I know what works or doesn’t yet I couldn’t explain it to make sense. Especially the point about lightening from level 4 to 8 when the underlying warm orange to yellow tones become dominant. Why you need to go lighter to deposit a cool tone to achieve a desired color but risk damage to the hair. Thank you for sharing!
YES 👏🏾!! I’m glad you explain WHY a certain hair choice might not be advantageous 4 a person depending on different factors as opposed 2 telling them it isn’t possible cuz most times (from my experience) when a hair dresser has told me or some1 else that something isn’t achievable on their hair, that’s code for: “I don’t PERSONALLY know as a stylist how to give you what you want” or “I’m not confident enough in my skills to pull off your desired results.” OR “I’m just too lazy 🤷🏾♀️💅🏿 & have other things I’d rather do,” which has happened to me as I’ve seen a stylist do on someone else’s hair the very same thing they claim they can’t do on mine & I know my hair is just as, if not HEALTHIER than the other person’s hair cuz I was in ear/👀shot of the consultation they gave the other person. Very few things are not achievable on a person’s hair save the exception that the integrity/health of their hair is too compromised at the time. But explaining to them that it is possible, BUT it just may require MORE visits & 💵 doesn’t leave your client feeling unimpowered & hopeless. I prefer knowing the cold-hard facts so I know how to proceed — IF I want to — to be the better choice. Thank you for that 😌🙏🏾.
Hi, I’m so glad I found your website! I’ve had my hair colored for many years, both by professional stylists and me. I used to work as a receptionist at a salon; I learned more than I used to (which was nothing!) after working there several years. Anyway, I’m still really interested in learning about color and I am looking forward to learning from you!❤
Helpful vid, Elle! I love ur idea of the colorist explaining WHY “no” / what it would entail to change colors that us lay people who don’t fully understand color theory, etc. (vs. my last one who was like “eh… no. I don’t think that’ll work.” Upscale place too! Or was… Anyway!) I’m a 7.5, 1a with healthy waist length and FINALLY getting highlights! The consultation went AMAZING because you helped me with what to ask! Thanks ❤ 👩🏻🦰-👱🏻♀️! 🎉
As I have gotten older I am less interested in being super blonde.Allthough as I have gone through doing that in the past few years your articles saved my butt many times. My hair is now past my shoulders and it would not be long and healthy had it not been for your article on hair oils. Thanks a million
My natural hair is a level 3 and through your articles i was able to get to a level 9/10 🥳 I’ve always wondered why when my roots grow out why they lift so perfectly now. Like they don’t go through that crazy orange/yellow phase anymore. Why is that? Does it just depend on the quality of the bleach? I’ve found the Schwarzkopf blonde me is absolutely amazing! It keeps the hair integrity and I only have to use the 20 developer 🙌 thanks for you great content in each and every article 💛
I know my hairdresser for 8 years. Your vids help me to understand how it works so I don’t want him to make my hair platinum blonde in one go anymore 🤣 and it’s waaaay easier to explain him what I want + it’s way easier for him to tell me f.e. what I can do to maintain my hair or how to prepare it before next appointment. Thanks! 💙
Yes, yes, yes….thank you! I am a darker brunette who has wanted to go an appropriate blonde for my skin tone for years…if I hear “color doesn’t lift color” one more time I feel like I want to scream. I know it’s possible because I see it. Just tell me what it takes to get there! I don’t want to hear it’s not possible. I’m patient, if you want a long term client then a brunette to blonde transition is a good way to get one!
Very helpful explanation, thank you. I have a question: I am brunette and used the wrong hue of permanent root colour. My hair absorbed a dark rbown colour too well and I have blackish patches near my crown. I have long hair, too. For a situation like this, should I use color oops or some other colour to at least get the ‘black’ patches closer to a chocolate brown hue? I sinced used a mahogany brown a couple of times but I still have those blackish patches in my hair. Thank you, again
Thank you Miss Sylvia. You taught me about hair color, lady. I come from a redheaded/green-eyed family and am naturally sort of a sandy-strawberry type thing. I wanted “normal” blonde because we all want what we don’t have. So, I tried coloring the red out my hair for 34 years, and I know now that didn’t know a thing about what I was doing. Not until last year when I came across one of your articles. I’ve done all of these, bleach, semi/demi, perm, fashion and even sadly and by mistake, a bright blue permanant. I’ve gone through many recovery efforts too, and all of this pretty continuously, since covid started. I lost someone very important very early, April 2020. Like everyone else I had a LOT of free time on my hands to freak out. I have only been to a hairdresser once during quarantine. I’ve been bottle-boxing myself for 35 years. Sounds more fun than it is kids, lol. I keep it pretty long and I’m not a big blower. Again, kids… I watch and listen to you now and my hair has survived all of my self-inflicted abuse very nicely. I even cut it last week, like…alot. And it’s not bad. And I swear that I will never go back to box color again! I feel like Scarlett O’hara lol. Nope, well never say never but nope I mix my own color now, Wella mostly, and just did a reverse balayage, dark over light. It was too light, almost white and unnatural with my freckles I thought. So, I used a sponge for the first time, just because it came in a $10 amazon kit and it worked awesome for the couple of swipes I did, did an 8g/n sand/gold mix on level 9, close to 10, platinum/ashy hair. So, it looks really good and I didn’t even know what balayage was last year or even heard the word. Am I even spelling it right? I literally youtubed “key leating” a few months ago lol. Now I have Dawn in my shower. Anyway, thanks again you are lovely, smart and you have a beautiful way of teaching. Peace everybody, stay safe. <3
PLEASE DO A article for hair color for people with sensitive skin – I am allergic to PPD but I still use box color to color my hair and I have to endure the rash for a bit after the process, but what’s a girl to do ……….. any suggestions, your articles are great and you are so so knowledgeable, I am so glad I found your website
I really like what you said about explaining to your clients WHY they can’t get a certain hair colour. When I was younger I used to dye my hair jet black with box dye ALL the time. When I wanted to go back to my natural colour (level 5 neutral) I went to a salon and I told the hair dresser I wanted an ashy level 6 and she said okay. She stripped my hair and deposited colour but it came out like a level 4 warm (not surprising) and I was SO crushed and disappointed I cried for days. This became a trend from the ages of 16 to 21 until I finally realized and learned how colour worked. She should have explained to me in the beginning how it would realistically turn out.
Hi Silvia, love your website! It’s really informing. Can you do some more articles on men’s colour please. I’m aging and my hair is healthy but I just want to cover the greys. I’m a base level 6 so I bought Wella 6NN and 6NA to mix with 20 Vol developer. Followed the instructions and it came out a dark brown with warm orange tones. Can anyone help a poor Scots man soul and suggest how to get rid of these tones. I just wait plain boring light/medium brown hair Do I need to buy a Toner and what colour? It’s all so confusing. HELP ANYONE!! Still glad I didn’t buy buy Men’s boxed dye.
Can the brand of product determine how your hair lifts and how long the color stays? When my hairdresser moved locations the color of my hair changed. I’ve been so unhappy and asked several times if she was using a different product and she said it was the same. My daughter goes there as well and has the same problem. My natural hair color is medium brown/ dark blonde and I get highlights. I like more of a cool blonde highlight with no yellow or red. My hair always looks like a beige yellow tone and it looks like I need my hair done again in one week. I’m looking to go somewhere else but it is so stressful. What are your thoughts on Aveda products? You are amazing and I wish you lived in my state. You really helped me understand so much through the years. Thank you
Oh wow! Thank you! I wish I’d watched this a few weeks ago… think maybe I’m naturally around level 5-6 & just had highlights I wanted to “get rid of” & go with something close to my natural color…ended up with something VERY different. 3 “fix it” sessions later, I have very warm blonde level 8 hair. 😞 Hair is so dry & I hate how it looks. Help!
Ellebangs great explanation here, I wonder if You could tell me the difference between white bleach that my hairdresser uses and the purpley one I bought and threw out becausr I was too nervous to use it..my hair is between 9- 10 i.just need to lighten a little and cover a few grey hairs do.you think id be better trying a semi permanent colour, im wondering after listening to your explanation.As you have probably guessed I have never coloured my own hair before..Thankyou..!
I destroyed my hair trying to get dark ash blonde. Never got it, and over 4 years later, I gave up, and now I’m having trouble getting my ends back to brown. The first two hair dressers I went to though, turned my hair orange. They never explained the process, they just put an ash dye on my hair. I might as well had tried putting a box dye on my hair myself if I wanted those results. This article has been super informative and helpful though.
Siliva! Would be able to do a article on extensions? Like do a review on hair extensions brands. I naturally have curly, thin hair but I always straighten it and I would like to get extensions for fullness. My hair is pretty healthy since I’ve been using olaplex. I don’t think sewn in or beaded extensions would be a good option since I have curly hair and I do round brush it twice a week. Do you have any hair extension brand recommendations? Btw, I love your website. Thank you. ❤️
Toner only works on quite bright blonde hair. I made a mistaaake (I know better too!) and tried to tone my hair to fix it but the toner only took to my ends which were the blondest. It made the top of my hair a strange pinkish. (Like a mix of ash and orange). So if you have bayalage just tone the ends! Same thing with purple shampoo. Best to at least attempt to get it on the ends mainly instead of virgin dark blonde brown. Unsure about purple hair effect on black hair.
I have questions… I have a hard time determining my natural hair color level. Because when looking at charts of warm or neutral tones then I appear to be at level 4, but when looking at charts of cool tones I instead appear to be at level 6. Looking at the pictures in your article just made me realize that the cooler tones appear darker than they actually are?? This is kinda driving me crazy lol. Am I crazy for seeing that or are my eyes broken? My hair grows in a very ashy, cool tone that appears medium/light brown in natural light. It bleaches easily to a level 10 despite appearing so dark though. But just looking at a chart I keep dithering between like 3 different levels. So how do I really tell what my level is? And is it true that cool tones appear darker than their warm counterparts, and that’s why I can’t possibly determine the value (light/darkness) of my ashy hair color when comparing it to a chart of warm or neutral tones? Ie, is a warm light brown actually a level 4, but a cool light brown is a level 6? Also, is it a good idea to use a color boost shampoo for ombre colored hair? I colored my hair red going into golden blonde, and I realize this red is gonna fade over time, but I don’t wanna ruin the blonde.
Hi, I hope you (or someone with some hair knowledge) can help me with this. I am a natural 6A or 7A but currently have level 10 highlights. I am trying to grow my hair out, but I am tired of the ombre look. I now have about 5 or 6 inches of the 6/7 root. Basically, I want to either dye or tone the highlights to match my root (at home!) How do I do that? Can I use a darker toner over the blonde? Or do I have to dye it a darker color with a permanent color?
Hello! Very helpful information. Any advice if you have “ash blonde” hair color already in your hair that’s still way too warm and purple shampoo is not doing the trick? Can you put boxed hair bleach on top of that to lighten it like you said to a platinum level to neutralize the warmth and then use an ashy darker blond colorant to tone it down afterwards? I’ve already been to the salon and they were unable to get the orange tones out of my hair. Normally I would feel very comfortable bleaching my hair if it was on my natural hair but I don’t know what to expect with lightening the already dyed hair. I’d appreciate your guidance, thank you!
Question! I have many applications of matrix demi 4BR color on my natural 4NN hair, which has become permanent. Can I dye it with permanent 4NN to cover most of the red tones, I want to match my natural hair color so as it grows it blends nicely and that way I can grow out my hair without dying anymore.
Hello,Thank you so much for your articles because I learned many things and I recovered a little of the health of my hair. I have an important question, I have California highlights in my hair (the root with my natural color and begins with tone 7-8 and at the end a 9 I always look for an ashy tone) but I don’t know how to do with the toner shampoo,because I have a toner shampoo and mask for brunettes (pravana) and a redken mask for blonde hair, but i dont us it bcause i dont no what to do,please help me😊
I have a question, so if my hair goes blond even with a box colours should it be used bleach/lighter if I go to the salon ? ( isn’t lightning/bleaching more damaging to the hair in the salon ? Since they do it every time I want to go lighter.. and almost every time I see the same result if I use blue shampoo with the first method ) ( my natural color is 6 in the scale you showed before )
I wanted to cover the grey in my hair and colored it a clairol 5N, it came out reddish brown, but more so closer to my head. So I bought a dark brown, it’s a little better but still really warm and lighter closer to my scalp. How can I fix this without going black. I look so stupid. I’ve used the dark brown so many times and it never came out this way.
I have been dying my hair black for like 3 years, I was blond highlighted before black, now I would like to do like a golden brown or two shades lighter than black, I have looked and I dont want to have orange or red! what do you think? I’m scared of bleach! and money is very tight, so at home it is and I have grey hairs
I have a problem… maybe it’s not appropriate to this article… To the point… I have a lot of grey hair… and I have let’s say “balayage ” in airtouch technique, so it softness my gray hair… my natural level 4, and SQ shades redken it’s not covering my grey hair. I use VRO shades. I wonder if gel laquer from redken will cover my grey? (My natural base will change colour as well? Or will colour only grey and bleached hair?)
I like your haircolor. I have the same skin coloring you do but my hairdressers never want to give me what I want. They’re afraid of bleaching me. I pull a lot of red and they never want to go light enough to fight it and then tone me to a medium to dark blonde. The closest I’ve gotten is getting baby lights. Yes, they used bleached and turned out good. Don’t know why they always talk me out of the same process in more of a balayage ombré, much less do it all over. But my base is always ti dark for the look I want. I’m naturally about a 4 at new growth and lightens as it grows to a 5. I get less sun so it rarely gets to 6 anymore. That’s as light as it goes naturally but I would like at least a 7 base with “sunkissed” lights.
so no wonder for the last few times getting my hair done I end up with warm tones like honey blonde that I don’t want ugh !! I just want to get the bright blonde that looks like buttery blonde that was my natural color also this last time the hair dresser used peroxide instead of bleach to lighten it saying it was more healthy for the hair but my hair still felt super dry.
Can someone please answer this question for me? I’m a young adult and I have never been to the hair salon. I know for sure i want a cool brown shade, but I don’t know how I would ask the hairstylist. I just want a solid color? Is that possible? I always see people do balayages and ombres but I’m not interested in that at the moment. How would I ask the hairstylist?
hi I am hoping to go from a dark brown warm toned hair (I guess a 3 at the root and a 5 at the ends, where the ends look also rusty/orange in bright sunlight) I want a nice dark ash brown, but with some dimension at home (covid…cant go anywhere) what should I get? I am looking at wella permanent colour 3a/148 dark ash brown and 20 volume developer. is that the right choice? I don’t want it to look like completely black hair though
Salons in my area are still closed. The last few times I’ve been in, I’ve ditched my highlights and opted for a demi perm dark warm chocolate brown. I’ve never done my hair at home before, but I’m thinking of giving it a shot… can anyone recommend a good demi perm brand? I was looking at Igora Vibrance?
I have very limited strands of white/silver in my hair and I am actually liking it. How, do I transition back to my natural colour. Should I have it coloured or simply keep cutting it out (I am not the most patient individual), highlighted? I am tired of the upkeep of colouring and the cost. I rather focus on the health and integrity of my hair.
Please to all the hair dressers her, I need help! As you can see on my pic, my natural hair color is on level 5-6 (my guess) I decided I want to get my hair to a lighter, brighter blond. In my teen years to my mid 20 I always was light blond and never had problems getting the result I was going for. I have been to the hair dresser since Jan – Feb 2 times already and I still don’t have the blond that I want. Why is it so damn hard to color my hair light blond, when I already have a natural level of blond!?! It really frustrates me because I already spend so much money and after two session my hair is still not this ashy, beachy blond I want. Now it is still much to warm and not light enogh. The first time in the process I asked for balayage, because I like my natural color to stay at my roots. Apperantly this hair dresser did not leave in the bleach long enough and when I told her this isn’t light enough she just went over with a toner than left my natural hair at the roots looking way to warm and redisch. The second time I went to a different hair dresser so I could get rid of the warmth, so she had to do Highlights on the root the get rid of it. She followed by toning my hair with this ashy, cool tone and the result wad much better. Still I’m already far away from what I wanted, because now I have blond roots also. I told the hairdresser that it is still not light enough for me and she told me that I have to see her again in 2-3 months, to give my hair some rest. This also doesn’t make any sence.
Hello! I was wondering what everyone’s opinion is on what is a reasonable price to charge per hour. I know it varies from each salon, but just for highlights I am spending almost 400 per session. They look so dull and brassy so I’m forced to go back to spend another paycheck on it. Thanks in advanced!
I love alll her articles but I dont know why her hair color looks like a complete fail, that color kf blonde doesnt not look good with highlights retouching, your base is way to dark, it just seems dirty like grey mix blonde. If thats what youre going for its upto u but it doesnt seem to be a very attractive blonde. At some places your hair look almost brown and some places platinum
John, thanks for sharing this episode as it hits realy close to home for me. I started turning gray in my early 20’s and it progressed into my 30’s. My hair rapidly began to turn white, an inherited gene, I guess. The major issue with myself and my self esteem was that I did not look good going from a medium to dark brown to white. I was uncomfortable and insecure. Currently, I am totally white but it still does not good with my coloring nor does it match my personal self image. I use various coloring solutions and am currently staying with Just for Men. I also dye my goatee. You look fabulous with your chosen look. I couldn’t pull the same look off with my coloring and life style. Long ago, I learned that I look much better using a blond color choice and it compliments my features and coloring. Five minutes is not a hardship to feel confident in my own skin. I wish I could look as good as you being comfortable with your choice. Thank you for sharing this as I am sure that there are many guys out there on the fence about trying to handle the answer to this issue. Well done my Friend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ John, great article topic. Having said that, your gray makes you standout in a elegant way. The only issue that I have with coloring, is that I’m allergic to the ingredient called PPD which causes irritation to one’s skin & scalp. I wish these companies would consider not using those irritant ingredients to their hair color, plus that it could be use on ones beard & eyebrows. Stay Safe & Healthy… Abrazos
love your articles! Great that you are one of those who has the confidence and security to just just be yourself and not have to “try hard” to show you are not. 95% of the people are easily able to find out when someone dyes their hair as they come in close range.. It just show’s the insecurity and “trying too hard” to impress, which actually is a so putting off, especially to the ladies…Take inspiration from Meryl Streep..
I find your gray looks great on you. I started with color near my 50s.. My feelings are that my gray fits me not so well, makes me a bit pale and tired looking. I make no secret out of this. I simply like my “natural” color more, but this might change in the future….. I use here in germany a produkt from Schwarzkopf. Also 5 min and easy to use with an applicator, but 2 components..I’ll try your suggestion when i see it
and I have another question my hair is all grey exactly like yours full hair gray and I use different products gx shampoo I tried to cover up the full head of hair and doesn’t work only shows me results is silver gray hair I got tired of it just wonder you think it’s going to cover up the fullest my gray hair in black just like your hair and is this product does it come in different colors like dark brown or brown or this product has only in Black?
The most forgotten part is coloring the eye brows. If you have silver hair and Grey in the eyebrows, dying them a light or medium brown can take years off the face. Just for men hair color is great for that. I have silver hair. My hairdresser suggested I dye my eyebrows. Wow what a difference it made!
67′ Lawyer Here: The pic is colored me. Covid isolation and I didn’t feel like the hassle. Now sporting a awesome mustache and grey. Yeah I’m feeling dated, but its genuine. I agree with those who color. I’m going with the authentic look now. Oh, any woman past 35 that doesn’t sport some grey, yeah she colors.
My hair is silver white. Get compliments from both men and women. Some have told me they would not color their gray hair if it was the same color as mine. However, at times I do think its to white. In pictures I look bald depending on the lighting. I plan on adding gray lowlights to my hair for a little contrast. It has nothing to do with looking younger. Just hoping to give it a more distinguished look. Wish me luck.
I have been asking my hairdresser today about colouring my grey hair as I do not like it. If my hair looked like your then I would be happier. It was interesting to see your friend colour his hair with that product, but I feel that it looks odd having dark hair with a grey beard because then it is so obvious that your hair is coloured ! I would want a more natural look. Great article though.
I started going grey in my 30’s. I used to use hair dye to cover it up- it was always either too dark, too light (plus, you have to dye it every 2-3 weeks- what a PITA) and I ran from the grey gene for 10 years and then one day said Im not doing it anymore. Let it go. Then I started getting compliments on my hair color, lol. Funny that what we eventually accept as a true course is what most people tend to like. I wish I knew this back in my 30’s. Btw, imo, 9:04 is waaay too dark for his skin color, 5:14 fits his skin and glasses so much better. Gray hair is pretty rad- its very unique and if you dress it up, it looks incredible. Great website, btw. Love your content. A+.
His own came out great however,in my opinion,if a person never saw you before & you had your hair dye.& you may have to be seeing some ppl.on a frequent basis i think you may have to keep it Up because if you don’t they may find you look old ! I’m 51 yrs.Old & the majority of my hair grey.The thing is I always have my hair properly well groomed & my face is stylishly shave…Looking very neat is KEY 🔑 Viewing from the Beautiful Caribbean Island 🏝 of Trinidad and Tobago w.i. 🇹🇹 ❤ 🇺🇸 P.S. we find that you’re doing a super duper Job 👍
I’m an actor. Occasionally I have to dye my hair. But I always use a temporary product. It doesn’t give you that shoe polish look, and washes out in about three or four days. I highly recommend it for men, if you are thinking about dying your hair and don’t want to make a full commitment. Otherwise, it will take up to six months for your hair to grow back all the way and it just does not look good. The roots are very obvious from the dye job if you use a permanent dye. All of this being said, I really like my gray hair. I can’t wait for the temporary stuff to get washed out!
At 64 I’ve started to get a little bit of grey colour in my hair. Not too much and only receded a little bit. Think I got that gene from my maternal grandfather…. certainly not from my Dad! My goatee is definitely grey though and I don’t mind. Oh, you look great with grey hair and beard. I don’t think we’re quite so obsessed with trying to pretend we’re younger than we really are in the UK.
Personally, I think it’s no one’s business whether or not you want to color your hair. Some women absolutely love gray hair I like chasing women that are younger and I am a rock musician so I choose to color. It definitely takes quite of substantial time but it can be beneficial for me. I’ve gotten so good at it that many women don’t realize I color my hair. Every man should choose whether or not he wants to do this or not.
I’m 51 and although people say I look at least 10 years younger, the fact is I’m 51 and I’m OK with that, because that’s what I am. I started to have some gray hair on the sides a few years ago and I saw it as a natural thing, but now I went back to school to finish a PhD, meaning in the campus I’m surrounded by kids half my age and I have to attend activities for students; at the beginning some of them looked at me like “is he a professor?”, “why is this old guy doing here?”, etc, so I started to color my hair since lat year to blend in a little more and I noticed my presence is not as awkward as before. Of course I can’t look like a 18 year old freshman anymore, but at least I can reduce the age gap a bit and don’t look like their grandpa. 😅
Here are my thoughts. I think that not all grey hair is created equal. For example, your hair looks good because it is more white. For other men like me, my hair is dull grey and does not look as good. I am older, so I color my hair but leave some grey so it doesn’t look, well, like I color it and represent my age better. So I think if you color your hair, make sure you use the right product and hair color so it looks more natural.
As Barbara Walter’s always stated, “The older you are the lighter your hair should be”. What she, a natural brunet, eventually went to a darker sandy blond hair color. Due to age, no doubt her hair would be totally white but with the services of an Emmy Award winning hairstylist the results are what they were. The takeaway, always go lighter with the hair color.
Hi John. Since we’re on the subject of hair coloring have you heard of that Simfort carbonated shampoo I’ve seen advertised on YT that’s supposed to make your hair gradually thicken and return to it’s original color. I’m not sure I buy their claims but I know you’ve been one to take one for the team so to speak and try stuff and give us your opinion.TBH though after all these years it would seem strange to see you with dark hair. Peace. : )
John, I’m becoming a groupie lol I spend $150 a month for “cut and color ” And after 2.5 weeks it’s fading quickly. And this is a traditional barber shop in Naples. Haircut $35 I’ll color myself. If I didn’t have two hair transplants I wouldn’t have to worry about any of this LOL and I’m going for the third as I have aged
I got my first grey hair at 21 (!) I thought it was weird to begin getting grey hair at such an early age. After getting tired of plucking, I started coloring it at about 25. I colored my hair for the next 30 years. I’m going back and forth with weather I should continue at 55, because when I let the grey grow in, I sometimes get compliments and don’t mind the way it looks when I let it grow in. But I’m noticing it’s more (a lot more)salt than pepper. We’ll see what happens. P.S. Guys, if you’ve got naturally dark brown hair, and your coloring your hair, I recommend Garnier Nutrisse DARK BROWN #40 . I’ve actually been given compliments on how natural it looks.
Although I understand this article was 95% advert. Some points to consider: Color hair for yourself and not just the people around you, when you look in the mirror it’s less of a ghost shock. Why did you not do your beard as well, hair is hair and you do NOT need an overpriced beard specific product. Although the convenience of a shake-and-brush product might seem like a good choice, you will be paying for that packaging. Using traditional “Ladies” twin-liquid hair dye works on male hair just fine and is easily applied with a dedicated toothbrush and no it does not cause flecks on the bathroom surfaces.
In my experience, men who decide to keep their grey hair often do so because they waited too long to consider dyeing it. By the time they decide to dye their hair, they have already shown everyone that they have a lot of grey hair. Coloring it at this point would draw too much attention and likely result in comments. Deep down, nobody wants grey hair, as it can make you look older, and nobody wants to look old. The key is to take action early and start dyeing your hair as soon as the grey hairs appear.
Most of us guys usually handle going gray & sporting the salt & pepper hair/beard pretty well, just as you obviously do looking very sharp. Gray hair for us can be viewed as a sign of time spent working & gaining work & life experience. Some of us still choose to completely cover our gray hair. A total full color change can sometimes be dramatic, unexpected, & on some of us appear odd due to the fact we’re showing our age in other ways. For the guys who keep shorter hair then a full color change works better, and sometimes a full color cover up can work better when the color choice is a lighter color than the original color…example: dark brown hair gone gray can look good fully covered in a medium or dark blond. Black hair gone white can look good covered with a dark gray. …Other considerations when changing hair color are our beards, eyebrows, chest hair. These can take light touchups with beards the easiest to color. Chest hair can be darkened using regular hair color in a spray bottle…taking a color change “farther south” below the waistline is each man’s call…beware of burns & irritation due to hyper sensitive skin down there…I personally wouldn’t go there for that reason. I’m a 63 year old natural blond choosing to control the incoming gray by visiting a salon to get a medium strawberry blond rinse about every 6 weeks. When turning 63 this year I chose to skip the color change and just might let nature take its course on my hair. My YouTube profile photo here was taken on my 60th birthday & my present hair color is no different than then.
I am / was a natural redhead . Irish origin, blue eyes, freckles and skin that burns in the sun . I travelled a lot in my 20’s to hot climates and became acclimatised to the conditions . Then one day in my 40 ‘s a single white hair appeared from nowhere . Soon mother nature had turned every single red strand into a platinum white natural shade … no artificial colours, no dye, no tweeking … just nature doing its thing . The red never turned grey and just now remains a blonde / white shade to the extent where i go to rock concerts with gel in the hair and everyone calls me Billy Idol .. Not bad for a compliment, I must admit …. Billy Idol look certainly gets noticed by the ladies …. all 100 % natural
Hi John, no offense to your friend, but the carpet needs to match the drapes. Honestly, I think he would look have looked younger dying the beard (if he wants to keep it) rather than the head of hair. The mismatch makes him stand out even more. As my daughter once said to me when I dyed my hair, “Dad, you’re trying too hard…”. Just sayin.
John I think your hair is a beautiful gray color, and I think it looks very distinguished on you. As for me, I don’t color my hair because it is very thin on top, and I keep it cut very short. If I were to color my hair it would be a constant battle in terms of upkeep, and in my opinion totally not worth the time or the effort.
…why does ur friend kinda sound like Jim Carrey? Question? I don’t understand why he didn’t do his beard? If ur trying to look young, or whatever, having that gray beard doesn’t help. I would (and do) go all the way, or just shave it… I color my hair and Goatee at the same time. Much better look.
It looks messy and sides didn’t get colored. The color shade is too dark for him and makes it look fake like you really dyed your hair. I was expecting him to do his beard with same product. Anyway prob not enough product. Manufacturers think all men has short hair and thin and one bottle is not enough.
Mike’s hair dye job does not look good because he did not do his beard. Jet black head of hair with more salt than pepper in the beard is nota good look. If he wants to compete in his industry, he should take john’s cues on clothing options – imho. I rather go with John’s look – actually makes you look younger.
My wife often says I should color my hair. I say, “It’s a color.” Mike’s “before” part of the article shows the problem with coloring. He needs to touch up the roots because the hair is always growing. It’s especially evident when he styles it straight back. When the roots show, everyone know you’re coloring. I long ago figured out why women would perm their hair as they got older. It’s because they color it and the perm keeps the roots hidden. I also think Mike’s hair is a little too dark, especially compared to his beard. More evidence that he’s coloring. No thanks. I’ll keep my sexy silver.
I’m sorry but the guy’s hair looks completely fake after the “treatment”. All the subtle tones and highlights found naturally in hair have vanished. It looks cheap because it is. If you really want to cover up your grey hair, spend the money and see a professional colorist. One who specializes in men. You’ll get a MUCH better result and be a lot happier.
This product is worthless compared to what is already available. The best products allow you to use what you need and save the rest for the next application. This single mixing of the entire volume which you don’t need all at once is worthless. Best to stick with the mustache and beard gel which is the best even for the hair on top of the head or go with the liquid mix hair coloring which is not as easy as the gel but can be worked out with a little bit of trial and error pours.
Devil’s advocate here – it doesn’t look good. At all. It looks flat – natural hair cannot be all one color. If anything, it’s the beard that makes men look like grandpa. Even with the colored hair, the beard is gray, so he is not fooling anybody. Get rid of the beard, let the gray be, cut hair shorter and get rid of glasses if you can.