| Hair color correction is a big money maker in salons | | | | warm browns) if you look best in warm-colored |
| nationwide. The reason: over-the-counter hair coloring | | | | clothing such as reds, pinks and oranges. Choose a |
| products have given consumers the impression that | | | | cool shade (beige, pale blonde highlights and neutral |
| hair color is easy and extremely affordable. One look | | | | colors) if you look best in blues and greens. |
| at a professionally-colored model on a commercial or | | | | As you can see, just a little bid of planning and |
| glossy magazine page, and many people clamor to | | | | knowledge can save you from costly hair coloring |
| the closest drug store to purchase a $5 box of color | | | | disasters. And by making an informed decision before |
| with the hopes of receiving a $50 salon look. | | | | you purchase hair color, you will not only save |
| The results are often disastrous, and it can take | | | | money, you will also save your hair from needless |
| hundreds of dollars to correct a hair color problem | | | | damage. |
| that could have been prevented with just a tiny bit | | | | Hair color is a chemical, and every time you chemically |
| of knowledge and planning. | | | | process your hair, you damage it to some extent. |
| The most common problem seen with hair coloring at | | | | The damage can be minimal, as is usually the case |
| home and in salons is choosing a hair color that is too | | | | with high-end professional hair coloring systems, or |
| light for the natural shade of hair. Realistically, color | | | | can be extreme. And each time you use hair color to |
| can only lighten hair beautifully by a few shades. If | | | | correct a problem, you are damaging your hair even |
| you go any lighter than a few shades, you need to | | | | more. |
| choose a high-lift product such as bleach or a | | | | Here are just a few tell-tale signs that your hair has |
| professional highlighting system. Failure to do this | | | | been over processed with hair color and other |
| often results in hair color that is much too brassy or | | | | chemicals. |
| even orange. | | | | " The hair is limp and dull, and no amount of styling |
| Word to the wise: high-lift hair coloring should only be | | | | can bring back its luster and bounce. |
| performed by professionals. The controlled chemicals | | | | " The hair color has faded dramatically, and you are |
| used in the process, if used incorrectly, can result in | | | | left with brassy and banded hair color. (Banded hair |
| irreparable damage and/or chemical burns on the | | | | color is evident by the sudden change of hair color |
| scalp and skin. | | | | along the hair shaft. For example: the hair may be |
| Another hair color mistake that is seen quite often is | | | | dark until about 2" from the scalp where it turns a |
| choosing a color that is too dark. Extremely dark hair | | | | brassy orange.) |
| color can be the most challenging to correct because | | | | " The hair is extremely dry and brittle. When it is |
| dark color can actually stain the cortex (inner layer) | | | | wet, it is almost impossible to comb it without |
| of the hair, making it almost impossible to lighten. | | | | causing breakage. |
| Again, avoid choosing hair colors that are more than | | | | You can avoid damage to your hair caused by hair |
| a few shades darker than your own to prevent a | | | | coloring by taking the same precautions |
| costly cortex stain. | | | | recommended for choosing the right hair color. |
| When it comes to choosing the right shade of hair | | | | Choosing the right hair color reduces the amount of |
| color to use, pick tones and shades that flatter your | | | | color applications, therefore, reducing the chances of |
| skin tone. Choose warm shade of hair color (reds and | | | | your hair becoming over processed. |