colored hair

From time to time I become obsessed with changing my hair color. I blame the magazines for this obsession, as every page has a beautiful golden blonde or golden brunette that simply cries out my name. The problem with this obsession of mine is the fact that I have jet-black hair and going from black to anything light is simply not a simple task. I have done this a couple times already. This won’t be my first time delving into the unknown of hair lightening. I have gone from black to brown, black to blonde; only to go right back to black. Why do I go back to such a dark and hard to lighten hair color? The answer is quite simple. I do so because I love the depth of black hair and it is easy to maintain without the need of a salon. If you get the right shade of black, one that is full of shine, it is stunning. However, it also makes me look pale and from time to time I simply get tired of it. My biggest setback when changing my hair color is accepting that in order to go from black to anything lighter, chances are I am going to be a redhead for the same amount of time. Hair color rule number one is that if you go from black to anything not black, you will go red. Yes, you can bleach the heck out of your hair and try to skip this stage, but then you will also have very dry and damaged hair. So in order to change that black hair color and try to keep your hair’s integrity in place, you will have to be a redhead for a bit. Last week I took the plunge! I went to the hair salon and announced my departure from black to a lighter hair color. My goal being a beautiful golden brown like Emilia Clark. I just saw her article in Elle Magazine and have fallen in love with the color. Her hair is the perfect mix of dark chocolate with light gold highlights. It is heaven and that exact color is my present goal. Will I be able to achieve that exact color? Who knows! Al I can do is try to get there and do so without damaging my hair too much. I am trying to be patient for the next month, until my next hair color appointment. At that time I will be ready to tweak the color a little more and see what happens. The month in between processing also allows me to apply as many hair treatments as I can at home to help get my hair back to its natural shine and health before processing it again. Until then, I am a redhead and I must admit for the first time I am enjoying it. It doesn’t look terrible and it isn’t driving me crazy, at least not yet. Changing your hair color is much like becoming married! It is a big commitment and takes a lot of work to do it right. So be sure to do your research, get a lot of pictures of what you want and most importantly be realistic and open-minded. You may end up with something different all together that suits you even better than what you wanted, or you may end up going right back to your old color!

At least once a week we all need to take the time to apply a good hair treatment to help repair, nourish and enhance our hair. It doesn't matter what type of hair you have, there is a hair mask just for your hair concern. You could want to add shine to your hair, replenish moisture, repair your hair after a chemical treatment or protect your hair color from fading. The good news is there is no need to go to a salon in order to have a hair treatment anymore. All the salon treatments are easy enough to use at home with the same success at a fraction of the cost, all you really need to do is understand how to apply a hair mask like the pros do at the salon.

The first step when applying a hair mask is to wash your hair. Shampoo your hair as you would normally. Once you have washed your hair your next step is to towel dry your hair really well. You never want to apply a hair mask (or conditioner) to very wet hair. The reason for this is that the excess water in your hair will simply keep the mask from being thoroughly absorbed. Water does help your hair absorb conditioner, but not when it is soaking wet. This is why at the salon, even before they apply conditioner they do strain most of the water from your hair.

Once your hair is towel dried, you can go ahead and apply your hair mask from roots to ends. After having applied the mask, grab a wide toothed comb and run it through your hair to make sure the hair mask is dispersed evenly throughout your hair. Never use a thin toothed comb as it may pull your hair and cause damage. A wide toothed comb will go through your hair more easily and not cause pulling or breakage.

Once you have combed the hair mask through your hair, leave it on for at least 15 minutes. If you have the time, 30 minutes is optimal. This allows the mask to truly be absorbed into your hair shaft. If you want to get even more creative, simply put a shower cap on your hair and apply heat with your blow dryer. Heat also helps with absorption and adding shine and smoothness to your hair.

After 15-30 minutes you simply wash off the hair mask and voila! Your hair will truly be transformed. One of our favorite hair masks is Davines Nounou Hair Mask. This formula is made for those with bleached hair but works well for all types of hair. This is a shine enhancing, moisturizing and replenishing mask that simply leaves your hair full of shine, soft to the touch and beautiful. It is a must try for anyone that wants brilliant and smooth strands.

Next time you want to revive your hair, skip the salon visit and try the techniques above for a salon quality hair treatment. Knowing how to apply a hair mask is simple and will make a huge difference in your hair daily appearance.