Color like a pro
At-home hair color works! There, I said it! I know that hairdressers across America will want to shoot me for saying this, but it's true! At home hair color is the same strength and made of the same ingredients as professional color.
Almost every shade that is available to the pros is available to at home colorists. The simple directions on color boxes have made it easier to pick the right shade and use color than ever before. It has never been easier to have the hair color of your dreams. So why bother paying expensive salon prices and dealing with the hassle of making appointments? There are obvious benefits of having your hair color done at the salon.
The first reason is it is easier to have someone else color your hair, especially the back of your head that you can't really see.
The second reason is the mess you will avoid. Your hair color will not end up all over your bathroom tiles, on your hands or under your finger nails. These are all hassles but you can deal with them.
The biggest advantage of a salon visit is the colorist, the colorist eye and expertise, and the tricks of the trade. Since they still haven't figured out how to fit a colorist in an “at home” coloring box, I can't give you the color eye or expertise, but I can tell you the tricks of the trade. The tricks of the trade (TOT) make the difference between looking like a "home job" and "wow, you look great!"
Highlights are the most popular way to lighten your hair. Today’s highlights are soft and natural with the brightest strands placed around your face. Placement of the highlights is the key to looking your best. Today's highlighting kits guarantee that your highlights will be a soft shade, but you still have to place them where they belong. Nothing is more of a give away of an "at home" job than heavy highlights on your part and very few around your face.
TOT TIP - Highlight your hair twice with each touch up. This is what we do at the salon. The first round of highlights is for general placement. The second round of highlights customizes the color to you. Place the highlights only where you need them on the second go around. This is usually when you add a few extra strands around your face. You don't need to buy two highlighting kits. Mix three quarters of the formula for the first round and the last quarter for the second round.
Single process permanent coloring is the way to go if you want an overall color change or if you want to completely cover your grey hair. Similar to highlights, the single process color should be brighter around your face. You should never have a wall of dark color around your face.
TOT TIP - Buy two different hair colors. They should be similar in shade with one color a bit lighter. Use the lighter color on the first quarter inch around your hairline and the darker color on the rest of your hair. This will mimic natural-looking hair color and give extra brightness around your face. People with a grey hairline do not have to use two different colors. The color will automatically take lighter on the grey hair.
Semi-permanent colors are a glaze of color that will add shine and cover your first few grey hairs. This color will slowly fade away. Regrowth is minimal. Semi-permanent color is the easiest way to refresh your hair color.
TOT TIP - Always pick a shade lighter than your natural hair color. This will not lighten your hair. Semi permanent colors have no lighting power. The lighter shade will keep your hair color bright, enhance your natural nuances of color, and turn your first grey hairs into highlights.
These are the top three tricks of the trade. We use them at my salons every day. Now my secrets are your secrets. Happy home coloring!
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Color like a pro.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://louislicari.ivillage.com/system/mt-tb.cgi/4611
I agree with you saying that it is easier for you to color your hair at a salon. They somehow manage to get the colors right so it would be a lot harder to match the colors if you want to color your hair again. I was watching an episode on "Shear Genius" where clients were getting their hair colored and after watching that, I wouldn't want to color my hair at home. Have you heard of or seen that show? It's on Bravo every Wednesday at 10pm. Right now, they're giving away a trip to NYC for a make-over. I know this because I work with them. Check out http://condenast.eprize.net/alluresheargenius/?affiliate_id=1d. Good Luck!!!
Thanks for the awesome hair coloring tips! I've always found that at-home hair coloring to be a bit of a challenge. It almost never comes out the way I like it, and haircolor tends to fade really fast in my hair, and often becomes brassy. But! I have resolved this problem by shaving my head and vowing not to color my hair for a year, but, who knows I probably will end up coloring it and now I have ur great tips on at home coloring! Speaking of hair, have you heard of this new show on Bravo called Shear Genius? I love it! 12 stylists compete for the top spot. It's like the Project Runway for hair. I love shop drama, and I love hair, so this is the perfect combination for me. Check out this contest they're having http://condenast.eprize.net/alluresheargenius/?affiliate_id=1d it's on Wednesdays at 10 on Bravo. I work with them so I know!
Dear Mr. Licari,
I have been a client for many years
at your salon in NYC. I have dark blonde
with partial golden light/medium highlights. (I have my highlights done at your salon)
Recently had a friend that had a great
single process from this other salon in NY and went there to try a single process for me.
Well in any event I really hate the color as it like a mousy brown and it has made my hair brittle with no body.
I would appreciate any advice on your behalf and can hardly wait to get
back to your great salon.
Kind Regards
TG
Jane & Shane,
I think its a genius idea to plug your show on my blog. When your looking for a job send me your resume.
Louis
Theresa (TG),
I suggest that you use a series of deep conditioning treatments. This should condition your hair, make it less brittle and hopefully lift the color a little bit.
See you at the salon soon,
Louis
For the longest time, at home or salon when I color my hair to cover the gray, I get a reddish tone when the color is fading. I HATE IT!!!! How can I color and not worry about the redness? My natural color is medium brown.Please help!
Who makes semi-permanent haircolor. Can I only purchase it at a beauty supply store. Can't find it in any drug stores.
Thanks
Who makes semi-permanent haircolor. Can I only purchase it at a beauty supply store. Can't find it in any drug stores.
Thanks
After years of lowlighting and highlighting, I would like to try to grow out my gray hair - problem - I was a true medium contrast Autumn in my youth and I have read that my grays would never be as attractive as cooler toned silver foxes. What to do? Should I try something like Clairol Shimmer or would too cool a gray wash me out? If I were to keep highlighting and lowlighting what colors would you suggest? (Also my skin is also a little ruddy.)
I would like to ask a question concerning permanent color touch-up's, please.
Due to the fast growth of my grey roots, I am forced to do touch-up's every two weeks.
I am having problems with the color over-lapping on my previously colored hair leaving an area of approximately an inch, darker than the rest of my hair.
I use Color charm - light natural brown.
My roots always color to a true light brown, but due to the overlap of color that I can't seem to avoid...I have an inch or so of hair that is left a dark brown.
Can you offer a solution to my problem?
Thanks
well i got my hair done a week and half ago and the gray is comming back and i don't thank that right in a week in half what should i do..
email tommyguy_1979@yahoo.com
~TommyBoi1979~
Silver streaking seems to be a solution to gradually letting your greys grow out.. do you agree? Would you recommend all-over streaks? I have my hair professionally colored (Goldwell products) with a brown base and reddish brown highlights. Because of rapid root growth, I'm coloring 3-4 weeks. it's just not worth the time or the money.
Thank you for your comments
Tammy,
I suggest that you switch to a semi-permanent color. This will still cover your grey but slow down the oxidation process.
No more red for you,
Louis
Wendy,
You can buy semi-permanent color at your drug store. I just went to the Clairol website and noticed Colorflirt which is a semi-permanent color and Natural Instincts which is a demi-permanent color (no ammonia). I am sure that every color company has a semi-permanent at home color. Be sure to check out your favorite color company website.
Good Luck,
Louis
Chloe,
If you are interested in growing out your greys I do recommend that you use Shimmer Lights shampoo. This will turn your grey hair into the silver you want it to be and work well with your skin tone.
Good Luck,
Louis
Rubypumps,
I recommend that you see a professional to rid yourself of the dark line of color that occurred from frequent color applications. Once the line has been softened use a lighter color for your touch-ups. This should prevent the dark stripe from reoccurring.
Good Luck,
Louis
TommyBoi,
If you have grey hair and you color it dark it can reappear in a couple of days. I suggest that you use a lighter formula of hair color so there won't be a strong line of demarcation as it grows out. The other solution is to leave the color on your hair for 10 minutes instead of 30 minutes. This will tone down your grey not cover it.
Good Luck,
Louis
Catbaba,
If you want to grow out your permanent hair color I suggest that you use a wash out semi-permanent color. This will maintain your regrowth until you cut off all the permanent hair color. At this point you can shampoo your hair until your natural grey hair shows through.
Louis
Hi Louis, what is a "wash out" semi permanent color? I was also wondering how safe it is to use a one process permanent color. I have been doing it every 4 weeks. Do you think that permanent color can cause the hair to fall out?
Thanks, Sassy
Hi Louis,
Is it possible to go from Medium brown to Auburn using at home hair color?
Thanks Missy
Is is possible to do a color placement successfully at home. I want to have the one Suchin Park had when she appeared on Oprah. There is a picture of her on the oprah website.
Great advice. I also received great hair care advice from one of the top haircolor specialist in Chicago. His expertise really made a difference in my looks.
Hi Mr. Licari,
A few months ago, I had highlights done for a sun-kissed look. (I have dark brown baby-fine, straight Asian hair.) The highlights were great---nice shade of brown that lightened up my face. This week, I went to get a touch-up but I wanted the roots to be done in a more subtle color so that it would look natural as it grows out. The colorist highlighted my roots in a caramel brown and applied a caramel color glaze on my entire head, covering up my old highlights. Now my hair color is so subtle that it looks like it doesn't have ANY highlights in it...which is not what I wanted.
I'd like to go to another salon and have highlights put back in my hair. However, I'm concerned that this will damage my hair considering how recently I just had this last highlight as well as how dark my hair is and its baby-fine texture. If this is not an issue, would re-highlighting my hair be considered a 'corrective color'? Thanks for your expert advice.
I go to the salon to get my roots touched up every four weeks and I'm sick of it. I bought the "box color" but even though I leave it on for the full 45 minutes it still will not totaly cover the silver roots, I can always see the silver right through the color and then after 2 washings the silver is almost all showing through. I use the permanent color Nice n Easy in Natural Light Neutral Blonde and only do the roots, I did try one shade up (Medium Blonde) which did cover a little better but it gave my blonde hair a orange cast which I did not like. What am I doing wrong? I can't go too dark because my skin is really light with pink undertones and I was always a gorgeous golden blonde before I went UGLY WHITE. HELP! Thanks
Does Highlighting your hair make it fall out from the roots?
I have dark brown, shiny "virgin" hair. I love the texture and color but have noticed annoying gray hairs popping up. I've plucked them out individually but am starting to have many appear, typically in random rows that run front to back on my head. I've asked my stylist her advice and she suggested either semi-permanent or highlights and pushed the highlights. I love the dark color and the fact that it's natural. What is the best thing for me to do, semi? highlights?...perhaps ignore these grays for now? Thank you kindly!
I go to have my hair colored. For a long time I was having highlights put in my hair. The highlights appeared brassy so I decided to go with a single process with a medium shade brown. I find my hair has highlights. Does grey lighten hair and give the appearance of highlights?
I would like to know the address of your
salon. I have a problem with my hair and I will not go to another salon and pay for something I didn't want. Thank you for taking the time to read this.
168 Lawrence Avenue
Eastchester, New York 10709
It's Barbara again!! I just used Loreal Preference in Medium Blonde and it covered my silver 100%!!
Ouy, does he ever read this and if not then why don't they just do away with it, it's silly to keep checking back and to do so for months, nuts!