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| Hair Coloring |
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Bronze or
Blonde
 Color has come a long way and we are
and Indian women are more willing to experiment now than we were
willing to earlier. A head of colored hair, even in the 1980s, drew
a lot of attention and appreciates glances. But today, take a quick
look around you and you will agree that 80-90 per cent of young
college girls and even career women have colored hair. And unless it
is crazy color, it is considered normal and acceptable. Should you
or shouldn’t color your hair is a question you often ask yourself.
Here are a few answers to help you make up your mind about coloring
your hair.
Are hair colors safe?
Yes, they are
totally safe, in fact most of the colors today have special polymers
and conditioners incorporated in them to make them superior to hair
colors which were available earlier. These polymers and conditioners
actually penetrate the hair shaft and enter the cortex, mending any
damage in the normal hair structure. They smoothen the outermost
layer of hair that is made up of cuticles, which appear like tiles
on a roof under the microscope. The ultimate effect after the use of
such a product on your hair would be shinier, smoother and healthier
hair. So far there appears to be no connection between the
application of hair color and the appearance of gray hair. Hair
turns gray due to the inability of hair to produce melanin in the
early stages of hair growth.
Melanin is the color pigment in
your hair, which can be black, brown, red or yellow. The
individuality of your hair color is determined by the percentage of
each color pigment, making each person’s hair color
characteristically their own. Poor diet, illness, age, heredity, etc
can cause the acceleration of grey hair and the actual use of a hair
dye has nothing to do with the graying process.
Which color
suits you the best is the question you should ask your beautician.
Let her know if you had colored or hennaed your hair earlier, the
products you used and whether you had straightened or permed your
hair. Also have your hair checked out for porosity or elasticity,
both of which play a major role in how healthy you hair, will look
after the color. Discuss this with her in detail how long the
process will take the cost and after care you will require to keep
up the effect. You must also take a stand test so that both you and
your hairdresser know what to expect at the end of the
process.
What are the side effects of coloring?
If
a professional taking into account all the above points does
coloring, the side effects are almost nil, especially if the client
follows the after care recommended. However, it is very important
that your hairdresser recommends a patch test in addition to all the
points mentioned above, especially with a product you have not used
before. This is to check for allergic reaction before carrying out
the coloring process. This should be done at least 24-28 hours in
advance.
What do you need to maintain the color and the
quality of your hair?
Certain fashion colors fade easily and
you may need to go back for a rinse once a month, for example, in
the case of wine reds, you would need a regular touch up or rinse to
maintain their intensity. In the case of gray hair, it would depend
on the individual growth rate of hair. On an average, hair grows ½"-
¾" every month, so a touch up once in 20 days is a must for gray
hair.
For those with no gray hair and a mild color not too
different from their natural color, a touch up once in six months is
ideal. For those with a drastic or dramatically different hair
color, a root touch up is important.
The after care needed is
usually a shampoo for color treated hair, which increases the life
of your color and conditioners to protect your hair. Too much
exposure to sun, sea and chlorine should also be
avoided.
Which brand of color should you use?
It is
usually best to leave the choice of color to your hairdresser once
you have discussed with her what you expect after the color job. The
safest home use products now available in the market are by L’Oreal.
They have a wide range of products in different shade from which you
could choose. For those of you who are allergic to ammonia they have
now launched a new product called casting, which is available in a
few fashion and basic states. So do go ahead and make a beauty
statement with your hair color.
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