Understanding Hair Color Options

Understanding Hair Color Options

When considering various hair style and color options, and if healthy hair is also your goal ( and we believe it should be), how do you strike a balance between taking the best care of your hair that you can, yet achieving the style and look that expresses who you are?

Let’s face it, all of us want to have healthy, gorgeous hair. Your hair color is a part of that picture. But coloring hair actually is damaging, so it can be a conflict of desires and decisions regarding your hair.

When you have a good understanding of how hair color impacts your hair, and also the how the different options available best fit you and your lifestyle, then you can make a more informed choice about coloring your hair.

All hair dye is not the same and each of the four main types have differing purposes. Peroxide levels as well as the alkalizing agent (usually ammonia) present in the dyes are the two main factors that determine which type of dye it is.

  • Temporary Colors do not have ammonia or peroxide which are the two ingredients that result in “color-lifting”. Also, the color particles in temporary colors do not permeate the hair shaft, resulting in color that gradually washes out over the course of a few shampoos. Temporary colors are great for experimenting with a new color before fully committing with a permanent dye, or for fun, impactful fashion statements.
  • Semi-Permanent Colors have smaller dye particles that can penetrate the hair shaft. However, the concentrations of ammonia and peroxide are still quite low resulting in color that washes out over time. This is a good choice for coloring gray hair which is more porous than other natural hair colors. Semi-permanent colors are also a good option for those that want to give their hair a break from the color lifting that occurs with the higher amounts of peroxide and ammonia in permanent color.
  • Demi-Permanent Colors have slightly higher concentrations of ammonia and peroxide to lift your hair one shade as well as increase the porousness of the hair follicles to absorb the color longer. The color usually lasts a few months before washing out.
  • Permanent Color contains higher levels of peroxide and ammonia to lift the base color.  After lifting, the hair pigment is then enhanced by the chosen shade of color.

Clearly, the more the peroxide and ammonia levels present in a hair dye product, the more aggressive the process is on the hair shaft which potentially leaves the hair more vulnerable to damage.  Combat this by having regular deep condition treatments, reducing the amount of heat styling done to your hair each week, and not shampooing too often.

Talk with your stylists here at pinup and we can help you to arrive at the best decision for your hair color needs.

Featured photo source: Pixabay.com.