October
28, 2000
Hair Is Too Blonde?
Question
Dear Karen,
I am a 25 year old woman who had gone crazy
trying to duplicate Pamela Lee Anderson's light white blonde
hair. The problem is that now my hair looks really
terrible. I finally decided to stop messing with the home
haircolor although I do love L'Oreal products, and go to a colorist
who can help me.
I found a colorist who came highly recommended
but I was distressed at what he told me. He said that my hair
was "overprocessed".
Is this possible. He told me that he
would have to do something to build back color to start over?
I was shocked because not only could I not figure out why he would
need to add color back but the cost factor was not something I
wanted to commit to. Do you think the colorist was telling me the
truth about my hair?
Jenna
Answer
Dear Jenna,
Although I can not speak for the color expert you
talked to, I would suspect that what he was telling you was that
because your hair may be overly lightened from home bleaching and/or
coloring, you need to have missing color pigments built back into
your hair so that the colorist can work on creating more natural and
deeper shades of blonde. It is possible that the colorist just
wants to deepen the blonde especially if it is too light, which
actually can be a problem.
There is a process that color experts will used
called "tintback" and the process is just what it sounds
like. It is a process that a color expert will follow to
actually add color back to your hair so that a new bridge or
foundation for final color can be built.
While I can't speak for the colorist and the
brands he prefers (there are many good ones including Clairol
Professional), I would suspect that he plans on using a formula that
is gentle and does not contain any ammonia that would be mixed with
a developer. The colorist may use a permanent or a
semi-permanent color and the volume of the developer may vary
depending on the results the colorist wants to achieve. The
key is for the colorist to deposit a richer color overall and then
work with adding subtle and more natural highlights and colors
through foils or caps or whatever the colorist prefers.
As a side note, many colorist will use a tintback
process for corrective color work on hair that has had a terrible
color experience.
Color is a tricky process for even some of the
most experienced color experts. That is why I always recommend
that for color hair product consumers seek the advise of a
professional, which you have wisely done.
I encourage you to work with the colorist of your
choice to achieve a stunning final color, whether it be like Pamela
Lee or Heather Locklear. When in doubt ask questions, like you
are currently doing and talk things over with the color
expert. A good colorist will be willing to do a consultation
and talk to you about what they recommend for your hair. It is
important to feel comfortable with the colorist that you work
with. If you do, the results can be amazing and wonderful.
Best wishes,
Karen
October
18, 2000
Instant Scrunchies For Ballet Dancers
Question
Karen,
I am a 16 year old girl that is really into
ballet. I have to put my hair up in buns a lot but my hair is
fine and slippery and I have a problem with standard hair
elastics. The cloth-covered ponytail holders and related hair
elastic pieces just don't help my hair. I am bummed. I
certainly can't use the bands with metal as they break my fragile
hair.
Can you help me find something that will work
to hold my hair up without damaging it? I am at a loss at this
point.
Thanks in advance,
Rhonda
Answer
Dear Rhonda,
I think you might like my suggestion on a good
elastic band that will not rip or tear your hair. I learned this
trick from many different people as I was growing my
hair.
Go to the nearest grocery store and buy color
nylon "knee highs". Take them home and then cut the
top band off the top of the "knee highs". They come in all
colors are incredibly cheap and don't ever have metal bands.
Also, you can experiment and try children's sizes if your hair is
exceptionally thin.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 17, 2000
Boar's Bristle Brush - Recycling
Question
Hi Karen,
I had been hearing lots of conflicting information from
my friends as to whether or not natural or boar bristle brushes are
good for my hair.
Some of my friends told me that they are the best to
use on my hair while some of my other friends told me that the wrong brush
could actually damage my hair.
I finally broke down and asked my stylist her
opinion. She looked at my brush and said it had bristles that
would definitely harm my hair. She did tell me that there are
some good boar's bristle brushes but I had a bad one. Whatever
that means. My "bad" brush is fairly new although I
have used it too much to return it. My question is what to do
with this brush? Any ideas? It seems way too expensive to
throw it away. Should I donate it to someone? My worry
is that I don't want to donate it to someone so it will ruin their
hair. Help.
Thanks,
Jeana
Answer
Dear Jeana,
I had a friend who was advised to dump his Boar's
Bristle Brush because it was too sharp for his hair type. My
friend had paid a lot for the brush and found the perfect
solution. He now brushes his Yellow Lab with the brush.
The Lab loves it and my friend feels that he at least got some good
use for the brush.
The brush is recycled and everyone is happy.
If you don't have a deserving dog or cat that would enjoy being
brushed by a boar's bristle brush you can always give the brush to a
friend for their pet.
Hope that helps,
Best wishes,
Karen
By submitting your question, you grant HairBoutique.com permission to publish it.
Due to the volume of mail we receive, Karen regrets that she cannot respond to every
question. To Ask Karen your questions send e-mail to askkaren@hairboutique.com |
