What You Should Know Before You Colour Your Afro Hair
Whether you want to be a dazzling blonde or want a simple colour rinse, just about everyone is going colour crazy. It is a great way to update your image without breaking the bank. Before you take the plunge, this is what you should know before you colour afro hair.
First Off, The Pitfalls
One of the biggest pitfalls of bleaching and colouring afro hair is the misuse of products. Hair cannot take too much abuse and if you choose to colour afro hair yourself, it can cause breakage if mishandled. Consult a professional and explain clearly what you want from your hairdresser for him or her to determine whether it is possible. Bleaching the hair involves stripping the hair of its natural protein and moisture, making it more susceptible to breakage. Chemically treated hair is weaker as its natural structure has already been broken down by chemical processing. You should avoid chemically process your in conjunction with bleaching or dyeing on the same day.
It is inadvisable to use home care kits containing ammonia or peroxide. It is essential to know exactly what state the hair is in as the results could be damaging. Any products that lighten your hair colour should be done by a professional. Try Dark & Lovely which has a wide colour range. For safer alternatives, use colour mousses as they give good colour results and are not permanent.
The Least Damaging Methods To Colour Afro Hair
The best bet is a vegetable rinse which does not change the structure of the hair in any way. Permanent or semi-permanent colourants are less harmful to the hair than bleaching as most contain moisturisers and conditioners. They are both ideal for both natural and chemically treated hair, and should only be done by a professional. He or she will assess the strength of chemicals that is ideal for the hair. The wrong analysis could cause severe breakage and damage to the scalp. The great advantage about using these colours is that they wash out so you can change the colour of your hair often without causing damage. They add a colour coating to your hair making it thicker and giving it more body.
How Your Health Can Affect Colour Treatment. Health conditions such as stress, iron deficiency and even pregnancy have a huge effect on the hair regardless of whether it is chemically treated. Those who suffer skin problems such as psoriasis and eczema may find that chemical products irritate the scalp. It is advisable to choose semi-permanent or vegetable dyes instead. The effects of pregnancy on the hair are varied. In the early stages, hormones are erratic and the hair can be more easily susceptible to colour processing times should be reduced. Always do a patch test, where a small section of the hair is treated. If there is no adverse reaction within 24 hours, continue to treat the rest of the head.
Can You Colour Afro Hair With Products Aimed At Caucasians?
Henna is a natural popular dye, however it is not suitable to colour afro hair because its properties are not sympathetic with the hair type. It builds up an acidic paste on the hair cuticle which can interfere with other hair processes. Afro hair can take wash-in and wash-out products aimed at caucasian hair, but you will not get the same results because of the difference in pigmentation.
Hair Colour Aftercare
Colour-treated hair is best maintained by using shampoo and conditioner specially formulated for a deep-penetrating treatment, such as Nexxus Conditioner Humectress, 151ml, £14.99, which is highly effective.
Hair Colour Retouching
Regrowth on a tint or bleach should be done every six to eight weeks. Semi-permanents and colour rinses lasts between 15 and 17 shampoos, depending on how porous the hair is. The next application should only be applied to the new regrowth.
If You Wear Hair Extensions
You can still wear hair extensions or weaves but it is advisable to not wear them for long periods of time as the hair needs to get as much nourishment as possible on a regular basis to prevent it drying and breaking. Once the weave is removed a deep conditioning treatment should be done a week or two before any chemical treatments.
Photos: Imaxtree
