From Black to Red; my hair dye experience

From black to...

Red. Dark and lovely - Vivacious Red

Hey loves! Happy New year to you all. Following my last post I went ahead and did what I have always wanted to do - dye my hair.

I was pretty sure the dye won't take well whether I used a semi permanent dye or a permanent one because my hair is really dark. There was no other way I could think of than to bleach my hair to strip some of the colour off.
I did the bleaching 3 times using a 20 volume hydrogen peroxide that I bought from a pharmacy and it came in an amber bottle. I applied it to my hair leaving about 3 inches close to the roots so that it would have an ombre effect when I dye it. The first day, I applied the peroxide and left it overnight but there wasn't a really noticeable change so I did it two more times till I felt the lift was enough. This was how my hair looked after the third day.

I actually wanted to use a semi permanent hair dye not necessarily because it does less damage but because I could change the colour when it fades of completely from my hair. I mean change it to a totally different colour. But I couldn't get it anywhere near me and I tried ordering the Adore hair dye but its out of stock in most online stores. On impulse I found myself making my way to Everyday supermarket, searched for any semi permanent dye, couldn't find one so I grabbed the Dark and lovely fade Resist dye in Vavacious Red.

I may not be a big fan of dark and lovely but I have seen their fade resist hair colour system and it seems OK for me to try. Its also cheaper than the Creme of nature counterpart.

The Dreaded saloon experience.

Now ladies I'll stop a little and shed some tear *sobs* I don't know why I thought going to a saloon would be a good option. I just felt the first time application should be done at a saloon so I'd see how its done and the stylist will give me the ombre effect that I want. I went to a natural hair saloon close to where I live. The lady and I talked, she sounded nice, used hair terms but we did not agree on most things. She feeling sad for me that I wanted to dye my hair. Said it will break, said I should just go natural. I'm like, "excuse me, one can do whatever she wants to do with their hair. Its my hair so you can't tell me what to do with it". Honestly I got pissed. I don't know if you ever get hurt when someone feels bad about something about you for no reason.

We started the process and she sectioned my hair (even a novince will know you have to work in sections) then started detangling my hair from the ROOTS! I felt so much pain and I quickly corrected her to do it from the ends first. She did and boy my hair was matted up like crazy. I usually finger detangle to remove the matting for hours. I did before I went but whenever I moisturise my hair and put it in a bun it just Matts up. She combed hell out of my head to remove the tangles like my scalp felt sore for 2 days. Then she applied the dye, made buns in each section and wrapped the bun with foil. Set the timer and that was all.

She didn't use the blowdryer to add heat because there was no power supply but she acted like she knew what she was doing like she's done it that way before. After about 45mins she rinsed it off and then applied the fade resist conditioner. Rinsed it off after 5 mins. I beckoned her to use the steamer and she said Deep conditioning with the steamer would attract an extra fee of N500 (so she charged N1200 just to apply the dye) I was shocked but I didn't have extra cash with me so I had to manage.

My hair felt dry, and she started the combing again without even applying a moisturiser or leave in conditioner. At a point I told her to stop. She would remind me that she told me the hair will break that it was the dye not her combing. I was mad but looked cool  Then styling, I told her to do a roller set because flat ironing won't be an option since the hair was really dry. She brought out the rat tail comb to start another combing session and I freaked out. I simply told her not to worry. I asked her to blow dry the hair instead because there was power supply at that time. She did but the warm setting of her hair dryer was equal to the hot setting of mine. She just applied grape seed oil to my hair and started blow drying. I asked if she doesn't have a moisturiser and she replied that the oil will moisturise the hair. You needed to see the argument that followed. I had to lecture her that an oil is not a moisturiser but a sealant. There is absolutely no water Content in an oil. I gave her instances of someone frying something. The one that was dry before frying in an oil will fry and dry up a lot faster than the one with moisture content. This is because the moisture will heat up and evaporate first, before the actual frying and drying process begins. At that time you control how dry you want it to come out because the moisture has slowed down the process a whole lot.

Suffice to say that I had quite an experience and I also had a setback. My hair is still mid back length but the volume from armpit length to mid back length area has reduced to half of what it was before. Its pretty sad to look at considering the fact that I was hoping to be waist length by mid year. But be it as it may, I said it in my last post that it's a new start for me. No more checking lengths here and there. I'll just be trimming till I get the desired thickness and it could take me a year. I don't mind being stuck at MBL for an entire year.

Here's how the colour looks 3days after. It has become brighter and very noticable under the sun.

Now I will dye my hair again by myself probably after my next relaxer application. The dye didn't really take well to my hair even though I bleached it. How much more if I didn't? I still would have preferred a more reddish tone but I'll just leave it this way till my next dye application.

I'll have another post soon on my routine. How my hair is responding to the dye, what I'm doing to keep dryness at bay and the products I'm currently using. Would you like to see YouTube videos?

*much love*