The RED Hair Color Family

A:Depending on what your current hair color is and how much new growth you have this could be tricky. If your hair is bleached up to a level 7/8 you'll be able to color over it. Anything higher than that and a filler will be needed to keep you color from turning a weird gross pink/grey/brown shade. I use a rinse ( like adore, jazzing, rage n' react) in a color that has the same undertone as the color I'm going for. Just apply the color for a few minutes (no heat), rinse, air dry.

 

  Hair that has been dyed dark colors or a color that isn't in the red/orange family will need to be removed (ie color remover, bleach bath etc) before the new color is applied. So if your was dyed blue but you want to go pillarbox red, you'll need to fade it out. Putting red dye over blue will turn it a brown....a not so pretty brown.

 

 

A:  Yes and no. Of course your hair needs to be healthy but you'll also have to wait at least two weeks before you can color. Read the precautions and warnings on these products before you consider dyeing. Coloring hair that has been texturally altered willl require a lot of extra care. Be sure that you can keep up with a good hair care regimen and prepare to start stretching out your touch-up times so applications don't get overlapped causing major breakage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With bold haircolor being quite mainstream, there's a number of companies to choose from. I'm going to list the ones I have used in the past.

 

MANIC PANIC http://www.manicpanic.com/- This stuff has been around since the 70's and is easy to find in most cities. The first time I used was in the mid 90's when it was a gel and they had only a few colors. Now, it's a cream (more like a lotion consistancy to me) and in a bunch of colors some that glow under a blacklight. I'm personally not a fan of this brand due to a few problems. 1. The color fades too quickly 2. The dyes separate and shift in the jars unopened. If you do buy this brand, please check for the color separating or changing. (for example the orange shades turn brown, the dye separates causing white swirls.)

 

SPECIAL EFFECTS- NOt sure what happened to their website. Looks like they've shut down . If you want bright, bright, bright, hair, this brand is (or was) it. It cost a bit more than the others but, well worth it. It's like a creamy lotion consistancy, a little goes a long way and lasts a long while (with good care). Hi-Octane Orange was my favorite in this brand. I used it straight up on level 9 bleached hair and used it to freshen up when I used a level 6 Red Orange hair color (Clairol Torrids in Audacious Red....discontinued).

 

 

 

ADORE by CREATIVE IMAGE- http://www.creativeimagesystems.com/adore/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48&Itemid=60 - This is found at a lot of local BSS. It's a runny gel like consistancy but true to color and cheap. If you have thick hair or medium to long hair (APL+) buy two bottles, apply to dry hair, and use a plastic cap with heat to get better longer lasting results. My favorite reds are Wild Cherry 069 , Raging Red 070 and Intense Red 071.