Dying without damage

   This is going to be a bit different this time. I'm not taking natural beiges browns and blonds I'm talking total P!nk and Nicole Riche hair dying but for girls that may feel it is impossible to aquire that style with their hair texture. I for one am an African American girl who has dyed her hair blue and purple before and it worked out great! Fair warning though: the first time I dyed my hair red I loked like Ronald Macdonald! But don't worry most hairstylist are great about bringing you towards the color that you want and my hair was perfect in no time! So today I aim to share with all of you beautiful people the tricks to having HEALTHY, BEAUTIFUl and VIBRANT colored hair..

First things first, always understand whats important here: YOU. Listen to yourself, your hair and any reactions you may have to a certain dye or clensing system. Its nice to look cute but a cute hairstyle will be ruined if you are constantly scratching at your scalp. SO to start with: the dye! Manic panic has a vegan hair dye system that comes in temporary and semi-permanent  and are all vegetable based! Different colors show up better on different hair textures. I found that the most vibrant and true color for dark hair are: Purple Haze and Rockabilly Blue. These dyes are not usually carried in most hair shops but can be found in Sally's Beauty Supply Store and Online and www.ManicPanic.com

Next up always have a great conditioner! None of that fake popurii water based Bath and Bodyworks conditioner either. Crème of Nature has a Chamomile and Comfrey Healing Shampoo that is formulated for dehydrated hair! As we all now dry hair is a common side effect of bleached or dyed hair, so using a healing conditioner before there is a condition to heal is like winning a fight before it starts!

Paul Mitchell is a brand I SWEAR by, ive been using his shampoos in my hair from the time I could wash my hair by myself! Other than the delicious minty scent of his tea tree special shampoo it contains: white ginger, ALoe, Rosmary and lavender.

After you wash but before you blow dry you're going to need a good hair moisturizer to keep hair from drying  out due to the loss pf nutrients caused by the dye and the upcoming heat. Oil based motrurizers are always best for dry hair in need of actual help. ORS has a Oilive Oil based Moisturizing Hair Lotion that keeps hair smooth and shiny.

A good blow-dry goes without saying but straightening your hair can be so tedious and damaging. Try Design essentials thermal strengthening serum. Leaves hair feeling silky smooth without the sticky residue of hair spray.

And finally, good hair and color means nothing if you fail to maintain it. Semi-permanent dyes will fade into different colors. These faded colors are actually the base colors that the original dye was built off of and is often a beautiful color on its own. The most beautiful dye jobs are results of a fade so just allow your hair to run its course with one dye at a time to avoid damaged hair.

To add moisture to hair after straightening it try a hair balm instead of a liquid cream. Carols Daughter makes an amazing water-free Hair Balm made specially for textured hair. The Balm is made from Soy and Corn oil and is highly nourishing without leaving hair too oily.

Pro Tip 1: Brush hair daily to avoid having to straighten every morning.

Pro Tip 2: Avoid washing hair for at least three weeks for longer lasting color and healthier hair.

Tell me what you thought! xx