Hi everyone, I got a few questions in one hit so its easier for me to answer them in one hit. So if you asked me any questions within the last 24 hours I will respond to them here with your original post:-
Eemma asked me:-
Hi Scott,
I saw this product on the boots website and after googling it, i was directed here.
I was wondering if you can help me -
I have naturally cool toned medium/dark blonde hair, but have been highlighting it for years. In the summer i used L'Oreal Excell 10 Frosted Blonde 8.13 which faded quite alot, but blended my roots and highlights.
I used this dye again a couple of weeks ago, but it seemed to lighten my roots more than i had expected and after panicing it was too warm, i used the Dark Frosted Blonde 7.13.
This is far too dark and again seems quite warm at the roots. So if i used colour B4, will it take me back to 8.13 i used a couple of weeks ago since i assume the dye lightened my roots to give the warmer colour?
Ideally i want medium blonde hair with cool tones and highlights, but i'm unsure about dying over the dark blonde due to the redish tint at the roots.
Any tips would be great, thanks alot, xxxxx
Answer:-
Hi Eamma, bottom line answer is no Colour B4 will not remove that reddish tinge at your roots. That is a really common problem and happens with a lot of home colours. The reason being is home colours peroxide strength is quite weak and it can't lighten enough to bypass the red pigment in hair. Therefore, once it lightens it kicks up warmth where the hair hasn't been coloured before (usually at the Roots).
You have also used Excel 10 which is a tone on tone colour it cannot lighten much. Your new hair growth has grown through and this shade has caused your roots to lighten a tad and displayed warmth. Personally I would use these kind of colours if you are trying to achieve an even blonde result.
Firstly, it might be worth you using Regular Colour B4 to clean the hair of any artificial colour molecules you have in there. The problem is the more colourants you apply the more these molecules fill the hair and eventually you stop getting any results (apart from the roots). If you use Regular Strength and cleanse the hair you are in a better position to start again.
After using Colour B4 Regular (if possible) I'd try to rest the hair for at least a few days and give it a couple of washes in between, this will just allow you to understand fully what colour you have there. The big mistake many people make with re-colouring (after using B4) is they do it immediately and never actually observe the colour which laid beneath their colourant in varying lights. This can be the reason why they pick shades which are too dark, red or light.
I would next forget using products like Excel 10, in order to create an even Medium blonde hair colour you need a heavy duty colourant like L'Oreal Preference or Feria. Opt for a shade which is base 9.0 and has beige tone it in. This beige tone will neautralise out any warmth but is not so cold (as ash) to create a grey tone. You need this 9.0 Light Medium Blonde level to lift through the red at your roots. One you use it, it's possible your hair will look a more definate blonde, however you can then tone it down a tad if you want it to match your natural colour. Buy a semi permanant 8.0 Medium blonde and apply to damp hair and comb through. You shouldn't need to use the whole bottle, if the hair is damp maybe 1/2 to 2/3 will be fine. This will add just a bit more depth back into your hair and put you back on track. Do not use Perfect 10 or L'Oreal Excel colours as they deposit too much pigment too quickly into newly lightened hair. The result will be too dark for you.
I know this sounds a bit complicated but sadly (and put as bluntly as I can get away with) your hair is in the middle of 'messing up' once you start getting gingery roots its the pathway to constant hair problems. You need to cleanse it (with B4) lift and tone (with Preference or Feria) and then re-tone with a semi 8.0 to put you back on track.
Hope that helps.
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TarantuLove asked me:-
Aha! So Ive been dying my hair about once every 3 weeks (am naturally dark blonde) since Jan 09 to a chocolate brown/cherry colour, but I want to go back to blonde (but a lighter blonde), could I apply the colour remover, then homedye it lighter?
My Answer:-
TarantuLove, Yes in short you can but use Extra Strength to remove this colour as it sounds like it could be built up. Once you have removed the hair colour you can go lighter but as I usually advice I wouldn't knee jerk reaction colour. Remove your current colour with B4 and then ideally wait a couple of days so you can judge what colour was lying beneath your colourant. Remember artificial colourants can lighten the hair a little or kick up warmth. You need to check how much warmth is in your hair. It may be the case if you go lighter you have to use a cool based colourant. Waiting that couple of days before purchasing your colour or going to the salon will make sure you know what you are asking for. Until you remove your colour you don't know whats there yet.
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Ilora-Danon asked me:-
Scott
Hi Scott, got a question for you.
I've been dying my hair black alternating between L'oreal Castings Natural Dark Brown and L'oreal castings creme gloss ebony for about 4/5 years.
My hair's waist length, fine and heat damaged.
Firstly, will the product make my hair brittle? Will it damage my already delicate ends?
Secondly, what sort of colour could I expect to end up with? My hair is naturally a mid-brown colour, but I'm wanting to go auburn once the black has gone.
How likely is it that I'll get the desired result? Any help would be awesome, thanks.
My Answer:-
Hi Ilora-Danon, OK my honest answer its going to be really uncertain what colour will be exposed once you use before and I will explain why. The colour brands you mention use high levels of silicone in their products. In general this is fine however if you apply high heat to hair which has been coloured with silicone colourants something very odd happens. The silicone melts and boils the middle of the hair, when the silicone sets again (after the heat has ceased) it sets and creates a cylinder in the middle of the hair. The hair has now turned synthetic and I can tell you NOTHING works on it (I've tried to perm, bleach and colour this type of hair and it does nothing).
Unfortunately Ilora, based on the length of your hair and what you have said I feel its 100% certain this has happened to some of your hair. Anyone can tell if this has happened to their hair as there are several things you have to look out for:-
1) The hair has a dead synthetic quality and can be fine and flyaway. It also has a lank shine and frizzy ends
2) It generally feels fine
3) The colour looks darker on the ends than at the roots
4) Its hard work curling it, drying it or doing anything to it.
I would suggest you buy two boxes of Colour B4 (because of your length) and see how much it is able to get out. When we launched the product some of the negative reviews from people came from those who had silicone damaged hair and believed the product was useless - when in actual fact there hair was unworkable. But that said, it will at least go into the hair and remove whatever colour molecules are still free of silicone enclosure. If you go to a salon to get that black out 9/10 will decline doing it and that one who didn't will use bleach which will do nothing to the black but fry the hair higher up and cause it to break.
Another positive to using the product is it will remove a lot of the build up in your hair and leave it feeling firm and unusual. This texture is brilliant because it means you are feeling your actual hair and can apply protein to it and start to fill the centre and return its health. I always recommend Coconoil organic coconut oil, you can apply this to your hair and it will begin to nourish and repair it a little. Forget about re-colouring immediately after using Colour B4 and instead use it as a great window of opportunity to putting some health back into your hair. Wrap it in cling film and do a couple of treatment in succession over a few days using the Buffer (that comes with B4) as your shampoo cleanser.
I honestly feel Colour B4 will reveal 2/3 of your real hair colour but the midlengths and ends will still be quite dark. My advice would be to have a good amount of these dead ends (as many inches as you can bare) cut off and then apply a product like Garnier Nutrice dark red to your hair. This will blend any black in and ultimately give you a deep red brown. You have to remember if B4 leaves any of the black behind that is where the hair has been killed by the silicone and heat - your best bet would be to get it cut off I promise.
My biggest word of advice is if someone has very long hair - never batter it with heat. Long hair is very old (usually 2 or 3 years) and its been through a lot - it just can't handle lots of heat. People never realise its heat thats my damaging to hair most of the time than chemicals!
Let me know if I can help you with anything else and let us know what happens!
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Mollypop91 asked me:-
Scott
I was just wondering as i havent had chance to go to any shops to get the wash in colours due to the snow = [ and as im not liking the colour of my hair atm, would using your product make my hair go back to the bright blonde? then i cud start again if it did but i wud ask you first before i dyed it again to stop this happening again = L
My Answer:-
Hi Molly, yes you can use it it will probably reveal a very blonde shade but if you are happy with that then it shouldn't be a problem. Remember you will find the hair looks very blonde at the mid lengths or ends but the roots will possibly be a darker warmer colour as the hair is newer. It will still probably still ne necessary for you to introduce a colour back into the hair, but see what is revealed first and ask me then!
Hope those answers help everyone - let me know if you have anymore?