subject: Coloured Hair - Avoid Damaging Your Hair [print this page] However, before getting the right shade of blonde the hair normally needs to be bleached. Using packets or foils in the hair is usually the best way to achieve lighter hair as these create a more natural look and the hair is coloured in smaller sections. It's normally when bleach is taken through to the hair ends every time the colour needs doing that hair becomes extremely damaged. Bleach swells in the hair and, unlike tinted hair colours, does not stop working on the hair after a certain amount of time. It also carries on lifting the hair until it eventually snaps off.
A lot of people bleach their hair themselves at home and take the colour through to the ends every time, not realising that this can severely damage the hair structure. Also, some people leave it on for longer than the recommended time as they normally want to get their hair as light as possible. This will not help the hair and usually the mid lengths and ends become lighter than the roots.
Most people then try to tone their hair so the roots become the same colour as the ends. However, this can turn the hair too silvery through the ends. It is important once the hair is blonde to only bleach and tone the roots and then to use a toning shampoo to keep the colour looking fresh.
Dyeing hair from blonde to brown might seem quite easy to do yourself at home but it is a lot more involved to get the right shades.
When hair is bleached it becomes porous, meaning that any colour that is put on will tend to go slightly darker as the hair will absorb the colour. Brown shades can change to a greenish tone when applied straight over blonde hair. This is because the pigment in the hair (the hair's natural colour) is bleached out and needs to be put back in before applying the brown by using, for example, a gold or red tone. Putting the pigment back into hair will prevent the hair from changing to a greenish colour and from going too dark, enabling you to achieve the right shade.
The hair colour will fade very quickly but using a permanent colour again will only cause further damage to the the hair. A semi-permanent colour is best to use on the hair after the initial colour has begun to fade as this will freshen the colour.
Using the right products can affect the colour after the hair has been dyed. Leave-in conditioners can prevent the colour from fading and keep the hair moisturised and in good condition if it has been bleached.
