Natural Ladies - Ever regret coloring your hair?

[Glib Gurl]

I am thinking of getting highlights...but I'm worried that it will muck up my curl pattern.

(I've looked into doing henna and also doing the honey/lemon/sunlight trick...and I think I'd rather just go to a professional stylist and let them use peroxide.)

Thoughts?

 

[PinkSunshine77]

I haven't, and I literally have the box of dye in front of me, but I want to use a herbal, more natural dye (NON Henna) to get my hair jet black. I believe the Indian store here sells it, so I'll wait. I think I would regret it. I have seen nothing good come of coloring natural hair, especially when people go as far as to bleach it. Bleach every single time I've seen it done, eventually breaks their hair off causing them to have to big chop again. I refuse to destroy my strands with heat or color. I said to myself I'm BC'ing one time, and one time only.
BTW, depending on the type of Henna you use, it will never leave your hair. You won't be able to color over it either. The only thing you would be able to do is:
continue with Henna, or grow it out.

 

[Beany]

I dye my hair black every 12-16 weeks. No regrets. My grays are mean, disrespectful, ashy, and aggressive. I haven't bleached my hair in years and when I did I kept it in a bob (this was late 90's early 00's). I've seen bleach done right and also done so so wrong. If you color your hair (especially with bleach) be sure to keep up the maintenance.

 

[GoldenRule]

Yeah...I kinda regret it. I color to cover gray and I'm at a point where I am old enough now that I really do not mind having the gray but it will look silly growing out brown, black, red, and white.

 

[Aviah]

I regret it. My hair is always dryer when I dye it. I've had to do a lot of nursing to get it back to being soft and healthy.

 

[Glib Gurl]

Yikes. You ladies have definitely given me something to think about!

 

[atlien11]

Great question Glib -- lurking bc i was thinking about dying as well. Too scared its going to mess with my curls.

 

[deedoswell]

I dye my hair black every 12-16 weeks. No regrets. My grays are mean, disrespectful, ashy, and aggressive. I haven't bleached my hair in years and when I did I kept it in a bob (this was late 90's early 00's). I've seen bleach done right and also done so so wrong. If you color your hair (especially with bleach) be sure to keep up the maintenance.

Same here. I make sure that when I dye my hair I deep condition deep condition. Can't emphasis enough -- conditioner!!! I've had no problems with losing my curl pattern either.

 

[Wildchild453]

I regretted it and I did it twice. My hair texture just can't take it.

 

[CoutureMe06]

Yes. It's basically the reason I had to big chop again. My hair cannot handle color at all. Especially bleach!!! It was literally eating through my hair. And it contributed to me getting heat damage.

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[lovelycurls]

No! I Used the Shea moisture color system, my hair didn't break or dry! I constantly deep conditioned the few weeks after applications for moisture. Colored 2ce now and haven't had any issues.

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[Prettymetty]

I dyed my hair last year and the year before. My previously dyed hair has no curl pattern. The dye straightened my hair and I am done with permanent dyes now. I will still do rinses, but I have to slowly cut off the straight ends

 

[Ummnuh05]

I guess it depends on your hair we have to remember everyone is different some things works for some and not for others. However, the rule of thumb is when in doubt stay away from it. I posted a question just like this a few weeks ago because I just BC and I was afraid I read reviews but I still went with what was inside of me and I colored it. I didn't go to light just a honey blonde and I didn't loose my little curl pattern I just developed however, I do moisturize my hair with shea butter 2x a day, prepoo with organic coconut oil and I DC every 2 days with honey and Olive oil and this has helped tremendously with my texture, shine and overall hair maintenance. But again stay away from doubtful matters.

 

[natural2008]

I regret it. My hair is always dryer when I dye it. I've had to do a lot of nursing to get it back to being soft and healthy.

This here. Yelp.

 

[tru4reele]

Yes I have and yet I always color it again at some point. Smh

 

[s2fast4ya]

I bleach my hair, but a professional colorist does it. While it is generally drier than non-bleached hair, I think numero uno is you must have your protein and moisture regimen down prior. and after the process as well. Bleaching disrupts the protein in your hair, and you need to put it back afterwards as well as the moisture. Theres a youtube lady who consistently dyes (rinses and bleaches) her hair and its long and appears healthy. I think her name is electrik tv. Check her out. She always does protein treatments and dc afterwards, and also gives her hair a break for the first week after coloring. No heat, or aggressive styles. Just to make sure theres no breakage or issues and it allows your hair to re-balance and normalize itself. This is really important.

While colored hair does require more maintenance, it can be fun, expressive and really redefine your whole look. I'd say find out what look/ color you want to go for. Send it to a colorist/stylist and ask them if they can recreate it. Every stylist is NOT a colorist. Huge difference. They will claim that they are but really arent. Look at their portfolios. how do their bleach/color jobs look? Are are they brassy and orangey or not vivid or are they subtle and soft and natural blonde tones? Instagram/facebook is great for this. Most will post their work. Hope this helps a bit.

 

[Philippians413]

Yes I have and yet I always color it again at some point. Smh

This is me. Dye, major set back, grow color out, say I'll never color hair again, repeat.

 

[DarkJoy]

I colored to cover gray. Had to BC. My hair just started to disintigrate. And that was from a regular box peroxide job that said "natural"

I used to dye my hair all the time both as natural and a relaxed head for 20 years off and on. You're right OP. Nothing good ever came of it. No matter how much protein I used, moisturizer, etc. Eventually it always had to get chopped off. Sometimes it broke off faster than I could transition out of it and keep some length

Now I just henna and indigo. No problems. Never going back.

 

[kaykari]

I hate most of these answers!!! I really want some cutie pie highlights

 

[felic1]

I am burnt out on this gray. I will color next week. As a matter of fact, my gray is white. It just does not make me feel cute. sigh

 

[faithVA]

I hate most of these answers!!! I really want some cutie pie highlights

Well get your highlights. Make sure they ph balance your hair afterwards. Do a keratin protein treatment within 3 to 4 days after. And deep condition regularly.

 

[faithVA]

I will be coloring these grays for years to come. tis all

 

[Jace032000]

^^lol Faith!

I would love to color my hair but I've worked to darn hard to get my hair where it's at today. Bottom Line, if something has me sitting and worrying about whether I should do it versus not do it….it's probably not going to end well. But that's just my $0.02.

 

[outspokenwallflower]

I'm not natural, but I color a lot and wanna throw my two cents in.

Go to a professional who REALLY knows what they're doing. I somehow managed to get highlights twice a year for YEARS and my relaxed hair was full, long and thrived. It grew like weeds and never broke off. Not to mention, I was getting my relaxers and highlights at a regular ole dominican salon.

When I color it's usually with demi-permanent or semi permanent, but last May, I went to a good salon where a master stylist with AMAZING reviews did my highlights and they came out perfect. My hair didn't flinch, disintegrate, nada. Not saying that it can't happen at a salon or that it will happen if you try at home; some women can color at home and their hair is fine. At the end of the day, it's all a risk, but I think having a professional do it IF you decide you wanna go that route, is imperative.

For those doing full head colors or darkening the hair (especially to black) just use a REALLY good demi-perm color; no need to go the permanent route. Demi's last SUPER long, leave the hair shiny and isn't anywhere near as damaging as permanent.

 

[faithVA]

^^lol Faith!

I would love to color my hair but I've worked to darn hard to get my hair where it's at today. Bottom Line, if something has me sitting and worrying about whether I should do it versus not do it….it's probably not going to end well. But that's just my $0.02.

I agree. As someone else said, if in doubt don't.

 

[BlackMasterPiece]

I got my entire head of hair professionally colored 3-4yrs ago I went from my natural head of dark brown (color #2) to auburn with honey blonde highlights on top and brown at the bottom. It looked gorgeous but I will never ever be doing it again. It made my hair even more high maintenance, all of a sudden you have to be a soldier with regular protein treatments and your hair desperately needs moisturizing DCs all the time, the blonde portions of my hair felt like hay if I wasn't on top of moisturizing and sealing and most importantly it made it harder to retain length since my ends were more prone to breaking. My color is almost completely grown out and I am soooo glad to see it go.

The bottom line is most 4a/b Afro textured ladies that have retained exceptional length don't have bleached hair. What I realize in retrospect is that color is always just a seasonal passing fancy, so the best way to satisfy that urge is with extensions rather then damaging your own hair, if you want highlights clip some in, if you want a full head of color crochet them in or make a weave out of that color, you'll probably be over that color in no time, may as well have healthy hair when the phase passes.

As for greys that's a bit more simple/straightforward, since you're typically just depositing color onto it. My mom uses semi-permanent on her natural hair with no issues. The color comes out really vibrant and now I'm switching her to henna since we go for an auburn color for her anyhow so it's exciting to switch her to a plant based dye. I'm about to start henna myself for the conditioning benefits.

Anywho long story short any time I feel inspired for a new color, I'm making a wig or crocheting it in and calling it a day lol never putting my hair thru that again.

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[bronzephoenix]

Although my hair was still healthy overall, I could definitely see the damage done over time to the lightened hair in comparison to the virgin hair. No-one else could tell, but I probably wouldn't this time around.

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[ChocolatePie777]

Yes......what a waste of more than a year of growth....I could've prob been tbl by now.......well i learned my lesson early at least....

 

[PinkSunshine77]

I dye my hair black every 12-16 weeks. No regrets. My grays are mean, disrespectful, ashy, and aggressive. I haven't bleached my hair in years and when I did I kept it in a bob (this was late 90's early 00's). I've seen bleach done right and also done so so wrong. If you color your hair (especially with bleach) be sure to keep up the maintenance.

LMAO!! I agree so disrespectful!

 

[PinkSunshine77]

I am burnt out on this gray. I will color next week. As a matter of fact, my gray is white. It just does not make me feel cute. sigh

me either! I could pass for 20s easily but this grey makes me look 50 :/ no offense to anyone but I'm 36.