As as Asian female, my hair is naturally black/dark brown. In order to dye my hair any color, whether it be a dramatic blonde or chestnut brown, it has to be bleached. Dark hair has to be bleached in order for color to be put on it. If you have very dark hair & want to dye it a particular color, it won't show up if you just put color on it. Your natural hair is too dark for any color to show up so you have to bleach it (bleaching is the process of lightening your hair color). Because bleaching is a chemical process, it can damage your hair if you don't bleach it correctly. I highly recommend that you always go to a professional for bleaching/dying your hair. Bleaching can be a slow process for "Asian hair." In order for the bleach to saturate dark hair, it has to be left on for a long period of time and in small amounts. That is why those with dark colored hair may have to have more than one hair session in order to reach a very light hair color. If you bleach your hair dramatically all at once, you risk damaging your hair by putting it through so much chemicals in such a short period of time.
I have been my dying my hair multiple times a year for about seven years now. I can't even remember what it's like to have black hair anymore. My hair color history includes different shades of blonde (honey blonde, dirty blonde, etc.), as well as shades of gray, silver, purple, and blue. I love changing my hair color. The most consistent hair color it has been has been gray. I love this shade & dye it back to this color all the time because the gray fades nicely into a silver blonde. It's also what I define as me. This hair color makes up who I am. I can't imagine going back to black yet.
This summer my hair finally got to the worst stage it has ever been through. I bleached my hair to the lightest it has ever been right after doing a damaging detox on it. The damaging detox included using vinegar, salicylic acid, & laundry detergent soaked in my hair for several months. This detox strips all the oils in your hair. & when I say all, I mean all. I had to go through this detox for personal reasons. My hair became so dry & brittle that I couldn't even brush my hair because it would just crumple together into a nest. After I was able to stop the detox, I did hair masks/treatments to get my hair back on track. I didn't let my hair rest though because a few months later I dyed it again. Another mistake that happened when I was dying my hair over the summer is that I didn't use Olaplex. Read my blog on what Olaplex is to find out about it's benefits!
Ever since this last time I dyed my hair, my hair has been going through so much breakage that I lost several inches of my hair. I've had several people ask me if I cut my hair when I actually haven't. It's just breaking & falling out. My hair is about 3 inches shorter than it was before & I am experiencing more hair lost than usual. The breakage is happening mostly in the back of my hair where I sleep on. It's caused my hair to be uneven as the length is not the same throughout.
I am now trying to restore my hair to get it back to healthy. My daily hair shampoo & conditioner consists of Nexxus Thereapee. I use Paul Mitchell's Platinum Blonde shampoo right after the Nexxus shampoo or sometimes in place of it to keep my gray tones from turning brassy or green. I leave it in my hair for about 5 minutes. I also use Oliology's Coconut Hair Mask in place of my conditioner or after it. I leave it in for about 7-10 minutes. When I get out the shower, I apply It's a 10 Spray or Biosilk to my damp hair before blow drying. Then I reapply more once it's dry before brushing my hair. I have only been recently doing this routine & I am not always consistent with it. I am going to be more diligent on doing it all the time. I hope this will help restore my hair, but I think soon I will have to cut a few inches off of my hair. I am so afraid of cutting my hair & having it short. I haven't ever had "short hair" since I was in middle school & absolutely hate short hair on myself. I miss my long locks so much but my hair has suffered enough. Taking a few inches off of my hair will leave my hair still past my shoulder but barely above my chest. By cutting it, it will also cut off the split & dead ends from tearing up higher & stop/prevent more breakage.
I won't be going back to black hair anytime soon, but I now know I need to take more precautions when it comes to dying my hair. This starts by dying it less, having a more root friendly hair color style, using less heat, & being consistent with the hair products that help my hair. Breakage isn't the end of the world for someone who loves to dye their hair. It is a wakeup call though for you to take action in stopping it and preventing more in the future. & sometimes, you'll need to chop off a few inches. Hopefully in a few months I do a positive update of my hair!
I have been my dying my hair multiple times a year for about seven years now. I can't even remember what it's like to have black hair anymore. My hair color history includes different shades of blonde (honey blonde, dirty blonde, etc.), as well as shades of gray, silver, purple, and blue. I love changing my hair color. The most consistent hair color it has been has been gray. I love this shade & dye it back to this color all the time because the gray fades nicely into a silver blonde. It's also what I define as me. This hair color makes up who I am. I can't imagine going back to black yet.
This summer my hair finally got to the worst stage it has ever been through. I bleached my hair to the lightest it has ever been right after doing a damaging detox on it. The damaging detox included using vinegar, salicylic acid, & laundry detergent soaked in my hair for several months. This detox strips all the oils in your hair. & when I say all, I mean all. I had to go through this detox for personal reasons. My hair became so dry & brittle that I couldn't even brush my hair because it would just crumple together into a nest. After I was able to stop the detox, I did hair masks/treatments to get my hair back on track. I didn't let my hair rest though because a few months later I dyed it again. Another mistake that happened when I was dying my hair over the summer is that I didn't use Olaplex. Read my blog on what Olaplex is to find out about it's benefits!
Ever since this last time I dyed my hair, my hair has been going through so much breakage that I lost several inches of my hair. I've had several people ask me if I cut my hair when I actually haven't. It's just breaking & falling out. My hair is about 3 inches shorter than it was before & I am experiencing more hair lost than usual. The breakage is happening mostly in the back of my hair where I sleep on. It's caused my hair to be uneven as the length is not the same throughout.
I am now trying to restore my hair to get it back to healthy. My daily hair shampoo & conditioner consists of Nexxus Thereapee. I use Paul Mitchell's Platinum Blonde shampoo right after the Nexxus shampoo or sometimes in place of it to keep my gray tones from turning brassy or green. I leave it in my hair for about 5 minutes. I also use Oliology's Coconut Hair Mask in place of my conditioner or after it. I leave it in for about 7-10 minutes. When I get out the shower, I apply It's a 10 Spray or Biosilk to my damp hair before blow drying. Then I reapply more once it's dry before brushing my hair. I have only been recently doing this routine & I am not always consistent with it. I am going to be more diligent on doing it all the time. I hope this will help restore my hair, but I think soon I will have to cut a few inches off of my hair. I am so afraid of cutting my hair & having it short. I haven't ever had "short hair" since I was in middle school & absolutely hate short hair on myself. I miss my long locks so much but my hair has suffered enough. Taking a few inches off of my hair will leave my hair still past my shoulder but barely above my chest. By cutting it, it will also cut off the split & dead ends from tearing up higher & stop/prevent more breakage.
I won't be going back to black hair anytime soon, but I now know I need to take more precautions when it comes to dying my hair. This starts by dying it less, having a more root friendly hair color style, using less heat, & being consistent with the hair products that help my hair. Breakage isn't the end of the world for someone who loves to dye their hair. It is a wakeup call though for you to take action in stopping it and preventing more in the future. & sometimes, you'll need to chop off a few inches. Hopefully in a few months I do a positive update of my hair!
