The Hairdressing Claims Blog

15/01/2018

How to fix hair colouring disasters
Hair colouring disaster

Hair colouring disaster

For those of us familiar with hair dyeing, many will have experienced a hair colour fail at one time or other, be it from a botched DIY job at home or during a visit to the hairdresser’s. Aside from screaming, crying and swearing (or all of the aforementioned, most likely!), you need to work out how to fix things otherwise you’ll be reluctant to ever leave the house again. Not without covering your hair or dressing incognito anyway!

We’re going to set out how to put right what’s wrong should this happen to you, plus make sure your current situation’s a one-off not to be repeated. Here’s what you need to know:-

Seek expert advice
Don’t rush to the shops to purchase (another) box of dye or reach for the scissors straight away. Most colour catastrophes are fixable over time. Ask for a professional assessment by a reputable hairdresser. It may be that applying more dye on top of your existing dye could cause more harm than good. See our earlier blog post about the dangers of over bleaching.

Use correcting shampoo
The correction process may very well begin with use-in-the-shower clarifying, brightening, toning or purifying shampoo and conditioner. Read labels carefully to choose the shampoo or conditioner best suited to your unique hair needs. This will largely be dictated by the colour of your hair currently and your ultimate colour goal.

Follow instructions on the bottle(s) to the letter. In your desperate state of mind, it may be tempting to leave the product on for longer than stated, just to be sure it’ll work. Don’t! Use for the recommended length of time and no more. The application process may need to be repeated daily for a specified period.

Counterbalance your colour problem
If your hair’s too light, try sleeping in deep conditioner to fade unwanted colour. If your hair’s too brassy, apply toner to get those darker colours in order. If your hair’s too stripy, use a coloured dry shampoo to blend the stripes with the rest of your hair. If your hair’s too dark, use a colour softener or remover to fade out unwanted dark tones. If your roots are a different colour to the rest of your hair, try a root blending concealer or tinted dry shampoo.

Whatever the scenario, you could always try washing, washing then washing again to lose some of the colour strength, closely followed by a nourishing hair mask to resolve the ensuing dryness after all that washing.

Be creative with your styling
The best solution may well be to appeal to your inner creativeness and style your hair to disguise your colour issue. Add waves using curling tongs so the colour’s not quite so flat and one dimensional. Apply clear gloss to add shine and reflect the light. Tie your hair up. Plaits, especially, will hide the worst of the mess. There are all manner of up-dos and tricks you can employ as a temporary camouflage.

Make sure you ask for precisely the right colour at your hairdresser’s next time!
Whether you’re visiting your stylist for correctional work now or planning ahead for your next visit, be certain to get exactly the colour you want with no-nonsense explanations. Be very specific, for example describe how you don’t want yellow tones if you’re looking for a cooler, ashier blonde. Take along photos of looks to avoid (a picture of yourself post-colour mishap) and looks to emulate (images of celebrities cut from glossy magazines donning the colour you crave).

There should be absolutely no misunderstanding as to what you’re aiming for. Any self-respecting hair professional should be able to oblige. A good colourist will understand what you’re trying to achieve and take you towards your end target. They’ll also advise you on which colours will suit and which won’t. Follow their guidance.

If your hair dye originally went wrong at the hairdresser’s, depending on the extent of damage to your hair and scalp, considering a legal claim could be your next option. Access our previous blog titled ‘Consumer complaint issue vs legal claim issue’ to help you differentiate between the two and choose the right path.

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