Unicorn, sand art, opal, gray hair – these are just a few of the fantasy color trends we’ve been loving this year. But as much as we’d love to get involved with the rainbow that is our Instagram feeds lately, there is one primary concern for curly girls: will it damage our curls?
Trends are fun, but not when they get in the way of our long term hair health goals. The last thing we want is loose, dry, damaged curls that eventually lead to an unwanted haircut.
If you’re wondering if it is at all possible to play with fantasy hair colors and not damage your hair, our curlfriend Naturally Tash, aka the Queen of Temporary Hair Colors, is here to tell you: it can be done! Here’s how she does it, from natural lightening to temporary colors and how all of the deep conditioning in between.
Have you experienced damage since coloring your hair?
No I haven’t. I only use temporary coloring methods that are less harsh on the hair. I also do lots of deep conditioning and protein treatments so I really don’t even give my hair a chance to become damaged. Although I really love coloring my hair, my hair’s health is what’s most important to me.
I also clip my ends every three months.
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Did you use bleach to lighten it first?
No. I have never used bleach in my curls. In the beginning I used cinnamon and honey treatments to lighten my hair gradually over time. I did this for over a year every two to three weeks and it brought my hair up to a light brown which enabled me to do very vibrant colors. This method will not happen overnight and if you’re looking to lighten your hair very quickly this would not be the method to use. Later on when my roots grew out I used a Feria box color in copper to merge the two colors together.
What brand of hair color do you use?
For color sprays I use
For semi-perm colors which I use in my deep conditioning color method (which is mixing conditioner and a semi perm color”> I use
For hair shadowing I use
- Maybelline Color Tattoos
- Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush
- Wet N Wild Eye Shadows
- NYX Eye Shadows
- Ulta Eye Shadows
For lightening my roots I will use either
- a box color by Feria
- Shea Moisture Color System
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What’s the process of coloring your hair multiple colors?
In order for me to color my hair multiple colors I use Color Oops between each color to pull out the previous color and then re color. Then I do a deep condition and then apply my next color.
I always have a base color that is achieved with my deep conditioning color and then I will add color sprays, or hair shadowing to achieve a two or sometimes three color affect.
Do you use any special shampoo and conditioner?
Right now my staple shampoo is the Shea Moisture Strengthen, Grow & Restore Treatment Shampoo and Masque with Jamaican Black Castor Oil and my fave conditioner is the Aussie Moist 3 minute Miracle.
How often do you touch up your color?
I touch up my color every two weeks by applying a table spoon of the semi perm color in my hair at the time to my condish and letting it sit at least 30 minutes. I then wash out and style as usual.
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How do you prevent damage?
I don’t use bleach and I deep condition and do protein treatments every month. I also use little to no heat and when I diffuse my hair I only use the cool setting. I also avoid products with sulfates.
Do you have any advice for someone who’s interested in coloring their hair vibrant colors for the first time?
If your hair is really dark instead of using bleach to lighten your hair try a box color safe for dark hair like the Shea Moisture Color System to lighten your hair first and then do your vibrant color on top using a semi perm dye. If you want to bleach your hair to achieve a lighter color I would say go to a professional. You can never be to careful when it comes to bleach. If your hair is already a light enough color to achieve vibrant colors mix the color with a conditioner before applying to your hair. Make sure the conditioner is light in color like white or yellow. Mixing it with the condish will make the color less harsh on your hair and as your apply the color you will not only be coloring your hair you will be conditioning it as well. If you are unsure about a color try a small piece in the back of your hair to see how you like it before you do your entire head.
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To see more of Naturally Tash’s fab color inspiration, follow her on Instagram and YouTube.
