new thread
I feel like I've been in kind of a blah stage for some time with my hair. It grew consistently longer until the summer of 2008 when I suffered a massive shed. I was forced to have 4 inches cut at the time to deal with the thin ends. It has recovered somewhat since then but the consistent growth while maintaining fairly thick ends has never fully resumed. I get some added length but it looks so ratty that I've been having 2 inches cut every six months or so.
What does this have to do with dyeing my hair? Well, I have used the 28 wash variety before and my hair has actually seemed to be healthier afterwards. I don't know whether it was the intense conditioning that went with it or whether it somehow altered the texture enough to make it less tangle-prone and thus able to grow to longer lengths in a healthy state. The last I time I dyed was in June 2007 when I used a plum color. This ushered in a full year of great growth and a healthy feel to it.
So, part of my thinking is that it might be worth a try again just for the possible benefits to my hair. I know this goes against all conventional thinking about dyes but I'm leaving open the possibility that the temporary ones don't actually hurt my hair. I have had my natural color since my shed and that by itself hasn't got things back to where they were pre-summer 2008.
Another part of my thinking is that I just want to have some fun with my hair again! I got so much enjoyment out of my growing process. I would delight to take progress pictures and note the growth from month to month. Going to a temporary color would provide something new for me that I haven't enjoyed in the length department for quite a while.
So, I went for it! I used Natural Instincts "Egyptian Plum" color.
It's hard to get good lighting this time of year. I took some photos inside last night as best as I could.
Unbrushed..
Brushed..
Front..
and finally outside today. The light was very harsh and the contrast not great but...
I have to say I love how it feels. The texture is very soft and smooth. Who knows maybe this will be help me grow to longer lengths!
Judging from the pics, I'd say it's definitely plum! :) As long as you're happy with it, I see no problem adding a bit of color.
As for how coloring affects your hair, my understanding is that the non-permanent colorings only softens the outer layer of the hair so that it will absorb the color, rather than strip the original pigment and replacing it. So along those lines it might stand to reason that the hair may be softer after applying the coloring.
--Dale
There's definitely a whole different feel than from the one time I had my hair dyed blond with peroxide. That totally stripped it and it never recovered.
It looks fabulous! You did the right thing!
Thanks, I'm liking it. It feels good to mix things up a bit with no cutting!
you should try coconut oil conditioning 1 or times a week, read about it. i do it twice a week and it really makes the hair healthy
I've heard good things about it and might try it soon. I have used jojoba in the past.
Hi Jason,
Those are some awesome new pictures of your hair and the coloring does look cool.Being you've done the coloring in the past its safe to say you won't have any negative effects from the treatment.
I hear ya about trying something different for your hair to spice things up a bit.That is why I'm trying the coconut oil treatments as it does darken my hair some and as an added bonus makes it feel so silky smooth and less prone to tangles:)The downside is that my hair looks flatter with the added oil but I love the texture so I'll live with that aspect.
That is interesting that you experienced good hair growth while using the dye in the past.Hopefully you'll get that same result this time around:)Anyway great pics with facial hair too!Looking forward to you new progress pics Jason.As the saying goes....Keep it growin'! Cheers my friend.
Mark
Hi Mark,
Thanks! That's cool that you're experimenting with coconut oil. I have used jojoba quite extensively in the past and my observations were very similar to yours. I love its conditioning effects but also noted the diminished volume.
Well, I feel like I gave the natural route a 2.5 year try after my shed and it's worth a try with the temporary dye. Even if I don't get the additional length, this diversion will make the journey more fun!
Take care my friend,
Jason
Your hair looks outstanding, Jason! Kudos for finding healthy, creative, and scissor-free ways to keep having fun with it :)
--Val
Thanks Val! My goal has always been classic length. I guess I assumed it would just keep on growing until that point. There's been a bit of disillusionment that I've experienced as I transitioned from the more exciting growing phase into the "arrived" stage. Maybe this will encourage some further growth, if not, it will be a fun and hopefully benign detour!
With your hair style and length, that color is awesome! I definitely understand the desire for change as I was irked by that many times when I wore my hear very short throughout my youth.
Thanks for the pics!
Thanks, man! Well, as many longhairs have been known to say, with short hair every day is a bad hair day!
Hi Jason,
I think your plum-colored hair looks awesome!!
I dyed my beard last month, actually a couple of months earlier as well, trying out different products, too -- it was fun!
One of these days I should post an update pic of it here; but have been unusually busy as of recently (haven't even had time to lurk here until earlier this week)...
Thanks for the fun post!
Long Lox 4ever,
Ken
Hi Ken,
That's really cool that you have experimented recently with dyeing your beard. I tried putting some of the plum color on my goatee and it did change it somewhat but not as dramatically as on my head hair.
You should definitely post an update picture when you get a chance!
Best,
Jason
One thing to note is that facial hair is coarser and more resistant to coloration. You can dye it using the same product, but you need to leave it on much longer for it to penetrate the hair shaft. It will also tend to loose the coloring faster than the hair on your head because it doesn't tend to absorb the color as deeply.
--Dale
Your hair looks fantastic, Jason. That plum color works very well, and if it actually helps your hair, you should keep up with using that shade of hair dye. Looking good.
I had my worst shedding in 6/26/2008 through 12/11/2008.
I also had bad shedding spanning these dates:
4/18/2009 - 5/29/2009
10/9/2009 - 6/20/2010
I keep a spreadsheet with dietary footnotes. I go easy on vitamin A, vitamin E, zinc, and DHEA. These increase shedding for me.
I take 3/4 tsp of MSM, 1 heaping tsp of lecithin, 5 mg of biotin, and high potency B12 daily. These help curb shedding, especially lecithin, at least for me.
Scott
Thanks Scott!
I think that using even a temporary dye too often would probably not be a good thing but every once in a while, at least in my case, it appears to be a benign and possibly beneficial treatment.
That's interesting that you have kept very specific records of your shedding. I tend to just go on how much hair I feel coming out when I brush and shampoo. That summer of 2008 was just awful and I could visibly see the difference by the end of it. Hopefully, I can continue my recovery and never experience something so drastic again. I wish you the best with controlling yours as much as you can through supplements and diet.
Jason
Hi Jason,
I think this colour change looks fabulous in your hair, and it would be awesome if you were able to achieve a longer length because of it. I have actually heard that some henna based dyes are actually good for hair, and help to make it stronger.
Take care,
David
Hi David,
Thanks! I'm excited to see how this affects things. The texture is now so much smoother that I'm hopeful it might cut down on tangles and thus allow further length due to the decreased breakage.
Take care,
Jason
Jason
I would merely express my concern that this dyeing does no harm to your hair.
You have come through so much to get where you are and have been my inspiration to come through mere social barriers to regrown what I had in 1971 that to damage that mane would be a disaster which I could not countenance.
Duncan
Hi Duncan,
Well, I'll never use that peroxide based dye that destroyed my hair way back in December 2002. It was fun to have it lightened that one time but never again.
These darker and temporary dyes don't use the stripping agent peroxide so appear to be okay, at least when used sparingly.
We'd all love to see a photo of where you are in your journey!
Jason
Jason-If you are going to dye your hair I suggest you use Henna-it's completely natural and actually makes your hair better with every application--The best thing about it is that the dye does not fade at all--I have been using the product for two years and will never go back to chemical dyes---I get my stuff from---Mehandi.com---check out the site-it takes some practice the benefits are well worth it! I only get the Henna from here because it's the best! You can mix the henna with Buxus and it will keep it the reddish brown color---talk with a rep they are super cool and they won't mis-guide you---And it's definitely cheaper than regular hair dyes---I buy one batch of henna and buxus and it last me 6 months, and I only pay about 20 bucks shipping included...It's the best thing I've done for my hair...
Dee.