Hair Coloring - Hair Dye Types

Dying your hair can change your look completely, even if you go just a shade lighter than your natural hair color.
Keeping your hair healthy depends not only on choosing the right product, but on the way you treat it between hair colorings.

All of us have wanted at least once, to make a 180 degree hair color change. But how do you know if it will look good on you and how much will your hair to suffer because of it? There's also the risk it will not turn out how you expected. Find out what are the advantages and risks of the hair dye types on the market.

Permanent hair dye

Advantages
These types of dyes contain hydrogen peroxide that will allow you to lighten up your natural tone by up to three levels or darken your natural hair color. The pigments penetrate deeply the cuticle layer of the hair so it's the only way to completely cover gray hair.
Many women sustain that hair dye damages hair and makes it fragile and dull, but some of them sustain that after dying, hair gets shiny, more manageable and slows down hair loss.
Risks
Permanent hair color is more difficult to maintain and to get rid of. Permanent color treated hair needs special care - deep conditioning and regenerating hair masks - because peroxide treated hair have has a tendency to get dry and the color fades and becomes less vibrant after a while. The pigments penetrate deep in the hair cuticle, so you will see root regrowth - hair grows fast and the natural color gets visible.
Choose permanent dyes only if:
- you are 100% sure about the color you've chosen
- you need to hide gray hair and you are to busy to get the semi-permanent dyeing every 2-4 weeks
- you realize you'll have to redye it every six weeks.

Tips
If you want to avoid damaging your hair, dye it two days after washing it. This way, the natural oils from your scalp will protect your scalp from getting irritated and hair will be less damaged. | Don't forget to protect your forehead, ears and neck from getting stained by applying a greasy moisturizer.

Semi permanent hair dye

Advantages
Semi-permanent colors contain no ammonia or peroxide so it's less damaging to your hair. These traditionally last up to eight washes, although some remain in the hair for as many as 15. You cannot lighten hair with semi-permanent dyes, only darken it. Also, it is recommended to choose the semi-permanent hair dye if you are not sure the color would suit you.
Risks
We can't call them real risks, because these dyes aren't affecting the hair's health in any way; but there are a few disadvantages: you cannot lighten your hair, and it won't last more than 12-14 washes.

Highlights and Lowlights

Advantages
A highlight is a streak of color lighter than your natural shade, while a lowlight is darker or richer than your own hair. When having highlights or lowlights, you'll dye only a part of your hair, so you'll damage it less. When choosing lowlights, you can use the semi-permanent dye; color refreshing will be necessary only every eight weeks.
Highlights are great for natural-looking color, and despite what people think, don't have to be blonde.
Choose highlights/lowlights only if:
- you want a gentle, subtle change of look
- you want your hair to have a special texture and dimension
- you want to lighten/darken your hair partially, without making a drastic change.

Tips
Get halo lights - these are also highlights, but not in the traditional sense -placed in a T-shaped section on the top of the hair, that will create a flattering glow around the face.