Susie B - 2/3 - Hair Color Code

Hair Color Mistakes and Mishaps

October 25, 2011 By Susie B 6 Comments

Happy Halloween hair color fans! To celebrate the scariest night of the year join the HairColorCode team as we face our fears and reveal our hair dye nightmares… be afraid, be very afraid.

Nightmare # 1: Coloring your hair too dark

Hopefully by now you know our golden rule – if you want to go more than three shades either side of your natural hair color, then get your butt to the salon. Its not that it can’t be done, but as far as we are concerned it isn’t worth the risk.

And how do we know? Just ask the nameless HCC team member who dyed her dark blonde hair (and her bathroom, and her Egyptian cotton towels) jet black. She was aiming for Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction, but somewhat missed the target and ended up closer to Morticia Addams. What’s so bad about that, you might ask, we love Morticia’s fabulous gothic style? Well what didn’t work so well was the spot she missed at the back of her head. From a distance the blonde against the jet black looked like a bald patch. Scary!

Nightmare # 2: Coloring your hair without shampooing it first.

It is a widely held myth that color comes out beautifully when applied to dry, unwashed (i.e. greasy, dirty, product laden) hair. Wrong! This is one of the biggest hair dye mistakes, take it from us that your hair needs to be squeaky clean before you apply your chosen color.

To avoid this bad dream becoming a reality, shampoo your hair well without scrubbing your scalp too much (it might get scraped and you will feel a sting when the hair color is applied) then dry as normal. Also, do not use conditioner on hair about to be colored as it must be free of oily substances, otherwise you may get patchy, inconsistent color. Arghhhhhhhhh!

Nightmare # 3: Coloring treated hair.

Noooooooooooooo!!! Sorry to be so dramatic, but if your hair has been treated (straightened or permed), you really must wait for at least six months before coloring it. During that time you should condition your hair and ideally use a keratin hardener solution to make the bonds of your hair resilient.

You have to pamper your hair and be kind to it – we would recommend cream treatments at least once a week. Also, avoid using hair irons if possible (no-one said this was going to be easy!) as they can damage your hair even more. If in any doubt always consult a qualified professional, perhaps then you can avoid the fate of the HCC’er who had to shave her head as her hair was damaged beyond repair…

Nightmare # 4: Failure to do a strand test

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, always do a strand test at least 24 (preferably 48) hours before application. The best place to do a strand test is just below the nape, that gives you a good idea of whether or not the color is right for you but its easy to hide a mistake. Also, doing a strand test will check if you are allergic to the hair color or not so it’s killing two birds with one stone.

We confess that here at HCC we don’t always follow our own advice (what can we say, sometimes it’s too exciting to wait) – most memorably when the Ed introduced her dark hair to a bottle of bleach and immediately followed with a bright red dye. Not only did it destroy her hair, even an elementary class could tell you that white plus red equals pink… The result? Well, let’s say it would have made a troll doll jealous.

So there you have it, our most hair raising moments laid bare so that you can avoid a fate worse than death…. bad hair!

We would love to hear about your hair dye disasters (we can’t be the only ones who have ever got it wrong?) – let us know in the comments below.

Henna Hair Dye – Facts and Fiction

October 18, 2011 By Susie B 6 Comments

If you’re considering using henna hair dye, let us separate the facts from fiction.

It is said that henna was the secret to Cleopatra’s long and lustrous hair. Her kingdom was certainly abundant in henna (or Lawsonia Inermis), and perhaps it was this plant which made her locks famously strong, shiny and vibrant.

But here’s the thing; 100% henna hair dye comes out orange-red, and Cleopatra’s hair was black!

Solving the Mystery of Cleopatra’s Henna

Cleopatra with her trademark black henna hair

Pure henna always produces an orange-red tone. During Cleopatra’s time, we know she used henna to protect her hair from damage (interestingly it is also believed she used henna to color her lips and nails).

But if her hair was black, then what type of henna hair dye did she use?

If you encounter henna in shades of brown, blonde or black, it is called compound henna. This is a mixture of plants and herbs together with henna in powder form. This is a permanent dye and will stay on hair until it grows.

It’s all in the mix…

Here are the most common ingredients in compound henna:

Indigofera Tinctoria	This produces a dark blue-violet hue.
Woad or Isatis Tinctoria	This produces a blue color.
Walnut or Juglans Regia	This gives out a brown tone.
Cassia Obovata	This is called the neutral tone and produces blondish-gold.
Catechu (Tannin Dyes)	This can produce blonde, light brown and dark brown.
Saffron	This promotes blonde.
Karchak and Vashma	This is black in color.

Henna hair dye manufacturing companies combine these plants with henna to create a range of gorgeous shades:

Red

100% Henna

Deep Brown

A combination of Henna and Woad

Golden Blonde

A mixture of Henna, Cassia Obovata and Saffron

Chestnut Brown

Henna and a smaller amount of Woad

Warm Brown

Henna, Karchak and Vashma

Black

Indigo, Henna, Vashma and Karchak

Going back to Cleopatra, can we attribute her long, beautiful black hair to Henna, Indigo, Vashma and Karchak? Probably, these plants were everywhere and their secrets were well known to the Ancient Egyptians.

Henna Hair Dye Today

One of the great things about henna hair dye is that it hasn’t changed much since Cleopatra’s day!

It remains purely plant based, with no PPD or P-Phenylenediamine (a component in most permanent hair dyes), no metallic components or pesticides and no ammonia. This means that anyone can use henna without fear of an allergic reaction.

Henna hair color is also a great treatment for your hair, acting as a conditioning product and even aiding scalp problems like dandruff and hair loss. In fact henna hair dye can make the bonds of your hair stronger – with its tannin components it strengthens the keratin source of your hair which over time becomes thicker and less fly away.

Henna hair dye is a great choice if you have graying hair, as the color appears stronger on the silver strands giving the illusion of highlights or lowlights depending upon the shade you have chosen. You can re-apply henna at any time, so no more hiding from the world with six weeks worth of untreated regrowth, making the transition between colorings much simpler.

A Word of Caution

Everything said here pertains to all-natural and organic henna and henna compounds. However there are chemical-based henna products on the market which can damage hair. Our advice is to always check the packaging, and only buy henna hair dye products with the ingredients explicitly stated. And of course we would always recommend you carry out a strand test at least 24 hours before a full color application.

If you were to use a henna hair dye containing metallic elements it may be difficult to go back to a chemical (i.e. permanent home hair dye or salon) color until the henna treated hair has completely grown out, so it is worth checking that the product you are using makes the grade!

Do It Your Way

Now that you know the individual components of organic henna dye, you might even decide to create your own color shade. Don’t forget that the color will continue to develop up to two hours after application!

Deeper colors can be built up by repeated reapplication, so whether you are brave and bold like Cleopatra or prefer to experiment with a more subtle sheen, henna can be a fun, natural way of changing your look.

Ready to give it a go? We are big fans of Lush Henna products (see www.lush.com) and we’ve heard good things about Lustrous Henna at Saba Botanical (www.sababotanical.com)

Eva Longoria – No Desperate Housewife!

October 14, 2011 By Susie B 3 Comments

Eva Longoria Parker with brown natural hair

Eva Longoria, full name Eva Jacqueline Longoria, is an American actress born in 1975 and best known for her role as Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series ‘Desperate Housewives’.

Eva has graced the cover of a number of high-profile magazines including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie Claire and FHM, as well as appearing in advertising campaigns around the world. A fun and feisty actress with her feet firmly on the ground, Eva has won a place in our hearts and her character Gabrielle remains a firm favorite of ours here at HairColorCode.

The Hair Color Ages of Eva

Eva with black hair in Young and the Restless

Young and Restless?

To channel early Eva try L’Oreal’s Excell 10 5.5: Chocolate Brown

Honey honey, how you thrill me

Get the look with L’Oreal Excellence Creme 5.3 Golden Brown

Because you’re worth it

Eva uses L’Oreal Recital Preference 5.35 Madras Golden Mahogany Brown

From ugly duckling to desperate housewife

Eva was born in Nueces County, Texas to Tejano parents, Enrique Longoria Jnr. and Ella Eva Mireles, which is where she got her name. She was raised a staunch Roman Catholic and is the youngest of four girls – something that was not all that easy for her growing up. In an interview Eva said, ‘I grew up as the ugly duckling. They used to call me ‘la prieta fea,’ which means ‘the ugly dark one’’.

Eva originally wanted to be a fashion model and submitted photos of herself to modelling agencies. Unfortunately she was deemed her too short to be a model but during her time at Texas A&M University-Kingsville she won the title of Miss Corpus Christi which gave her a huge confidence boost. After college, she entered a talent competition which took her to Los Angeles, California, and soon after that she caught the attention of a theatrical agent and was signed.

Eva’s first television role was in the year 2000, where she guest-starred in ‘Beverly Hills 90210’. Another guest appearance in ‘General Hospital’ in the same year lead to her big break in the soap ‘The Young and The Restless’, where she played a psychotic woman named Isabella Williams from 2001 to 2003. After leaving the soap, Eva was seen in a few unsuccessful television films but her luck changed when she was cast as Gabrielle Solis in ‘Desperate Housewives’ in 2004, a series which soon became a success all over the world.

So that’s the resume out of the way, now let’s get to the hair!

When Eva first arrived on our screens she was sporting her natural hair color, a deep, dark brown, her luscious locks styled long and bouncy with a centre parting. She kept this color for a few years, remaining a raven-haired beauty throughout ‘The Young and The Restless’. In her subsequent television movies, her hair color remained the same but was styled a little differently; in ‘Dragnet’, she sported slicked back locks and a similar look in ‘The Dead Will Tell’.

The first series of ‘Desperate Housewives’ saw Eva rocking a different style, her hair parted to the side, long bangs and a bouncy ‘do, but with the same dark brown hair color. In the second series, Eva went for a slightly different hue and opted for dark brown hair with mahogany undertones, keeping the style classic and long. Season 4 saw another new look for Eva and this was when we first started to see her blonde and honey highlights. Again, the styling was kept classy and voluminous, and in 2006, was altered slightly to give Eva a Hollywood movie-star feel, centre-parted with large loose waves. Eva had more honey and blonde tones put through her hair and began to really carve out a distinctive look for herself.

In 2009, Eva was signed by L’Oreal Paris as a hair model, showcasing her new ‘signature’ hair color which was a dark brown with reddish undertones. That color deepened into a more pronounced red in 2010 during filming for her new film ‘Without Men’. Now, in 2011, Eva has settled into a deep red hue, occasionally going back to her original brunette looks – although we don’t need to tell you, she looks fabulous whatever her hair color! With the eighth and last season of ‘Desperate Housewives’ set to premiere later this month, we’ll definitely be keeping our eyes peeled here at Hair Color Code to see which luscious shade she’ll be rocking.

Top 5 Celebrity Redheads

October 7, 2011 By Susie B Leave a Comment

Burn baby burn – Meet our top 5 ‘spitfires’. These celebrity flamed haired beauties are sassy, smart and unafraid of the limelight.

Christina Hendricks

It’s hard to believe that Christina, also known as Joan Holloway from the series Mad Men, is a natural blonde – this voluptuous star was born to be a red head! In fact she dyed her hair at a very young age because she was obsessed with Anne of Green Gables, not the most glamorous of idols perhaps but Christina has gone on to take Hollywood by storm.

With her vibrant locks and to-die-for curves, Christina is always the centre of attention when she walks the red carpet.

Want to turn heads like Christina? Try L’Oreal ‘Feria by Preference’ shade P76: Pure Spice Power

Nicole Kidman

Born in Hawaii to Australian parents, this natural red head gained world wide recognition for her roles in Batman Forever, Far and Away and Days of Thunder as well as her high profile marriage to actor Tom Cruise.

Nicole is one of the few celebrities willing to show a few gray hairs on the red carpet, her distinctive strawberry locks streaked with silver at a recent premiere, but with her statuesque figure and porcelain skin she can afford to grow old gracefully, secure in her position as one of the most beautiful women in the world.

Loving Nicole’s locks? Try Revlon Colorsilk shade 72: Strawberry Blonde

Rihanna

Our list of ultimate red heads wouldn’t be complete without the Caribbean Queen herself, Rihanna. In the word of the R&B artist: “With my hair I was ready for something new, something loud, something expressive and something fun. I’d had blonde hair and it was so boring for me. Black is still my favorite color, but this time I wanted something edgier because I don’t like the edgy clothes anymore. I guess I had to take the edge to somewhere else – my hair!”

When Rihanna dyed her hair a shade last seen on a fire truck it set the red carpet ablaze. Since then she has toned it down, going for more of a red-wine color, but if we know Rihanna it won’t be long before she is back with a new outrageous ‘do.

Rock it like Rihanna? Try Fudge Paintbox Red Corvette

Julianne Moore

Growing up Julianne was nicknamed “Freckle face strawberry” and hated her hair and pale skin – who could have known that she would grow up to be one of Hollywood’s hottest actresses and a role model to red heads everywhere!

Julianne has experimented with different looks, including dying her hair blonde for the movie ‘Blindness’, but she is best known for her gorgeous red tones and she never strays too far from her signature color.

Go classy and chic like Juliann. Try Garnier Nutrisse 6.6: Watermelon

Amy Adams

Amy first came to our attention in the Disney movie Enchanted, receiving a Golden Globe Award nomination for the role of Princess Giselle.

Amy is another former blonde, saying “when I dyed my hair true red for the first time, I felt as if it was what nature intended. I have been accused of being a bit of a spitfire, so in that way I absolutely live up to the stereotype. The red hair suited my personality. I was a terrible blonde… when you’re blonde, people associate it with being flirty. With red hair, suddenly you’re quirky.”

Adore Amy? Try John Frieda Precision Foam 6R Light Red Brown

Remember, if you decide to follow these beauties and join the fiery reds, make sure you read our guide to red hair dye.

Top 5 Blonde Celebrities

August 26, 2011 By Susie B 2 Comments

We have all heard the jokes about blondes being dumb, so I thought I would round up 5 of Hollywood’s most successful bombshells. Let’s take a look at the top five blonde celebrities who are fun, sophisticated and most importantly; smart!

Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is the perfect example of a blonde celebrity who’s brains match their beauty. Swift has sold over 3 million copies of her latest album, and blew many away when it was revealed that she personally wrote all of the songs on her Platinum-selling debut. Swift’s music is loved by many, including younger girls who look up to her as a beautiful, respectful and hard-working role model. Her girl next door look is typified by her natural flaxen hair, worn effortlessly in curls or waves. This girl isn’t afraid to experiment though, we’ve seen her rock the red carpet with straightened hair, and recently she’s been adding lighter blonde shades which have given her a more mature look.

Get the look – L’Oreal Excellence Crème 03: Lightest Ash Blonde

Gwyneth Paltrow

If we are talking about hard-working celebrities, there aren’t many that can outdo Gwyneth Paltrow. Who else can list their full-time job as Mom, Lifestyle Guru, Actress, Distributor of GOOP and Author! Paltrow is known for her pale blonde hair, however she often layers three shades to give herself a stronger and more distinctive look. Her Colorist isn’t afraid to spill the beans on achieving this amazing effect, commenting that she adds honey and lemon tone highlights to Gwyneth’s hair to create the multi-tonal look. Paltrow is another star who is unafraid of change, and over the years she has gone from long to short, and blonde to brunette. However despite all these great looks, she’ll always be known for her trademark shoulder-length light-blonde locks.

Get the look – Wella Wellaton 12/1: Special Ash Blonde

Reese Witherspoon

So, one star who might be able to give Gwyneth a run for her money is Reese Witherspoon. This confident, intelligent and strong-willed blonde is an Avon global ambassador, she fights for the rights of women, she heads a business empire and still finds time to be a mother of two! Oh, did I mention that she can act too? Her natural talents have seen Reese win the Best Actress Academy Award as well as a Golden Globe. It’s no wonder that one of her most popular movies is ‘Legally Blonde’, the story of a young blonde sorority sister who flies in the face of the stereotypes to take Washington by storm. Witherspoon is know for her natural beauty and flowing medium-tone blonde hair, over the years worn long, short, wavy and straight.

Get the look – Clairol Nice ‘N Easy Foam 9: Light Blonde

Gwen Stefani

If you like your blondes with a bit more bite, then look no further than Gwen Stefani. This platinum champion of power burst onto the scene in the 90’s as the front-woman of rock band No Doubt, and has since gone on to sell millions of records world-wide as a solo artist. Like all the blondes on our list, Gwen likes to branch out and has increased her fame and fortune with her L.A.M.B fashion line and Harajuku Lovers perfume range. Stefani is known for her fun and quirky style, her Japanese-inspired fashion sense and her distinctive white-blonde hair, so it might be a shock for some to hear that she is a natural brunette! Fans of her striking blonde image shouldn’t worry though, she isn’t planning on changing her trademark look any time soon. Gwen has stated that she hasn’t worn her natural color since 9th grade and has no intention of going back, earning herself the title of honorary blonde!

Get the look – Feria by Preference PO1 Metallic Silver Blonde

Blake Lively

Blake Lively might be better known as as Serena Van Der Woodsen from the teen drama series Gossip Girl, or some might simply know her as the girl who bagged herself Leonardo DiCaprio. With her sweet personality and fresh style, Blake is the new girl on the block who is already standing out as a blonde icon in the making. Over the last few years Lively’s hair has become the big new trend (sorry Jennifer, but the ‘Rachel’ has been ruffled!). Her long flowing locks create a distinctive yet natural look which stands out against the sharp short styles that have been dominating the young celebrity A list. Blake’s look is without doubt a classic in the making, and she is proof that the era of the iconic blonde stars is set to continue.

Get the Look – John Frieda Precision Foam 8N: Sheer Blonde

So there you go, five celebrity blondes that prove the stereotypes couldn’t be any further from the truth. Is there anyone who you think should have made the list? Drop me a comment and let me know.