Darkening Help

[LauraL2868]

Hello all -

I'm very new to hair coloring (just over a year on my own).  I'm trying to save some $$ and time.

I'm 47, so there is grey to cover.  I'm using "One 'n Only" Argan Oil Hair Hair Color and 20 Volume developer.

It covers the grey great!  I just used (last summer) a lighter number (10N) and I've been trying every 6-8 weeks or so to bring my hair color down to a 9N or a 8N in color with no luck.

I went to Sally's Beauty Supply and they recommended a (Colorful brand) Neutral Protein Filler.  I've tried that twice so far.  Following the directions on the bottle of wetting my hair and then applying.  I waited the 20 minutes (my hair was still wet) and applied color.  No change.  Still 10N very blonde hair.  Second time I read on a review site to make sure your hair was dry.  So I wet my hair, applied the filler, waited the 20 minutes, and then blow dried my hair.  Still NO CHANGE.    Grey is covered... so that is good.  Just too blonde for my taste.

My process for coloring is mixing 1.5oz of color to 3oz of (20 volume) developer.  My daughter helps me apply... usually that takes us 15-20 minutes or so.  I then wait 45 minutes to process.  I rinse, shampoo and condition.

I feel my hair is in good condition and is not dry at all. 

I know I'm missing a trick to darken the shade.  I appreciate any help!  Thanking you all in advance!

Laura

[Wicked Pixie]

You can use a direct dye over the top to make a darker blonde. If you can get it, Wella colour fresh is available in a load of natural shades.
I like to mix my own, and Adore is my dye of choice (it lasts longer and is much cheaper than the wella) They only make browns, not blondes, so you will have to dilute with conditioner. ATM I am using Mocha (which is a warm brown) mixed with Medium Brown (which is ash/green based) and i can make many different blonde shades with just these two dyes. It depends on how warm or ashy you want your blonde to be really.
Just mix in a bowl, add as much white conditioner as you will need to cover your hair, you will only need a few teaspoons of the dye for a blonde shade. What you see in the bowl will be the final colour, direct dyes don't develop over time. Try on a strand test. By leaving on the hair for several hours you will get a long lasting colour with no damage to your hair.

[LauraL2868]

Thanks Wicked Pixie for your help.

Just a few questions...

what kind or brand of "white conditioner"?? 

Will I have to do this after each time I color?  I'm using the permanent dye to cover my gray roots.  I understand that the semi permanent dye doesn't cover gray as well.  And with this only lasting 6-12 shampoos... that only a month!  (So I might have to do this twice and then permanent dye once in an 8 weeks time span).  Right??

At Sally's she said something like my hair follicle was "open too wide" and wouldn't accept the color...  does that make sense?

Thanks again  - Laura

[Wicked Pixie]

Firstly, don't put too much trust in sallys employees. They often give terrible advice as they are shop assistants not trained professionals.
If you have repeatedly been dyeing over the same hair with the permanent dye, then there is the possibility that your hair is too damaged to hold any more colour. that would be why she suggested the protein filler to help fill the gaps in your damaged cuticle.
Only use the permanent dye on your new regrowth, in the colour you want. (so a level 8 or 9 if that is where you want to be)
Then use the Adore to darken the previously dyed, too light parts. It is a direct dye, so you can top the colour up as often as you need without any risk of damage. It is basically a coloured conditioner that stains the hair.
Any white conditioner will do, i prefer to use a silicone free one. Tresemme naturals is my go-to for mixing/diluting.

[LauraL2868]

Ok, last question...

Will my hair ever "heal" and become "undamged" so that I can go back to using only the permanent dye? 

Thanks so much for your help!

Laura

[Janineb]

Hair doesn't heal as it's dead once it leaves the scalp, but new growth is unaffected by past damage (unless, in cases of chemical burns, there's damage to the scalp). So, while the old hair won't get better, it you can do things to help it feel better until it grows out. If the protein fillers help, carry on with that, with caution as they can make hair brittle. I have to be careful as they make my hair brittle very quickly.

[LauraL2868]

I'm so new to this so I apologize for asking so many questions.

I've been trying to get rid of this light blonde hair for a year.  It isn't that bad (my family says I look fine) but I just think I'm too old to be this blonde.  For about a year now I've been trying to darken my hair by using the 9N or 8N or a combination of the two (every 8 weeks or so) . So, if I've had growth, why won't just some of the hair take to the new hair dye color if its new growth.

Am I doing something wrong when I color??.... processing too long?   Like I said my grey goes away... just I'm still so blonde!

Thanks!

[Wicked Pixie]

Permanent dye works by lifting your natural pigments (exactly like bleaching) and then depositing artificial pigments.
if you have been repeatedly dyeing the same hair you are effectively bleaching it every time, which lightens your base and causes damage. If the hair is too damaged, the dye molecules wash straight out. So it could be that your hair is over processed or it could be that your base is so light there isn't enough pigment in the dye to darken it.
If it is over processed don't put any more dye that requires developer (peroxide) on, just use it on your regrowth. If it is coming out too light even on your regrowth then use a lower vol peroxide, so it gives less lift. 10 vol may not cover all the grey, you may need to experiment to get the correct level.

[LauraL2868]

I think I'm going to do as you suggested and use the permanent dye for my roots and then give the semi-permanent dye a try.

Will this (semi permanent dye) "stick" to my hair since it is so damaged???

If it does work this way... then after sometime (once everything grows out) say in a year... can I go back to using the permanent dye (at the right color) later??

[Wicked Pixie]

If you have destroyed your cuticle no dye will stick for long, but you can keep re-applying the direct dye, you can even add some to your regular conditioner.
If using the permanent dye has damaged your hair, why would you want to repeat that process?

[LauraL2868]

I see your point.  And by saying "direct dye" I'm assuming you mean semi-permanent.  Right?

Hopefully I haven't destroyed my hair!  Oh geez!  I guess I thought the permanent dye was better at covering the grey... that would be why I would want to return to it.

[Wicked Pixie]

It should be safe to use on virgin regrowth, especially if you use a lower volume developer. Just don't keep going overthe same hair, damage is cumulative.
By direct dye i mean a true semi, a dye that doesn't require developer. (Many professional products are labelled semi permanent, but are not direct dyes)

[LauraL2868]

I'll use your suggestion of the Adore brand. 

Thank you so much for you continued help!

One more thing...   

What's the steps to use the Adore brand product in my hair with the white conditioner?  Is my hair wet, dry?  how long to leave it on.... do I cover with a shower cap?  etc!

thanks!

Moderator combined posts, please do not double post.

[Swilks]

One more thing...   

What's the steps to use the Adore brand product in my hair with the white conditioner?  Is my hair wet, dry?  how long to leave it on.... do I cover with a shower cap?  etc!

thanks! 

Dry - and leave it on as long as possible - some people leave their dyes for hours, i normally go about 1 hour.

[Janineb]

There's no real hard and fast rules.

Some of us prefer to dye on damp hair, though most seem to like dry better. I can't get the dye to spread through my hair when it's dry!

You'll need to cover it, yes. You don't want it to dry out.

[sunshine88]

I usually go to the salon but it has gotten to be too much money and time. I bit the bullet yesterday and used box dye on my hair! I had dark brown underneath and heavy blonde highlights on top. I went with Schwarzkopf -Keratin Color - intense cocoa, the underneath turned out beautiful but the top is not even at all (where the blonde was) some places are the beautiful brown and others have almost a dark reddish/orange tone. Any advise on evening this out? I thought of just redoing it the same color but will that make the "correct" spots darker? Thanks for any help.