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Original poster

Bleaching and dying hair

20 replies

LaydeeC · 25/11/2013 20:37

I am a complete hair dying novice and also more than a little fed up of arguing with my dtr over this so would appreciate some advice from those more in the know...

My 14 yo dtr wants to dye her hair bright pink. She currently has light brown/dark blonde hair. I don't have any great objections to this in principle (picking battles etc) but, she wants to bleach her hair (mid back length) then dye it pink, then strip the colour out and dye it back to as near her original colour as she can get it - in the space of three weeks during the xmas hols as she cannot have any hair that is not a natural colour at school.

We have argued and argued over this and I am tired of it. Will it all go badly wrong, because if it does it will be ugly as she refuses to ever have more than an inch cut off her hair at any time.

Does it all really sound as bonkers to you all as it does to me?

OP posts:
BunnyLebowski · 25/11/2013 20:40

I've just bleached my dark hair twice and dyed it bright red (pic on profile).

If you do lots of research (blogs and youtube) it's actually pretty easy.

If she's sure she wants it then go for it!

I can give you tips Smile

Original poster
LaydeeC · 25/11/2013 21:07

bunny, your hair looks great - wish I was that brave. Please yes to the tips - what does she need to do? She has spent a lot of time researching and it's not the colour changes that trouble me but the bleaching and so many chemicals in such a short space of time.
And if it all goes green she will refuse to have it chopped off.
She's just stropped off again - she really needs to work on her negotiating skills.

OP posts:
BunnyLebowski · 25/11/2013 21:13

First of all, does she have healthy hair already?

Thick healthy hair stands up much better to bleaching than fine hair.

I used powder bleach and 40% developer - bought both on Amazon along with a plastic mixing bowl (never metal) and set of tinting brushes. She'll need to wear a big tshirt that can go in the bin afterwards.

Wear latex gloves and apply Vaseline around hairline and on ears to prevent staining.

Leave hair unwashed for as many days as possible prior to bleaching to allow natural oils to build on scalp.

Mix the powder and developer until smooth creamy consistency.

Apply all over doing roots last as they'll bleach fastest.

Make sure every strand is well coated.

Wrap head in cling film and leave on for 45 mins. Occasionally blast head with hot air from hair dryer.

Rinse thoroughly.

I waited a week between bleaches and then another week before dying red. My hair is a wee bit more dry than before but argan oil is helping.

Original poster
LaydeeC · 25/11/2013 21:36

Bunny, that's very helpful, thank you.
I think I would let her bleach it once and then dye it.
Her hair is thick and strong and lots of it! She has always loved her hair and has lots of compliments on it. It will be very striking a deep pink colour but it is such a short time for it to be that colour.
I'll talk to her again tomorrow.
Thanks - the advice/tips/time are much appreciated.

OP posts:
BunnyLebowski · 25/11/2013 21:38

Yeah my hair needed two goes because it was practically black before. She should be fine with one bleach!

DD is 5 and has made me promise to do her hair pink when she's a teenager Grin

Pink hair rocks Grin

lifesgreatquestions · 25/11/2013 21:58

If it turns out great then she will be over the moon, if she goes bald then it is temporary and a valid lesson learned. The only thing she e to be careful of is the timing, if you leave products on to long they can burn.

ChanelTunel · 25/11/2013 22:04

I've just used Loreal Preference Extreme Platinum,on light brown hair. Brilliant results,with none of the bother of mixing potions.
These look good for colours,
www.crazyhaircolour.com/pink-hair-dye-s/45.htm

spanishring · 26/11/2013 07:21

Sorry to be doom and gloom but her hair will be mullered. One bleach and dye ok but to do that, then a dye it back to the original In a short space of time will be really bad for her hair.
Plus highly unlikely you'll achieve the desired recolour easily.
I would say let her bleach it and then add the powder colour but use a temporary colour that washes out rather than another semi or permanent dye ( all dyes have a percentage of peroxide in whether they're permanent or semi and the only ones that don't are wash In wash outs) and then accept that she'll be at school with bleached hair or with dodgy coloured hair! I don't know what I'd say in your situation teenagers are tricky and want to experiment which is fine, it's only hair. But the fact your expecting it to just go back to normal afterwards is what's making me respond. You could always try taking her to a salon and let them tell her what it entails.

Original poster
LaydeeC · 27/11/2013 20:50

Just returned to this as we are arguing again.
I'll be tearing my hair out at this rate.
Thank you all for taking time to respond.
I have offered to take her to our hairdresser to go over it with her and see what the best option would be.
I get that she is a teenager and experimenting. But her school doesn't! Nothing but 'normal' hair colour allowed - she gets that but then thinks that putting her hair through so much in a four week period would be fine. And I just know she will want to do the same thing at Easter as she will be off school for almost four weeks.
The other thing is, that it has become such a battle that I am feeling bullied into it. We can't spend an evening without her shouting at me that I am not fair and asking what 'research' I have done.
I think I am going to speak to our hairdresser and see what they say.
Sheesh
Thanks again all

OP posts:
spanishring · 27/11/2013 21:11

Poor you. Must be a nightmare. I hope you find a compromise. A streak perhaps?( says a deluded mother of a 3 year old)
I did terrible things to my hair as a teenager it wasn't at a strict school

Have a Winein the meantime

shelldockley · 28/11/2013 10:24

Is this the first time she has ever dyed her hair? Could she not try a temporary colour this time, and if that doesn't work, let her try the more permanent option at Easter? If her hair is quite fair anyway, the colour might take ok without bleaching first. Or if she defo wants to bleach it first, try something like this for the colour afterwards and hopefully that'll wash out in time for her to go back to school with blonder hair?

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 30/11/2013 16:10

she really ought to be able to get pink over her natural colour without bleaching,,, I second getting a semi permanent (make sure when she washes her hair she uses a dark towel Smile)

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 30/11/2013 16:11

also if she wears her hair straight a Brazilian keratin treatment - amazing stuff will bring it back to shiney and sleek

southeastastra · 30/11/2013 16:14

for all that faffing can't she just get a hair piece instead?

cerealqueen · 30/11/2013 22:22

Would the long sumer holidays not be a better time? Seems a lot to do for so short a time. Are crazy spray hair colours still around??
Not as risky or impacful but still....

Catswiththumbs · 02/12/2013 06:08

Has she looked at hair chalk? Could be a compromise for now, then do it properly when she has more time in the summer.

Look at directions hair colour, I did the whole bleach then pink / lilac/silver tie dye look.
I have short hair and I'm spending a fortune on protein reconstructors and the like and have dyed it a permanent normal colour to stop it being so porous and stretchy after the repeated bleaching to get my roots to take.

The pink is fine- frazzled bleach hair (40 vol is not recommended on your scalp!) that ends up khaki or patchy is not. It's not as simple as putting brown back over the top unfortunately.

babySophieRose · 02/12/2013 10:25

After bleaching her hair will be like straw, dry and dead. There isn't much you can do to restore it to original condition. I use to bleach my hair some years ago and had to keep cutting it shorter and shorter. For the pink dye, i remember that there were some wash in and wash out sachets in Superdrug.
Teenage girls are hard work, i remember me...

SabraCadabra · 02/12/2013 18:03

Ive been dyeing my hair crazy colours a few yrs now, currently turquoise.I found this site very helpful the forum bit ask on there, lots of info on site too its www.hairdyeforum.com oh and please dont use 40% bleach 30% will be fine 40 very strong and could damage hair/scalp

WandaDoff · 04/12/2013 10:33

I've had bright hair for a while & was going to suggest the forum the poster above linked to as
well, fab helpful place & they really know their stuff. Smile

www.hairdyeforum.com

nicelyneurotic · 04/12/2013 23:01

Doing this will wreck her hair, she won't be able to get a comb through it after bleach and will end up losing a lot of the length (if it's like my hair, it will break off). Do you know any older teens of girls in early 20s who have done this that can warn her?

I am dark blonde and highlight my hair which makes looking after it hard work (dry, breaking hair).

A few years ago I dyed my bleach blonde hair dark brown, which absolutely ruined it and it took ages to grow back. I can't imagine the damage if I'd gone pink in between. It was awful and depressing and I regretted it.

It seems such a waste for her to ruin her hair for a few weeks. Can she make do with a streak to see how it damages her hair? Or pink hair extensions that can mix in with her natural hair. I think one of the girls in the first series of fresh meat did this and it looked good.

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