help! Semi Permanent colour not faded out - left me with roots

IrishPhoenix · 23-07-2020 12:21PM #1

Ok, story is I wanted to cover up some balayage on my ends. I explicitly told the hairdresser that I wanted it as natural and low maintenance as possible. Hairdresser told me my options were permanent or semi-permanent colour and that the semi was great for a trial run as it would fade out completely and my hair would be back to normal. So I went for a brown colour that was the closest match to my own natural colour, except slightly darker. 4 months later, the colour has faded but here's the problem. I had a band of root regrowth of about 2 inches which was different in colour to the rest of my hair. The hair that had the semi dye has a kind of brassy tinge to it and there's a definite demarcation of colour which was definitely not what I was told in the hairdressers and absolutely not what I wanted. Despite not lightening my hair at all, my regrowth actually looks darker now in comparison.

The original hairdresser never reopened after Covid so I went someplace new and was told that I had been badly misinformed and that the semi has changed my hair, hence the difference in the roots. Now I don't want to commit to getting colour done every 6 weeks cos that's what I was trying to avoid in the first place. I don't know what to do. I'm thinking of lowlights to try and balance out the mess but am thoroughly confused. Has anyone any experience or advice please?

dee_mc · 23-07-2020 07:27PM

I'd say if the brassiness was toned out it'd be less noticeable - maybe try a purple conditioner intended for use on darker base colours (I can highly recommend the L'Oreal conditioning mask that comes in a tub, which mentions that it's suitable for use on darker base colours with highlights etc).

IrishPhoenix · 23-07-2020 07:55PM

dee_mc wrote: »

I'd say if the brassiness was toned out it'd be less noticeable - maybe try a purple conditioner intended for use on darker base colours (I can highly recommend the L'Oreal conditioning mask that comes in a tub, which mentions that it's suitable for use on darker base colours with highlights etc).

Thanks. I'll have to try and hunt it down.

SozBbz · 24-07-2020 01:27PM

Humm, I'd find a good hairdresser who can be trusted to advise you properly, and ask them to blend out the root so that you can grow your hair out.

I'd use toners to cover the balayage rather than trying to dye over it. I know as a brunette that its very hard for dyes to mirror natural brunette hair, it will always be a bit different so would require maintenance. My hair is very dark (people regularly say black which drives me nuts) but if you look up close its really a blend of lots of colours, there are different reds and even some blonde strands and would be hard to mimic with a dye. Toners are a bit annoying in that they don't last long, but back when I used to get balayage, I used to pop into the salon for a toner and a blowdry whenever I felt my hair was looking a bit brassy and it always looked much better.

ILoveYourVibes · 24-07-2020 03:37PM

IrishPhoenix wrote: »

Ok, story is I wanted to cover up some balayage on my ends. I explicitly told the hairdresser that I wanted it as natural and low maintenance as possible. Hairdresser told me my options were permanent or semi-permanent colour and that the semi was great for a trial run as it would fade out completely and my hair would be back to normal. So I went for a brown colour that was the closest match to my own natural colour, except slightly darker. 4 months later, the colour has faded but here's the problem. I had a band of root regrowth of about 2 inches which was different in colour to the rest of my hair. The hair that had the semi dye has a kind of brassy tinge to it and there's a definite demarcation of colour which was definitely not what I was told in the hairdressers and absolutely not what I wanted. Despite not lightening my hair at all, my regrowth actually looks darker now in comparison.

The original hairdresser never reopened after Covid so I went someplace new and was told that I had been badly misinformed and that the semi has changed my hair, hence the difference in the roots. Now I don't want to commit to getting colour done every 6 weeks cos that's what I was trying to avoid in the first place. I don't know what to do. I'm thinking of lowlights to try and balance out the mess but am thoroughly confused. Has anyone any experience or advice please?

Yeah ...semi permanent isn't semi. It usually lasts.

The issue is its difficult to deposit color without opening the cuticle. So when you put an ACTUAL semi color (demi) ..it washes off after like one wash. But clients are not happy with this as they get little to no wear out of it.

Its all about the developer.

Anyway...if the brassiness is the only thing that is creating the line you could try toning it(but there is one issue i will bring up). But the thing is while toners market themselves as permanent ..they aren't. Because you use them with low level developer because if you use a higher level ..your hair would go purple etc. SO its only going last maybe 10 weeks max probably less. The product will say permanent...but its not. If you were to use the developer you need for permanence you hair would turn out blue or purple etc. So it can't actually be permanent.

So this effect ...its not going to stop you have to redo it etc.

You could try something like colour oops to remove some of the colour.

I have never found purple conditioner to make much a diff though. I had to go tone my hair with actual toner and developer. And even then it only lasts about 6 weeks.

So you will be left with the same issue.

Honestly i would talk to a hairdresser.

Sometimes ...when your hair fades to brass ....its lifting out ...its fading up so to speak ...

I had the same issue as you ..semi permanent brown ...and i wanted to go back blonde. I used a colour stripper called colour oops ..it didn't lift all the colour out of my hair but it lifted it enough to go blonde after.

IrishPhoenix · 24-07-2020 04:09PM

SozBbz wrote: »

Humm, I'd find a good hairdresser who can be trusted to advise you properly, and ask them to blend out the root so that you can grow your hair out.

I'd use toners to cover the balayage rather than trying to dye over it.

Thanks. I'll definitely look into the toners. If only the hairdresser had told me that in the first place.

IrishPhoenix · 24-07-2020 04:24PM

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

Yeah ...semi permanent isn't semi. It usually lasts..

The issue is its difficult to deposit color without opening the cuticle. So when you put an ACTUAL semi color (demi) ..it washes off after like one wash. But clients are not happy with this as they get little to no wear out of it.

Its all about the developer.

Anyway...if the brassiness is the only thing that is creating the line you could try toning it...

Thanks for that explanation. If i hadn't been explicitly told by a professional hairdresser that it would totally wash out I wouldn't be so mad but I'm raging now. I literally went maybe one shade darker cos I was told that was the closest match. but there's definitely a considerable shade difference between the regrowth and the faded out semi, especially since my natural colour is quite cool toned. Now I somehow have to deal with the balayage I didn't want to keep in the ends and roots that will need blending and sorting a new hairdresser who's good with colour when they're all up the walls busy and I don't even know if they'd classify this as colour correction or not. I'm not well up on colour or colouring techniques [or I wouldn't be in this mess!] I don't know whether to try blend it in with lowlights or highlights or just redo the balayage in the middle to ends and pass off the growing out roots as intentional.

SozBbz · 24-07-2020 04:46PM

Where are you based OP? Perhaps someone could recommend a reliable colourist? Although you might have to wait a while for an appointment in the current circumstances.

ILoveYourVibes · 24-07-2020 05:03PM

IrishPhoenix wrote: »

Thanks for that explanation. If i hadn't been explicitly told by a professional hairdresser that it would totally wash out I wouldn't be so mad but I'm raging now. I literally went maybe one shade darker cos I was told that was the closest match. but there's definitely a considerable shade difference between the regrowth and the faded out semi, especially since my natural colour is quite cool toned. Now I somehow have to deal with the balayage I didn't want to keep in the ends and roots that will need blending and sorting a new hairdresser who's good with colour when they're all up the walls busy and I don't even know if they'd classify this as colour correction or not. I'm not well up on colour or colouring techniques [or I wouldn't be in this mess!] I don't know whether to try blend it in with lowlights or highlights or just redo the balayage in the middle to ends and pass off the growing out roots as intentional.

It will be specified as a color correction for certain.

As i can't even see your hair etc ..its hard to say...what to do. I am having trouble visualizing what you mean.

Redoing the balayage ..would probably be harder ...as you are lifting through colour...this can be unpredictable.

Low lights if done well on your natural hair could grow out well...and would this not look a bit like balayage? But darker ?

These two options are going in opposite directions though. So i hope you realize.

Honestly someone will have to see and feel your hair to advise you though. Find a good colourist.

From what you are saying what you need is someone very specialized.

IrishPhoenix · 24-07-2020 07:02PM

SozBbz wrote: »

Where are you based OP? Perhaps someone could recommend a reliable colourist? Although you might have to wait a while for an appointment in the current circumstances.

Waterford, if anyone has any recommendations.

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

It will be specified as a color correction for certain.

As i can't even see your hair etc ..its hard to say...what to do. I am having trouble visualizing what you mean.

Redoing the balayage ..would probably be harder ...as you are lifting through colour...this can be unpredictable.

Low lights if done well on your natural hair could grow out well...and would this not look a bit like balayage? But darker ?

These two options are going in opposite directions though. So i hope you realize.

Honestly someone will have to see and feel your hair to advise you though. Find a good colourist.

From what you are saying what you need is someone very specialized.

I do realise that. I'm literally just guessing and trying to research my options. Unfortunately, in the current circumstances with covid i can't just walk into a hairdressers and have a chat or a proper consultation without booking a service. And after getting burned once, I just want someone who knows what they're doing.

ILoveYourVibes · 24-07-2020 08:26PM

IrishPhoenix wrote: »

Waterford, if anyone has any recommendations.

I do realise that. I'm literally just guessing and trying to research my options. Unfortunately, in the current circumstances with covid i can't just walk into a hairdressers and have a chat or a proper consultation without booking a service. And after getting burned once, I just want someone who knows what they're doing.

Better to wait for a good one.

MinnieMinx · 28-07-2020 02:20PM

ILoveYourVibes wrote: »

Yeah ...semi permanent isn't semi. It usually lasts.
The issue is its difficult to deposit color without opening the cuticle. So when you put an ACTUAL semi color (demi) ..it washes off after like one wash. But clients are not happy with this as they get little to no wear out of it.
Its all about the developer.

I’ve noticed that there’s a lack of colour specialists in parts of Ireland and I wonder if few hairdressers complete advanced colour training? Sorry, but you’re mistaken in referring to Semi and Demi as being the same thing in hair colouring terms. They’re actually very different products. Maybe the original hairdresser also misunderstood and used a Demi thinking it would work like a Semi? In addition, clients that are allergic to oxidised colours are sometimes OK with a true Semi so it’s really important that hairdressers understand the difference between the two.

A true Semi doesn’t require a developer to activate it. Most professional colour houses offer some Demi’s and Semi’s in their colour ranges. A Semi has large colour molecules that attach themselves to the outside of the hair cuticle so it’s not required to enter the hair shaft at all. It fades quite quickly depending on the porosity of the hair and your shampooing regime. However, if you have porous hair from bleaching and your cuticle layer is damaged, the semi molecules sometimes attach themselves under the cuticle layer and can cause staining on very light hair. Strong fashion colour Direct Dyes are well known for doing this.

A Demi or sometimes known as a Quasi (same thing in colouring terms but depends on the country where the colour house is based), is an oxidising colour so it requires a developer to activate it. Some hairdressers wrongly refer to them as semi’s but chemically speaking, they’re completely different. A Demi has a mix of molecule sizes and requires a developer to activate it. When it’s applied, it gives the appearance of full coverage but the larger molecules sit on the outside of the cuticle layer and will wash out over time leaving the smaller ones behind (that entered under the cuticle layer), giving a translucent colour effect, so the colour gradually fades away but not completely.

@IrishPhoenix

Whilst you say you’ve not lightened your hair, it depends on whether the hairdresser used a Demi or a Semi. Even if you had a darker brown Demi colour applied, the developer in the tint mix will have lightened your natural hair a little bit (depending on the strength of the developer used) but the brown artificial colour will have covered your hair, so it wouldn’t be noticeable to you until the colour starts to fade. That’s why your hair is starting to look brassy. The artificial colour molecules are washing out leaving your natural Yellow eumelanin colour behind.

In the short term, I’d suggest using a brown colour depositing conditioner to cover the brass whilst you decide what you want to do longer term. Maybe consider a root stretch with a few highlights, although this will still require some regular maintenance.

Good brands of Brown colour depositing conditioners to look for include Joico Color Infuse and the Revlon Nutri Color creme, but there are others.

Hope this has helped rather than caused further confusion?

IrishPhoenix · 28-07-2020 02:55PM

MinnieMinx wrote: »

Whilst you say you’ve not lightened your hair, it depends on whether the hairdresser used a Demi or a Semi. Even if you had a darker brown Demi colour applied, the developer in the tint mix will have lightened your natural hair a little bit (depending on the strength of the developer used) but the brown artificial colour will have covered your hair, so it wouldn’t be noticeable to you until the colour starts to fade. That’s why your hair is starting to look brassy. The artificial colour molecules are washing out leaving your natural Yellow eumelanin colour behind.

In the short term, I’d suggest using a brown colour depositing conditioner to cover the brass whilst you decide what you want to do longer term. Maybe consider a root stretch with a few highlights, although this will still require some regular maintenance.

Good brands of Brown colour depositing conditioners to look for include Joico Color Infuse and the Revlon Nutri Color creme, but there are others.

Hope this has helped rather than caused further confusion?

This has actually helped a lot. Thank you. I discussed and agreed to a semi colour as a trial, on the understanding that it would fade and wash out completely. From your explanation, I think that I was given a demi instead and have been left with the consequences as a result. Unfortunately the original salon who did it never reopened after covid so I can't confirm but it sounds 100% spot on. The colour depositing masks are great at disguising it short term [I've used the moroccanoil one and it's beautiful].

I totally agree that some areas seem to be lacking in salons with colour expertise - I'm actively searching for somewhere with a good rep. I had thought I was getting something harmless and got left with a colour correction so I'm very wary now.

Forgive my ignorance, but apart from the current mess, the only colour I've had in the past 10 years has been one balayage and I'm not up on the terms at all, could you explain what a root stretch is please?

MinnieMinx · 29-07-2020 12:06PM

A Root stretch is an extension of the balayage technique. Typically you might have up to a couple of inches of natural root and a band of lighter colour/highlights and you blend the two to lose the demarcation line.

Generally a Colour matching your natural root is painted downwards freehand and blended into your mid lengths and your lighter mid lengths/ends are refreshed. There should be no visible banding and everything should be subtly blended into each other.

It takes skill to do it well and if a hairdresser only talks about giving you fine weave highlights, then they’re on the wrong track and it won’t blend properly.

The finished result allows the client to either grow out their colour completely or leave much longer between colour appointments.

IrishPhoenix · 29-07-2020 02:55PM

Thank you MinnieMinx. Your explanations have been super helpful. Only problem is I'm not sure there's such expertise anywhere local to me. My friends either have all over colour [so touch ups every 6 weeks] or highlights that look more like brassy zebra stripes so I wouldn't be running to their hairdressers. From stalking hairdresser's social media pages, it looks like Waterford is a bit of dead zone. There's just not much on a lot of salons, especially recent stuff or complicated colours, and definitely not many that are doing the olaplex, which having looked into I think would be better to have in my hair than not.

SozBbz · 29-07-2020 03:22PM

IrishPhoenix wrote: »

Thank you MinnieMinx. Your explanations have been super helpful. Only problem is I'm not sure there's such expertise anywhere local to me. My friends either have all over colour [so touch ups every 6 weeks] or highlights that look more like brassy zebra stripes so I wouldn't be running to their hairdressers. From stalking hairdresser's social media pages, it looks like Waterford is a bit of dead zone. There's just not much on a lot of salons, especially recent stuff or complicated colours, and definitely not many that are doing the olaplex, which having looked into I think would be better to have in my hair than not.

Would you be willing to go to Cork or Dublin for the colour correction? I'm sure people could give recommendations for those cities. My hairstylist does some lovely colours according to her instagram (I don't get colour these days myself - went fully natural). She actually did a 2nd colour correction for a friend of mine who'd been dying her hair at home for years and wanted to go lighter, and it looked much better than the first salon who tried it.

The advantage of the root stretch is that while there would be some maintenance, its nothing like the maintenance of other more conventional dying techniques (6/8 weeks as you mentioned). I've friends who have this style and some go 6 months between colours and some have just let it grow out completey and its given a really beachy look. I heard its been very popular post lockdown as people are looking for styles that are lower maintenance should another lockdown happen.

Also, I'd say Olaplex is really common place these days, so if your local salons don't do it even now that its been out for a number of years so its hardly bleeding edge stuff - thats not a great sign that they're keeping up with the latest training and techniques.

IrishPhoenix · 29-07-2020 04:20PM

SozBbz wrote: »

Would you be willing to go to Cork or Dublin for the colour correction? I'm sure people could give recommendations for those cities. My hairstylist does some lovely colours according to her instagram (I don't get colour these days myself - went fully natural). She actually did a 2nd colour correction for a friend of mine who'd been dying her hair at home for years and wanted to go lighter, and it looked much better than the first salon who tried it.

The advantage of the root stretch is that while there would be some maintenance, its nothing like the maintenance of other more conventional dying techniques (6/8 weeks as you mentioned). I've friends who have this style and some go 6 months between colours and some have just let it grow out completey and its given a really beachy look. I heard its been very popular post lockdown as people are looking for styles that are lower maintenance should another lockdown happen.

Also, I'd say Olaplex is really common place these days, so if your local salons don't do it even now that its been out for a number of years so its hardly bleeding edge stuff - thats not a great sign that they're keeping up with the latest training and techniques.

The lower maintenance of the root stretch definitely sounds good. Dublin is too far for me really but would consider Cork and I've been looking in neighbouring counties while trying to get some rough idea of what would be best to ask for. Rustiq in Kilkenny looks really good and up to date on techniques on Instagram. It's a crying shame the standard is so low closer to home.

Olaplex is available in maybe 2 salons in the city, plus Peter Mark's. One or two have something called Omniplex but a quick google tells me Olaplex holds 8 patents on their formula so I doubt any other stuff is as good. And I really regret not having it when I did the original balayage. It sounds amazing for preventing chemical damage. Most of the local salons have no price list online, no list of services, no webpage and it's very hard to tell what they do, let alone how good they do it. And seeing as 8+ inches of virgin hair above the old balayage got coloured and permanently discoloured because of a confusion between semi and demi, I'm not optimistic. Pre-balayage, I was a very very basic client. All natural with just a straight trim and even then some of them were crap at it.

Faith · 30-07-2020 08:43AM

I haven't lived in Cork for a few years now, but I did have a fantastic colour in Wayne Lloyd on Washington Street in the city centre a few years ago. It also looks like Kopper Hair Salon is the place to be recently, although I suspect you may have difficulty getting an appointment!

IrishPhoenix · 30-07-2020 09:37AM

Faith wrote: »

I haven't lived in Cork for a few years now, but I did have a fantastic colour in Wayne Lloyd on Washington Street in the city centre a few years ago. It also looks like Kopper Hair Salon is the place to be recently, although I suspect you may have difficulty getting an appointment!

Thank you. It looks like the Wayne Lloyd in the city is gone but I'll look into Koppers. Though you're probably right about the appointment!

Faith · 30-07-2020 09:44AM

IrishPhoenix wrote: »

Thank you. It looks like the Wayne Lloyd in the city is gone but I'll look into Koppers. Though you're probably right about the appointment!

I guess that proves my point about not knowing Cork any more!

MinnieMinx · 30-07-2020 09:51AM

This isn’t a personal recommendation as I haven’t been there myself but I see that Aaron Healy works here and their work looks very good.

https://edithairclub.ie

Aaron was trained by and used to work for Wayne Lloyd until he closed his Cork salon due to illness. Aaron was voted Irish Hairdresser of the Year in 2016.
https://www.fuzion.ie/news/id/1314/

SozBbz · 30-07-2020 09:56AM

Faith wrote: »

I haven't lived in Cork for a few years now, but I did have a fantastic colour in Wayne Lloyd on Washington Street in the city centre a few years ago. It also looks like Kopper Hair Salon is the place to be recently, although I suspect you may have difficulty getting an appointment!

Is that SuperStyleSabbys place?

IrishPhoenix · 30-07-2020 10:42AM

MinnieMinx wrote: »

This isn’t a personal recommendation as I haven’t been there myself but I see that Aaron Healy works here and their work looks very good.

https://edithairclub.ie

Aaron was trained by and used to work for Wayne Lloyd until he closed his Cork salon due to illness. Aaron was voted Irish Hairdresser of the Year in 2016.
https://www.fuzion.ie/news/id/1314/

Thanks. I'll check him out.

Faith · 30-07-2020 02:09PM

SozBbz wrote: »

Is that SuperStyleSabbys place?

That’s the one.

Flimsy_Boat · 30-07-2020 02:23PM

Sobe Brown is a real treat in Cork, beside CIT. They got rid of my banding with a "clear hair dye" as they put it.

ILoveYourVibes · 31-07-2020 06:33AM

Flimsy_Boat wrote: »

Sobe Brown is a real treat in Cork, beside CIT. They got rid of my banding with a "clear hair dye" as they put it.

that will only work on some colours and tones ..and some products. It might not work out the same for the op...just so she doesn't get her hopes up.

help! Semi Permanent colour not faded out - left me with roots

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