Red Hair 101

Hey Honeybees! I get countless comments, tweets, emails, etc about my red hair and how I attain/maintain it so I thought I'd elaborate on my original How-To video (and my Hair FAQ video) by doing a text based post I can direct people to in case they don't have the ability to watch the vlogs! 

I first started dying my hair red in 10th grade. I was more of a copper/ginger than my bright red like I have now, but I was in love. I've kind of always secretly wanted natural "ginger" red hair but my hair is naturally almost-black! I went back brown for many, many years. I was sold on having natural colored hair! I loved being a brunette but for some reason I was really desperate for change after my first summer in NYC so I headed to my local Sally's, picked up some red dye, developer, and all the essentials, then dyed my hair myself in my bathroom. This was huge. Partially because I was letting go of my natural, perfectly even, hair color, and mainly because I had never once dyed my hair myself. I had never even dyed a friend's hair! I was heading into uncharted territory. The first dye made my hair a shiny auburn color, but I wanted RED RED! So I dyed it again in a few weeks time. Each time I dyed it, it became more vibrant. Before I knew it I had shockingly red hair... the sunlight caused my head to basically look like a giant, fluffy tomato. Awesome! 

I kept up my routine of redying my hair every 2-3 weeks for the next 2 years almost. Then I decided red was old news and I wanted to go back dark. Well that was an adventure. But not nearly as accident-ridden as the move back to red in the middle of summer! I decided to use color remover on my hair to lighten the dark dye, then use my typical "For Dark Hair Only" dye to make it red. Um, don't do that. I had a basketball head for weeks! Like, bright orange. It was awful. It took a lot of trial and error, and a couple months worth of dying, to get it back perfect. Now I'm finally back to my favorite red that I missed so much. Yeah, it was a lot of work. But hopefully the rest of this post will help you achieve your bright red hair without all the hassle I went through the second time around!


For starters.... the stuff I use on my hair is:
L'oreal Excellence "For Dark Hair Only" dye in Red Fire
L'oreal Oreor Creme Developer (9, 20 and 30 volume)
John Frieda Radiant Red shampoo + conditioner
Chi Silk Infusion + Infra shampoo
Biolage Detangling Solution

Tricks and tips about the dye I use --
Do NOT use this dye unless you have naturally dark hair... and by that I mean do NOT use this dye if you have any dye on your hair currently. If your hair is dyed black/brown, this is not for you. If your hair is naturally dark but you have any dye on it, this is not the product for you. If you have blonde hair, this product is not for you. This product is only for people who currently have dark, dye-free hair!

I really can't stress that enough. I get daily YouTube comments, emails, and questions asking "Will this work for me if..." The answer is: No, unless you have dark, dye-free hair. Sure, you can use it if you have anything else, but the results will not be what you see here. That's all I'm sayin'! You might get a color you totally love, but you won't get what you see in my hair (I simply don't want to be held responsible for basketball head like I had! :P) If you want to try it, go for it! Just don't blame me if it doesn't turn out as planned!

If this is the first time you're using this dye -- You can stand to use 30 volume developer like the box calls for. If this is a subsequent use of the dye -- I recommend using 9 or 20 volume, depending on the situation. Developer can damage your hair! Don't fry it like I have in the past. (Not going to lie, my hair isn't in the best condition, because I've made a lot of mistakes in my "trial and error" approach! Hence this post! haha) I mix up my dye and developer in an applicator bottle and shake it up real good. Then I apply it to my hair. I let it sit for 30-45 minutes and then I rinse with lukewarm water.

If you can bend over the bathtub and always wash your hair with cold water, go for it! Sadly our loft only has a shower so I have to stomach quick, cold/lukewarm showers. Hot water will fade your color faster. But many people still use it.

Try to limit how much you wash your hair when it's dyed red. I'm not saying go be gross or have greasy hair, but try and utilize dry shampoo as much as possible to keep the red lasting longer. Red is probably not going to be the color for you if you are obsessed with washing your hair daily. Currently I wash my hair 1-2 times a week. I use Pssssst dry shampoo on all other days (hence my never-ending tangles! Dry shampoo will rid your hair of natural oils, thus making it slightly more prone to tangling.) This is where Biolage Detangling Solution comes in. I cannot write enough great things about this product. I have a giant bottle of it in our shower and it's a heaven send! 

Red shampoos and conditioners -- I use John Frieda's Radiant Red daily shampoo + conditioner. I've tried the "Ravishing Red" stuff in the past and it was absolutely horrible. It stripped my hair of it's color and I threw out the bottles immediately. This is just my personal opinion! I've found that JFRR works best for me, but you might feel differently!

I've also used CHI Infra shampoo in the past with good results. I'd limit this to once or twice a month if possible though. Before I redye my hair, I always do a leave-in conditioning treatment... maybe a few hours, maybe overnight. Then I rinse and let my hair "dirty" for a day or two before dying it. Leave in conditioner will also strip some of the brightness of your dye so be sure you do it toward the tail end of your routine. 

To make your hair shiny and soft -- I recommend CHI Silk Infusion. A tiny dime-size amount will work wonders on how your hair appears. Just be careful not to saturate your roots or your hair will look greasy.

If you're going to dye hair extensions to match your hair -- I recommend trying to find extensions as close to your shade of hair as possible (pre-dye). You can dye them the exact same way you dye your hair. I recommend a box of dye for your extensions, and a box of dye for your hair. You can leave the dye in your extensions for as long as you need (I've even left it in overnight before.) Obviously I don't mean dye them with them clipped in... but on a trash bag or old towel, or even in your bathtub!

So here are some quick FAQs about red hair that I get daily... in case you're too lazy to read up there! ;)
  • What shampoo + conditioner do you use? John Frieda Radiant Red, along with a leave-in conditioner and/or CHI Infra shampoo.
  • How often do you have to dye your hair? Every 2-3 weeks. I try to stretch it as long as possible, but I have really really dark roots, and red hair fades incredibly quick.
  • How much does it cost you to dye it each time? The dye is roughly $6 and the developer is $7 for a large bottle. Then I buy an applicator bottle and gloves. Each time it's roughly $10 or a little bit less probably. Maybe $20/mo total.
  • Will that dye work if I have...  The dye I use is intended for naturally dark haired people that currently have no other dyes on their hair. I have used the dye on lightened hair and the outcome was not a pretty one. I do not recommend it unless you currently have dark hair without the assistance of dye.
  • Always do a patch test with your dye if you've never dyed your hair or if this is a new dye to you. You dont' want to end up with a horrible skin reaction, burns, or an infection! Be smart! ;)
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Please note that I am of course, not a hair stylist in any way. I only know what I've learned from my own experiences and from my best friend Jessica (who is a hair stylist... and she shakes her finger at me daily!). My method may not be the best, most advised, or anything of the sort, but it is what I do. My hair hasn't fallen out yet, so that's a good sign. Maybe? ;) Goodness knows I'm willing to learn some pointers from anyone myself!

Any other bottled-redheads out there got any tricks and tips they'd like to share? Love a certain product? Have a better way of doing it than me? Please share below!

68 comments:

  1. I mostly shower with cold water but the colder it gets the more I refuse to do it! I also just bought a new redken shampoo that is rumored to be good for red hair so we shall see how it works! Right now I live in beanies because I am trying to wait closer to december to dye my hair! Also I like to use baby powder instead of dry shampoo! I love you lady!

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  2. This was really helpful. I have naturally medium blond hair and have been dying my hair a coppery red for about 3 months now. The leave in shampoo is definitely something I want to check out because the red does fade super fast, and I can't stand not washing my hair at least every other day (I have short hair so it feels to get greasier faster than when I had longer hair). Thanks for the product tips!

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    1. Try using any redcolored conditioner then add some red dye a little at a time till you get the color you want by mixing.use that to wash your hair and put dye back in your hair.I DO THAT TO MYHAIR and I dye my hair alot. Hope this helps you.

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  3. wow, we have even MORE in common! I'm a natural almost-black who started going red in tenth grade!
    I bleach my roots everytime I touch up my hair, though, so I can have an almost blonde unedrtone. Then use the color, and a glaze afterward to even everything out!

    Also, I DESPISE taking cold showers so I'm one who needs to religiously dye my hair because it fades :/

    Great post, though! I'm going to try to get some john frieda hair products!

    XO Sahra
    EffortlessCool

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  4. I'm currently going from black to red, but slowly, my stylist refused to just dye it all at once. So little by little I'm transitioning from black to red. Blah. So impatient it's driving me crazy. Anywho, I use Aveda Madder Root conditioner and the Aveda color protectant shampoo. The Madder Root is FOR redheads and it dyes the heck out of my shower/hands if I don't rinse it right away. It keeps the red color rich and vibrant so I can go 5-6 weeks between hair appointments. Actually it makes it MORE red the more I use it. Great tips by the way! I wish I could go all red rather than bit by bit but my stylist would hang me out to dry! Okay...I'll stop now haha.

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  5. i was a redhead for about a year - i just recently went back to brown. i missed wearing red lipstick :) that l'oreal hair color is GREAT. it has awesome staying power & really amped up color. idk, though, i actually dumped that dye over already-dyed-red hair (different brand) and it turned out perfect. my hair is naturally dark, but it was under a few layers of red dye! i'm not sure if that will make a difference on anyone else, but it certainly didn't with me!

    my biggest tip for red dye is to wash it as infrequently as possible (and i agree, psst! is the best dye shampoo out there!) and to mix a little red semi-permanent dye in with your conditioner every time you do wash. you don't need much - i used about a 1:4 ratio (with the bigger piece obvs being the conditioner) - but yes it is messy and yes it will stain your towels and hands. on the flip side, it will keep the color really bright! mine never faded; i only redyed due to scary roots :) i used special effects 'blood red' and it was great. i also used to do this when my hair was blue :)

    i don't have any good pictures of my hair when it was red red, but it was definitely as red as i could feasibly get away with at work :) here is a picture of my hair when i went more orangey-red - glowin' in the sunlight: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lladybird/5805080334/ haha

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  6. The red protein filler from Sally's helped me keep my red brighter and longer. :)

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  7. Wow! Thank you! I have naturally super dark hair, but I had it dyed recently to make it dark again (it was lighter), so I bet that dye won't work? But it's still dark! Hmmm....maybe I'll give it a go anyway?

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  8. Oh, You make me miss my red hair sooo much !! I was bright red all throughout high school & now I have a job where they require a natural color.. lame.

    -meg

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  9. I have been going red for about 11 years I have naturally light brown hair and I find if a red fades u can use a gloss ( can be purchased at sally's) or a hemp/ all natural dye like manic panic to keep up the color with less damage, however be prepared to bleach your tub at least once a week if you rent!

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  10. bookmarking this! my hair seems to really hate hair color. it's dark brown and getting it to any sort of unnatural color. when i dyed it pink, it was more of an "orangey-kind of cotton candy pink-gross" color. every hair dye attempt on my end usually results in tears, a messy bathroom, and a hair appointment to chop my locks off. but i have been dying to have fire engine red hair since i was in tenth grade, too, so maybe some day i will be able to throw my fears to the wind and give this a shot :) thank you!

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  11. I love John Frieda's Frizz Ease hair serum & dream curls spray,but it got too expensive (it's so great though!)for me so now I just use cheap stuff like Fructis! I might have to look into that Biolage though... :)

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  12. and I didn't know cold water was better for dyed hair!

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  13. Thanks for the tips! The cold showers.. I know them well. Sometimes I cheat & wash my hair in the kitchen sink! A lot easier than taking a whole-body cold shower!

    xoxo
    MaDonna
    www.MeMaDonna.com

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  14. I used to be a redhead for many years and it is a really difficult colour to mantain, true. Yours looks gorgeous. It is true that washing your hair not too often is good for redhair, and I had the same trick as you, dry shampoo. Now I have my natural brunette but still use sometimes, specially because my fringe will get dirty while the rest of my hair is clean :) Even if I'm not a redhead anymore, loved this post!

    http://fromheretofashion.blogspot.com/

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  15. Love this post thanks so much for your tips!
    I've been dying my hair with box color for over a year now. I jumped to L'Oreal Excellence "for dark hair only" two months ago and it's wonderful. Although my hair hasn't been it's natural color in years I didn't have any issues with this dye on my previous dyed hair. Although I don't think my hair turned out as bright as yours.

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  16. I've been dying my hair red for 2 years now and I've wanted red hair ever since I became obsessed with the little mermaid as a child! It's a nightmare to keep red though. I get mine done at the salon every 4-6 weeks. I should really get it dond more often and it can look really bad towards the end! I'm quite fortunate as I only wash my hair 1-2 times a week and swear by dry shampoo. I'm getting married next year and was debating going back to my natural colour but in some ways red feels most natural to me!

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  17. I love having red hair! But too many years in boring jobs means I haven't had fun hair in a long time.

    Right now my hair is brown, in an attempt to not dye it for a while (although my roots are dirty blond, so that may not work). I prefer being a redhead though!

    This summer I henna'd my hair for the first time. Here's a photo:
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/eef-ink/6049655083/in/set-72157627448437294/
    I used henna mixed with indigo, so it would be more auburn than RED but it turned out pretty nice and henna doesn't damage your hair.
    Don't know how well it works on dark hair though, since my hair is naturally kind of light.

    Really want to do something more fun with my hair in the near future.

    BTW, if you use just indigo on your hair it turns blue/purple. Which is also cool. =]

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  18. I'm a bottled red-head. And I would say make sure you condition your hair frequently. Red hair dye is one of the most un-natural and contains the most chemical. So to keep it in good condition make sure you condition! I would also agree with the cold water thing! And you should invest in some shampoos designed for dyed red hair. I also would not recommend going from a light colour like blonde to red straight away.. There's been many instances where I've seen people cry and regret it.. :) If you've got the personality you can most definitely pull off red hair though! :)

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  19. great post and definitely helpful! I've been dying my hair for years and have my own way of course (though I managed to keep away from dying for almost two years now in order to let everything grow out and get healthy), but this should be a GREAT help to someone who hasn't had that much experience. thanks for sharing :)

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  20. your hair is SO hot Kaelah! Love it! I've wanted to go red before, but I am afraid... IDK if I can pull it off, so for now, I just have red peek a boo's as you've seen on my blog!

    Question - Does your red fade onto clothes or pillows if your hair is wet, like for instance if I work up a sweat at the gym, will my hair be bleeding??

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  21. wait, so do you redye your red hair with the same dye? I just dyed my hair with this same one and I want to make sure to get the right one when I redye it!

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  22. These are probably the best tips for red hair I have ever seen. I was just talking about how much I want to dye my hair more red. xo, rv

    http://aneclecticheap.blogspot.com/

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  23. I'm a reddish blonde naturally but I LOVE bright red hair. My hair is naturally very dry (it's been likened to a fro) and so I use a lot of oils in my routine. I use Naturtint dye in terracotta blonde, it rocks, doesn't make my scalp freak out, and stays for about 2-3 weeks and fades out to a pretty light red/orange in week 5 and 6 (I can dig it). I only condition (I have naturally dry hair so my natural oils only moisturize, never grease it up). I use Juice organics Pomsmooth conditioner and for leave in conditioner I use about a dime size of jojoba oil and run it through my hair.
    If you go to my blog I have a picture posted in a couple posts down!
    Thanks for all the tips!

    <3 Sarah
    theantiquepearl.blogspot.com

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  24. YAY FOR REDHEADS! I recently went red...well since March, and I love it! I've always had my natural color dark DARK brown, but I got sooo sick of it! Luv this post, gives me tips for my hair!
    xo Sarai
    lovedovesnest.blogspot.com

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  25. I'm a natural 'ginger' redhead like you so desire! I love having red hair and get plenty of compliments about it. But I do get a bit bored of the colour, just like brunette and blonde girls do!

    Please, please can you just add one thing to your post? When you dye your hair for the first time (or use a new brand of dye) you really, really need to do a patch test to make sure you're not allergic to anything in the formula.

    I've heard horror stories about sensitive skin being burned by hair dye and other horrendous side effects that I won't go in to here!

    I absolutely love your blog, and I know lots of girls love your advice. A little warning light clicked on when I read this, I hope you don't mind me bringing it up!

    x

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  26. Oh I think that comment posted anonymously, that wasn't intentional - it was me bleating on about patch tests and safety :)

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  27. Thanks for the product run down. I use the same hair dye for my red hair. I find that washing it only in cold water really does make it last.

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  28. Thanks for the product run down. I use the same hair dye for my red hair. I find that washing it only in cold water really does make it last.

    -Lacey

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  29. Thanks for the product run down. I use the same hair dye for my red hair. I find that washing it only in cold water really does make it last.

    -Lacey

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  30. Although I use just a regular old box dye to color my hair, I mix a scoop of Manic Panic into my everyday conditioner, and it seems to help keep my hair red longer.

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  31. I'm a hairstylist, so I had to throw my two cents in :) I actually recently took my mom's hair from a dark, dingy brown (which was hair color) to a bright red.. you can see the before, here, and after here.

    If you have dark hair and want to take it to a dramatic red, I would recommend bleaching it, with nothing stronger than 30 volume unless you go to a professional, because 40+ is risky even for pros.. please don't do it at home in your bathroom! lol your hair will possibly fall out or turn to mush. Which would kinda suck. Anyway, after bleaching, rinsing and drying, I would then apply the red color. This gives the best, brightest red in the easiest way. Some may say, whaat? No, I don't wanna bleach my hair! But consider it like this. You can get it bright and beautiful more quickly that way than dying it over and over and over with chemicals that are still damaging to an extent anyway.

    As far as fading, naturally, red is going to fade. Red is the hardest hair color to keep, and strangely enough, the hardest to remove. A great tip on keeping it bright, other than rinsing in cool water and washing as little as possible, try shampoos that are sulfate free. Sulfates fade any color quicker.

    Hope this was helpful! :)
    - Rachel
    http://electricglamour.blogspot.com

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  32. I've been doing temporary red dyes for the past year and am about to go permanent with a lighter copper red shade. I use the Loreal Everpure moisturizing shampoo and conditioner because it's sulfate-free so it doesn't strip the color from your hair. I also use their hair masque once a week to keep my hair from getting dry (I usually wash my hair about 3 times a week).

    I probably overdo it a bit on the moisturizing products since I only dye my hair about once every 8 weeks and I rarely use heat or styling products, but I've had dry, damaged hair in the past and I'm determined to not let it happen again!

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  33. As a cosmetology student I always recommend going to see someone at a school or salon. I have used box dye and done naughty things to my hair in the past, but we learn ways to get your hair to what you desire while taking into consideration the integrity of your hair. Schools are a great cheap alternative :)

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  34. I've been reading you for a while now but I just saw your hair & your dialect vids. Cutest accent ever! Not what you sounded like in my head but we don't get a lot of "twangy" accents here in AZ so I really had nothing to draw from.

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  35. Thanks so much for this! I just starting dying my hair red again, great timing. I'll have to try the cold water tip...eek! Something I do as well is mix some manic panic dye in with my conditioner, and if I need a color refresher badly i'll dye my hair with it because it's all veggie based & little damage.

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  36. Being 37, I have dyed my hair since I was 15 when I found my first gray hair. I am now 85% gray and need to color my hair! I am not naturally red and never have been but with the fair skin and freckles still I have always stayed red. I find that a good shower cap and dry shampoo are a girls best friend. I would like to comment on your roots...they are nothing compared to having gray or almost white roots play peek-a-boo with your red hair!! LOL

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  37. I love your color and being a 37 year old woman who got her first gray hair at 16 and is now 85% gray it is hard to upkeep. Although my original hair color is mousy brown with a few auburn highlights, I have always dyed my hair red because of my pale skin and freckles. I would have to say I am one of those women who love to wash my hair every day but have been trying to shower cap it and use dry shampoo, thanks for the tip on the best dry shampoo. I use Wella creme in redest red...and your roots are nothing compared to having gray playing peek-a-boo with your roots...I mean amazing red hair then wham gray almost white....

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  38. Try washing your hair with a SULFATE FREE shampoo! Yes, red does fade quickly but part of any hair color fading is due to the sulfates in shampoo's, etc.

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  39. Hey girl! i used the exact dye as you for a very long time when i was a redhead, and i used it on color treated hair and it turned out amazing. i know you said that you stripped it before hand, which i have done and in that case it did not work, but Ive used it over a bottle brunette and blonde, and it turns out cherry red. it may just be the difference in hair types, but i love that color, and miss it so much!

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  40. Hi! I've been a bottle-redhead since the day I graduated HS (I wasn't allowed to dye it any earlier). Two things I really like using are John Fredia's 2n1 shampoo and conditioner for normal hair, and Tresemme's Waterless Foam Shampoo for curly/dry hair. I notice that if I use just shampoo, my hair is way to dry, but conditioner (no matter how little I use!) always seems to make my hair greasy, and necessitate a wash the next day. The 2n1 seems to balance it out nicely, although it's not specified for colored hair. I did get the Radiant Red based on this post, so I'll let you know how that goes. Also, I really like the waterless foam even though my hair is straight. It's much lighter and, well, foamy-er than the regular dry shampoo. Plus, you can towel it out instead of having to brush or comb your hair, which for me isn't the easiest with two-day hair.

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  41. does anyone have advice for me im a bottle dyed black haired girl and i have brand new euronext black extensions aND i need advice to get to this red! i so far have learned i need to use a color stripper then bleach then dye on my heAd buyt wat about my extensions!! lol and no i cant afford new extensions! im a broke student! please if any one has a solution please reply lol thank u so much xo

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  42. does anyone have advice for me im a bottle dyed black haired girl and i have brand new euronext black extensions aND i need advice to get to this red! i so far have learned i need to use a color stripper then bleach then dye on my heAd buyt wat about my extensions!! lol and no i cant afford new extensions! im a broke student! please if any one has a solution please reply lol thank u so much xo

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  43. does anyone have advice for me im a bottle dyed black haired girl and i have brand new euronext black extensions aND i need advice to get to this red! i so far have learned i need to use a color stripper then bleach then dye on my heAd buyt wat about my extensions!! lol and no i cant afford new extensions! im a broke student! please if any one has a solution please reply lol thank u so much xo

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  44. Im aware of my hair. I need to know first if its safe on me.

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  45. I love the color. I would say that a more vibrant red would even look really great on you. You wear it well.

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  46. I just recently went to the salon to dye my hair red, but I want a more vibrant color! Should I still use developer even though I already have color in it? If so, what vol?

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  47. I use a L'Oreal hair color in the Feria colection (Ruby Fusion 66), and m y hair is now an auburn color, but I wanted bright red. If I keep dying it like you said, will it eventually turn bright red? Because I have wanted bright red hair for a couple years now, and My Mom finally let me, and I was a bit disappointed with how dark and more brown the red I have is. Any suggestions?

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  48. i've used this hair dye numeroouuss times and i love it. I then took out the color and lightened it, but i missed my red hair so i dyed it again and even though my hair was lightened, the dye worked perfectly and in my case, my hair came out brighter which i lOVE <3

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  49. hey im jus gunna addd that splat hair dye ( i have to order it as i live in ireland) is brillant for going red the bleach is included aswel as the red colour itself i brought my hair from a dark wine to a bright viberant red rhianna red most say ..im a hairdresser and everytime a client comes in i get complimented on my hair colour but which is nice but little do they know it a monster to keep ..not washing your hair as frequent is the right way to go about it but like i said before im a hairdresser and nobody is gunna want me to touch their hair when my is unwashed looking!!! so i tend to use a little dry shampoo every now and again even tho i hate using the stuff it gives me a few extra days before my next rinse...so ths is a bonus!! i usually spend about €8 all togehter when dyin my hair ( i dont no the exchange sorry) but what i do have is the address to their site..splathaircolor.com check it out !!

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    1. i am actually looking at this color right now, but i'm not sure if my parents will be ok with me using it since you bleach your hair. do you know if it turns out ok without bleach? i have medium to dark brown hair naturally, but i have wanted red for years now.

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  50. Everybody i was a burnette i use to pay like 120 every two weeks to dye if fire red then decided to go blonde they turned my hair highlighter orange then dyed on top burgandy and it tufned blonde lol but anyways after that i went pink than back to brown. I decided back to fire red youtubed some stuff. I use loreal red for highlights it already haz bleach in it so no neex to pre bleach just dye and 20 or 3o volume. Also the Majenta color is vibrant yall should try it. It didnt fell me.

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  51. Everybody i was a burnette i use to pay like 120 every two weeks to dye if fire red then decided to go blonde they turned my hair highlighter orange then dyed on top burgandy and it tufned blonde lol but anyways after that i went pink than back to brown. I decided back to fire red youtubed some stuff. I use loreal red for highlights it already haz bleach in it so no neex to pre bleach just dye and 20 or 3o volume. Also the Majenta color is vibrant yall should try it. It didnt fell me.

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  52. Use loreal for highlights it has bleach in it so need for prebleach real easy just add volume. Colors or red and majenta. I use too hate doing for hair now its so easu

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  53. I dye my hair dark brown copper red. The problem I am having is my roots stay very vibrant and rich but after a couple of weeks, my ends fade 2 shades lighter than the rest of my hair because I used to bleach my hair. I'm guessing the roots stay dark because all the blond is gone off them and I still have that bleach damage on my ends. Any suggestions that I could do for my ends to keep them the same color longer?

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  54. I have colored my hair red for the last 10 years, from bright, fire engine red into the slightly darker realms of reds.
    One of my favorite colors is Matrix RED from the So Red line. 20 volume all over with 30 volume highlights, using the same color.
    Washing your hair an infrequently as possible IS a must, and COLD water is also a must (unfortunately) in order to keep your red vibrant for as long as possible. Another benefit of infrequent washing is that your natural oils are beneficial to your hair, and with all of the chemical warfare happening to keep that red RED, it needs all the help it can get :)
    For me, when it almost starts looking a little greasy, I wear a hat for a couple more days and hold off as long as possible, without stinking ;)
    Can't go as long in between washes in the summer as in the winter though. I cannot wear white in the summer or the sweat DOES cause pink stains around the back of the neckline. and yes, all of my pillows are stained pink, lol. This IS the absolute most difficult color to keep and maintain, but so worthwhile! :)
    Over conditioning and deep conditioning can cause the color to "slip off". The molecules in red pigment are larger than other color molecules and tend to just sit on top of the hair. They don't penetrate as easily as other colors so it is difficult to retain a vibrant color.
    As far as shampoos and conditioners go, the best I have ever used by far is Pureology Nano. It is AMAZING!!!! It is magic in a bottle (for all hair types). It is pricey, but it is so concentrated, that very little shampoo is needed. My hair is down to my waist and a quarter sized amount is plenty. I could probably get away with much less, since shampooing the scalp is really all you need to do and the suds rinse over the rest as you rinse. That helps to retain color a little longer as well.
    If I need a quick root and fade cover up for an occasion and don't have the time to do a full re-color job, Manic Panic in Rock n Roll red or Pillar red work well. They probably wouldn't do much for hair that is not already red, however.

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  55. I have short, color processed hair and can't go a day without washing it because it is sticking up all over the place when I get up in the morning. For you, I would recommend the Shielo Volume Shampoo. Its EXCELLENT at protecting the colored hair, and it has worked great to keep the volume in my hair without adding any build up.

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  57. I used this hair dye to dye my hair red and I love it!! My question is what color do. you use to up keep the red? Do you use the hi-lights every 3 weeks or just on root touch up? Any info would be so helpful!!

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  59. I had read somewhere to add a little bit of your red hair dye to your shampoo and conditioner. I had tried this after dying my hair with a box dye (Garnier Nutrisse light intense auburn R3) and I added that into a sulfate free shampoo. I can say that the red didn't fade too quickly, yet I can't say for sure that it was because of they dye in the shampoo or if it was just a really good dye. The only downside was that after not having red hair anymore, I had no use for the rest of the shampoo and conditioner. Has anyone else heard of or tried this?

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  61. Great write up! You have such gorgeous hair so I'm sure all these commenters are thrilled that you've shared some of your secrets!

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  62. If my hair is already red from using the hicolor hilights in red, but my roots are showing through, could I still use the hicolor hilights in red without using developer

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  63. I died my hair using the Magenta L'Oreal hicolor and it came out way brighter than I thought. My question is, if I were to run a black or dark brown rinse through it will it just make it a shade or 2 darker or cover it completely?

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  64. As a side note, make sure you go for regular trims! I usually go about 12 weeks, but neglected my hair recently and left it 6 months (*blush*). Damaged hair will fade a darn sight faster than healthy hair, resulting in a very unintentional ombre look to my fading red hair! I'm now using Redken extreme anti snap, which is working wonders sealing the split ends while they grow out, and I'm already seeing an improvement in the colour fading slower and more evenly.

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  65. i have oily hair. how can avoid deranged shampoo/a> .please give me proper solution

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HEY! Thanks for dropping by. xo KB