Big Change

HOW I WENT FROM BLACK HAIR BACK TO NORMAL HAIR!

Like in my last post, I mentioned I boxed dyed my hair. I really wish I never did. I do want people to know not to do this because its difficult to remove from your hair, and it will damage it.

Heres my before and after:

 My hair was very very black. I looked extremely pale. I just went with it because I didn't know what to do! It did bring out my hazel eyes more, but I regret it. Thankfully, getting help, especially since I went to beauty school, I got the black out! Here's how:

• I sat at the shampoo bowl
• Mixed equal parts of bleach, 10 volume developer, and shampoo
• Mix
• Apply to darkest areas first, usually at the nape
• Don't apply to your roots for they are new growth and will lift faster. Avoid hot roots!
• We let it sit for 20 minutes
• My hair was no longer black, but was a mahogany color
• Applied a level 5N with some ash to tone the red down

3 months later (the bottom picture I posted) I got highlights

I received a half head of highlights. As a student, we perform student services on one another and it cost nothing but products to do these services. My friend Courtney has been doing my hair since. She did diagonal sections, weaving thin highlights all over. I didn't want chunky highlights for it would look bad on me. We used a 20 volume developer with Wella Bleach. We left this on for about an 50 minutes since the bleach stops processing afterwards. My hair lifted to a blonde nacho cheese, yum. Once my hair was washed out and blow dried, we applied a Paul Mitchell PM Shines as our "toner". The color we used was a 6BV which stands for Darkest Blue Violet Blonde. The BV tones out orange/yellow tones that were left in my hair. We diluted the color with 1 ounce clear shines to make into a 7BV since Paul Mitchell only makes 3BV, 6BV, and 9BV. But diluting lets you make any level you can get to. You let the shines process for about 20 minutes, and your done!

After time I kept receiving highlights with a 30 volume which came out lighter than this. We used a UTP toner to knock out that orange I still would get from previous coloring (damn black). Then we applied the BV over. I loved it! But the maintenance was getting a bit much. My natural level is a 4 which is dark brown. It's noticeable when my hair would grow out, even if it was weaved! I just have strange hair. Now I am an all over medium chocolate brown. I will get highlights again in the summer, but for winter I love being brunette. My underneath is still darker due to being dyed a dark brown with the highlights, but I don't mind it! It looks good and I love it.

If you get highlights, make sure to tell your stylist what you want exactly. They will understand. Sometimes what you say and what a stylist say are completely different. If you feel like you can't explain it in technical terms, take a picture or say you want natural woven highlights. They will come out looking gorgeous. Yes us brunettes can get highlights! Not platinum blonde though, but caramel colored. Also, deep condition that hair because bleaching dries it out! This will make your hair look amazing.