So, I'm dying my hair black...maybe not all of it, but we'll see. It's temporary color, just to see if I'll enjoy being goth for a little while, but I've only ever dyed my hair with regular hair dye, and my roommate did it that time because I have no idea how to do such things.

The brand is Color Fiend, and it's in a little box with two little pouches. The real question is, should I wash my hair then dye then wash, or dye then wash, or dye then not wash? No box instructions, I guess they assume you know these things....

9/4/2008 12:39:24 PM

try this in the shop thread in chit chat

9/4/2008 12:46:30 PM

I'll give it a shot

9/4/2008 12:49:33 PM

I suggest that you don't dye it black... you can't undo black.

I dyed mine black in high school, and decided about 4 months later I didn't like it. Unfortunately, I had to wait a year for it to grow out and cut off the black, and it looked wicked awful during that time. You'll get the same effect with dark brown, and that can be lightened later if you want to change it.

9/4/2008 1:03:37 PM

well, when I say temporary, I mean it's water based and is supposed to be gone in two weeks. I had the same experience with fishbowl blue from curious goods. it was supposed to be gone in a month and you could still see a tinge of it 6 months later...
i was not pleased.

this stuff looks pretty harmless, though, I just got it from hot topic. what about the washing/non-washing question?

9/4/2008 1:10:37 PM

Black WILL stick around. Blue is not a natural hue so it will wash out a lot easier than black. My friend did black for the first time ever and loved it but after a few months she wanted a change so she visited a salon and they gave her lots and lots of highlights that hid the darkness of the black. In my opinion her hair looked hot with the highlights.

So if you don't like it and can't wait for it to grow out you'll have to go to a salon.

I did black, it was a no go.

9/4/2008 1:15:14 PM

Dye and then rinse the dye out followed by a wash and condition.
With most dye the oil in your hair actually helps the dye stick. I'm not sure if this is the same for your water based temporary.

Blue is never a good story. My mom actually did royal blue highlights in mine in H.S. She wanted to bleach it first. Well, she decided to go run an errand while the bleach was sitting and got stuck in traffic (of course i'm sitting in the laundry room next to the sink not allowed to move or wash it out myself). My hair was very bleach blonde AND she pulled too much out of the cap so it was basically the whole top layer of my hair. When the blue washed out it was green and then light green and then back to blonde. When it was green I wore it up and covered the green with mascara (I have dark brown hair). I dyed it with permanent dark brown as soon as the green was gone.

9/4/2008 6:51:20 PM

do you guys not understand the premise of temporary hair dye?




dye, rinse, wash.

9/4/2008 7:25:42 PM

Normally before you dye you're supposed to wait at least 24 hours after shampooing. The oils in your hair help protect it from the harsh dye. Since you're not sure you'll like the color, waiting a few days since your last wash is probably a good idea. Oilier hair won't soak up the color as well and it'll come out easier. Shampooing within 24 hours of a dye job will make it fade faster, so do that if you hate the color right away.

In my experience, there's no such thing as a "moisturizing" hair dye, only one that's less drying.

9/4/2008 9:30:40 PM

I don't know anything about "over the counter" box color, but for the best results color should be applied to dry hair and then wash it out after the recommended timing on the box. If the box does not tell you, then I would not use it. It sounds pretty bad.

and temporary color rinses out after one wash, so it seems like you picked up semi-permanent?

If your hair is blonde, it could fade out to a really nasty orangish brown in a few days or weeks...or not fade out at all. Over the counter box color can be pretty rough on your hair.

If you don't know much about what you are doing, then I wouldn't try it even if it's your friend doing it, because corrective hair color in a salon can be expensive. Especially if they know that you have messed up your hair...

<---- hair stylist

[Edited on September 5, 2008 at 12:57 AM. Reason : ...]

9/5/2008 12:39:52 AM

the last ultra temporary dye I had instructed to wash the hair, apply the dye when wet and then rinse without shampooing until the water runs clear. you can follow up with some conditioner if your hair feels rough, but temporary dyes only have a limited number of washes in their useful lifespan.


the very temporary dyes aren't supposed to done like permanent dyes- there is no "developer (ammonia and hydrogen peroxide) to open the hair cuticle. your dye is just sticking to the outside of your hair, and oil prevents that. you leave your hair oily when applying permanent dye to keep your hair from becoming completely dried out from the developer.

9/5/2008 1:56:25 AM

If it lasts two weeks then it's not temporary...

If that stuff is temporary and only lasts for one wash, then yes wash it first...and apply it wet.

Anything "chemical" on your hair that is not considered temporary should be washed out after application...

9/5/2008 2:08:57 AM

What kind of crappy hair dye doesn't come with instructions

9/5/2008 2:20:43 AM

I dye my hair often - don't wash it before hand so your natural oils will keep the dye from staining your scalp and so it won't harm your hair too badly - I've had my hair just about every color in the book - if it gets TOO dark (after one wash) then buy a bottle of Purell and put it in your hair while its dry (I'm talking half the bottle) and let it sit for about 30 mins to an hr and it will take a lot of the color out due to the high amt of sulfates in it

Considering its temporary, its probably going to fade within a day or so anyway, but I wouldn't wash my hair until after I dye it

9/5/2008 4:58:09 AM

I'd be wary of even a temporary hair color. If you put spray on "temporary" 1 day hot pink dye on blonde hair you'll be pink for months. It depends on how big the molecules of the dye are and how readily they'll penetrate or stain the hair shaft. You wont' find that on the box, and you're way too cute to risk it.

If you want to see what it's like being goth go to the party store and try on a black wig to make sure it doesn't make your face looked washed out. You might also want to do something about your eyebrows to make them look darker.

9/5/2008 7:22:54 AM

Go to sally beauty supply and get manic panic. Washes out quick and the red does not leave any color behind.

The other stuff sally carries I liked better (red lasted longer, was more like red highlights than completely red) but it left my hair a little bit darker. I can't remember the name but it was in a squirt bottle.

9/5/2008 1:20:12 PM

you're not goth anyway lol


i think you have to be born that way

9/5/2008 2:11:55 PM

Clarifying shampoo will help if it takes too much to the hair.

1 tablespoon of baking soda mixed in with two applications of shampoo will help remove build up as well if left on the hair long enough...(15-20 mins is average)...It can help lift some of the unwanted color out.

Shimmering Lights (for blonde hair) it's a purple shampoo that will help lift unwanted tones such as brassiness and can help if temporary color will not come out...

I've never heard of the Purell trick, that's neat!

All of this stuff can help, but nothing will absolutely remove the color depending on the porosity of the person's hair.

9/5/2008 2:25:26 PM

ewwwwww hooooooo witchaaaa woooman

9/5/2008 4:37:54 PM

If your hair absorbed blue its going to take on the black just the same because the base color behind black is ... blue. I knew before looking at your photos your hair was probably lighter anyway, which it looks like it is. You also have color treated hair which means your hair is going to soak up that pigment fast. Semi-permanent meaning its temporary if your hair is 2 shades higher or lower then the color of the dye AND that your hair hasn't been dyed.

Quote :

"I just got it from hot topic."

yeah, this is a good indication that this is going to end poorly. Not having directions is just the icing on the cake. However, this also suggests that your probably not big on your hair anyway

apply the color while your hair is dirty. The oils help protect the hairshaft and will also help keep the color from "sticking" longer then you would like it to. Apply color, sit let it sit ~15-30, shampoo, condition, and dont was again for at least 24 hours. If you can go 2 days then do that.

[Edited on September 5, 2008 at 8:05 PM. Reason : i hadn't looked at your photos yet]

9/5/2008 8:00:50 PM

http://www.wigshop.com/product.asp?nid=2&did=113&pid=1254&mscssid=&adsrc=&pg=1&sort=1

9/5/2008 10:33:02 PM