Achieving bright red hair

Ask any of my friends or just people who know of me and the first thing they'll say to describe me is that I'm short and have bright red hair. I can not deny either as they are facts. I get a lot of questions about my hair. So I figured I'd explain the process. Lets begin..

I have naturally thick, mixed hair so typical hair techniques and products sometimes don't work, but what I do should be fine for everyone. My step mother is a hair dresser so I'm not just some teenager thinking I know how to do hair lol.

So first I bleach my hair, I do not wash my hair for 3-4 days before bleaching as the dirt and oils help protect your scalp. I use ice cream bleach which comes in a packet for about $4 and is blue bleach I mix it with 30- 40 volume peroxide. The amount you need depends on the length of your hair if your not sure buy more its always better to have more than less.

Try not to use box bleach as its just bad for your hair more so than this bleach, not saying it doesn't work but sometimes it doesn't work as well.

Mix the bleach and using gloves and a streaking brush start applying the bleach. If its your first time dying your hair ever where you start doesn't usually matter but start from ends to roots. For hair that's been dyed previously begin at the ends and do your whole head leaving the roots till the end.Virgin hair takes less time to process and will hold the colour better. For someone doing only streaks I suggest not putting the bleach directly on your scalp as you can hid that bit of roots and your not damaging your scalp.

Let the bleach process no longer than a half hour, you can leave it on longer but after the first half hour its lift as much as your gonna get with very little change afterwards so why over process and damage your hair further.

If you do want it lighter I suggest getting a toner which goes on for only a few minutes and can lift it to practically white.

After its done wash your hair shampoo and that's it.

Towel dry your hair, for the first time dying it red you may wish to buy two dyes. The main one is a stain any brand. I use a brand called directions and either a poppy red or pillarbox red which has more of a purple hue. Stains are good because the have no ammonia and are less damaging but they do wash out, do it long enough and you'll wish it did wash out. The second dye is either a box red just to give it a more permanent base red or go to a salon and have them do this whole first couple steps and you can just touch up with the stain.

Assuming you are doing everything yourself, take your box dye and apply as the directions say. Let it process for a half hour rinse shampoo only. Now take your stain for the whole head it will probably require the whole tin again buy more if you have longer hair. Cover your head thoroughly with the stain and cover it with a plastic bag. I suggest Vaseline on your forehead ears and neck because it will stain your skin and clothes. Feel free to run a blow dryer on it as heat opens up the cuticles in your hair.

After 15 -20 mins rinse it out only condition and use cold water to close your cuticles and help hold the colour. Do not be alarmed if this is your first time having it red and when you wash it you still have some blonde it will disappear the second time.

Use a good leave in condition/oil two days later to help repair your hair.

and your done. I think lol .

some helpful hints and products

ice cream has a colour mask line(Kromask) in many colours that conditions your hair. There is actually dye in the cream and it helps keep the colour from fading in between dyes works wonders.

Dry shampoo. avoiding washing your hair as long as possible dry shampoo helps give you that extra day and takes away the look and feel of oily hair.

if you straighten or blow dry your hair use the right products to protect your hair as bleach is very damaging.

and thats it good luck. Maybe ill do a video of me doing my hair who knows :)

some links to pictures of the products and their description
all products are available at shoppers drugmart except the directions stain that you order online or if you are in Hamilton you can buy it from a store called out of the past

Kromask http://www.inebrya.it/en/news/news/ice-cream-kromask/

Conditioner and good shampoo http://www.inebrya.it/en/products/I015/I032/

Directions http://www.lariche.co.uk/directions-hair-colour/

box red http://www.google.ca/imgres?q=loreal+red&um=1&hl=en&biw=1007&bih=636&tbm=isch&tbnid=wi5BPHZq3Ysp8M:&imgrefurl=http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/compare-prices/recital&docid=V6MRwE_hILcoNM&imgurl=http://www.comparestoreprices.co.uk/images/re/recital-performance-lreal-recital-performance-light-red-11-.jpg&w=300&h=300&ei=VxatTpq4NIKjsQLQ75mYDw&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=478&sig=114564329611443281693&page=1&tbnh=141&tbnw=157&start=0&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:0&tx=107&ty=92

dry shampoo http://www.google.ca/imgres?q=tresemme+dry+shampoo&um=1&hl=en&biw=1007&bih=636&tbm=isch&tbnid=IMstC_8BcRGC0M:&imgrefurl=http://misswiggle.blogspot.com/2010/07/quick-review-tresemme-dry-shampoo-and.html&docid=9N9W_FTzInLVoM&imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_Wqfz44JvfhM/TDy1Qcafl_I/AAAAAAAAAnE/RBLppXfELEI/s1600/Tresemme-printalbe-coupon1.jpg&w=381&h=391&ei=gBatTu6NE8zLsQLZh_WLDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=239&vpy=166&dur=3033&hovh=227&hovw=222&tx=173&ty=122&sig=114564329611443281693&page=1&tbnh=133&tbnw=130&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0