Reader Nayesha says;
I’ve technically been natural my whole life, but before 2007 I was natural in name only. I would fry my hair with the flat iron, weigh it down with braid extensions and color it excessively. Now that I’m natural I’m debating venturing into color again, but doing it in a healthy way — going to a stylist, etc. But before I do, I just wanted to hear your readers’ thoughts on color. In their opinion, is it worth it?
Great question! And great excuse for me to add some polls 😀 Ladies, do you think color is worth it? And do you experience damage when you color your hair? Vote in the polls then share your thoughts in the comment box.
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64 Responses
Looks like family separation somewhere in Alabama or Arizona! They need to hang this pic in their state assemblies-!best diablo 3 gold
wow i’m late, but i wanted to add that i’ve been dying my hair in permanent colors- blonde, burgundy, auburn, browns, reds, blacks, etc. since high school, and i don’t think it damages my hair. it has the effect of a texturizer for me, so it’s part for color and part for loosening my curls to an extent. i think it’s worth it, too. some people can’t do color- it can be just as harsh as perm, while others can. i dye mine blonde now regularly, and i haven’t noticed any damage-but then again, when i “touch it up” i don’t recolor the part that’s already been color-processed. that probly WOULD break it off- i only dye the new growth approximately once every 2-3 months. as you would a relaxer. for my part, i prefer this shade of blondish because it brings out my complexion better, makes it look more radiant. my natural color is dull, kinda. i even preferred the jet black hair dye to my natural dark brown color. i use the dark and lovely permanent luminous blonde- which is bright depending on how long you leave it in and what color you’re bleaching it up from. so it almost never turns up that light on my hair, except on my edges because those are the parts of my hair that get flat ironed the most- so thy’re more susceptible to the effects of the dye. dye is something you should exercise caution with. it can take your hair out if done incorrectly- i do mine at home and get compliments on the color from time to time,
also i’ve begun to notice a lot more black girls around campus trying to do the blonde that i’ve been doing now for years. it’s kinda funny actually. so experiment, see what works. henna sounds like it might be exciting to try as well. and go with a semi-permanent or temporary before opting for permanent.
Girl! I am having the same problem! I transitioned for 5months and have been fully natural 4 2 months now. When I was relaxed my hair was almost always honey blonde and I really miss the color. but now that i’m natural, yes i want the color, but i want my hair to b as healthy as possible just as much as i want the color. I keep saying, i’m going to let my hair grow out for a bit so i won’t have to keep coloring it as it grows, causing more damage. I guess we’ll c when the time comes…
I’m just chicken. Not even gonna lie. XD
Plus, I love my jet-black hair colour.
It really depends on what kind of color you do. I went to a salon and had a high lift tint put on my hair that lightened it several shades. It’s not bleach but it is peroxide. At first I had no problems but after re-coloring and touch-ups for about 3 years, my hair is really dry and very difficult to detangle. I am growing it out now, but it is almost like transitioning again. I would say to try to stay away from really light colors and maybe try highlights or henna.
Henna is the only hair color I’ve ever done (and ever will do). Henna is messy but fun. I like the subtle red tint my hair has in the sunlight. I used Dulhan Meehendi Henna from a local Indian grocer.
I’ve never done chemical hair color but the stories of texture change, breakage and dryness are enough to deter me. I would hate a texture change of any sort. I like to keep my haircare simple so I don’t want to do anything that would add layers of complexity.
I colour my hair, I went to the Aveda hair salon, and I used L’oreal box highlights, I tend to colour sections, plus I use henna at the back of my hair which is not coloured and cassia on the coloured part of my hair, I do my colouring at home, so I add a little olive oil to stop the drying effect of colour. I use a heavy protein Mega tek and deep condition also. So far, I have been very pleased with my hair and that is one of the reasons, why I was glad to be natural, because I am able to use a higher lift and I am very pleased with my results.
Does lightening count?
Because I lighten my hair using lemon juice or Sun-In (mostly Sun-In) during the summer and then let my hair darken itself up over the rest of the year before I lighten it again.
i color my hair all the time….and my hair has suffered minimal damage. I went from my natural color to red to red and black to all black…to back to brown and now red…again…I condition like i have a jheri curl and all is well!
[img]https://bglhonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/IMG00611-20100918-2219-3.jpg[/img]
[img]https://bglhonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/163790_10150104733820071_675335070_7996029_3179455_n-1.jpg[/img]
Love it, sis! Your hair looks dope! What brand of color do you use?
I just colored my hair for the first time in Oct 2010 and love it. I went from waist length black locs to shoulder length brown locs with blonde highlights. I got it done at the salon and have had no issues with breakage or damage. My locs do require more moisturizing, but other than that, its been all good.
Because long hair is my goal, I only use henna to color and condition my hair. I had highlights back in the 90’s and each highlight broke off eventually. I used to dye my hair with demi and permanent hair color and even that was too drying – even when I wasn’t lifting the color. I’m leaving commercial hair color alone indefinitely.
I did all I can: deep conditioning, protein treatments, etc and my hair still broke off. Some people’s hair is just too delicate for harsh color.
Does anybody have experience with organic hair dye?
Body Quality Art Henna is the only way to go. Naturtint and Herbatint dont work well.
I dye my hair every month or so, because I have about 25% gray, and it makes me look old! (Think Florida Evans or Cedric the Entertainer from Barber Shop lol) Rinses don’t really work on it, so I have to use permanent color on it. I’m allergic to it and it itches my scalp for a few days afterward, but it is so worth it to not look 20 years older than what I am. Jus sayin.
I love color, but I haven’t done anything crazy like I used to for fear of damage. I’ve done Almost every color under the sun! blue, Pink, red, Purple…. i had cherry red hair with black bangs for a long, long time but now that i’ve gone natural, i’ve resisted coloring, specifically bleaching because I’m scared of damaging the awesome hair i’m growing. if anyone knows a way for me to have hot pink in my hair without it turning into fried crisp, dry straw, let me know!
is that her in the picture?
I color my hair because I have too much grey hair to be in my 20s but its all in the type of color you get. Those 3 dollar box dyes will tear up your hair. There is only one box dye I would recommend and its 11.00 a box. I would say if you are going to color natural hair and want curls when you get done you should go to a professional colorist (this is complicated chemistry) or a beauty college that specializes in color like Aveda or Paul Mitchell. This is the only way the formula can be changed before applying the color to your hair. When you buy dye from the store you dont know the level of developer that is in the box or how long its been sitting on the shelf and that is a huge problem. Dye does expire. You get what you pay for. I have tried all kinds of dye over the years and the ones that are mostly in white salons work the best for curly hair. So ladies don’t be afraid to step into an Aveda, JCPenny or Carlton salon. They have the best color in my opinion.
I used a henna coloring treatment. I put conditioner in my henna mixture. My hair has not broken off nor has it been dry. I keep it moisturized.
Don’t use bleach, especially if you’re not getting it done by a professional. That’s where the damage begins.
I have had my hair colored several times since I’ve gone natural. Next month makes 2 years. I have some blonde highlights, caramel and a reddish color. I have not suffered any damage or breakage. I keep my hair moisturized and deep condition weekly. I don’t see what the big deal is about getting color. ~shrugs~
I used Jamila Henna and got a very nice reddish gold color. I think I followed the recipe on Moptopmaven’s website. The color was very noticeable and I left the henna on my hair for a few hours. Certainly beats chemical coloring.
A natural friend of mine recently went to an Aveda Institute and got color. It was a great experience for her. The color they use there is 99% natural and contains no bleach. She didn’t go super light, but it is definitely very brown and noticeable. She has nothing but positive things to say, and since then hasn’t had any issues with her hair (it’s been about 2 months since). When she was permed, color ravaged her hair (which could be most of our testimony I suppose), but with this Aveda color she’s doing fine. I think it’s worth a try IF it’s natural dye AND it’s done by a professional.
I heard the Aveda salon is the best and the products are the best for natural hair
A friend of mine suggested that we try an Aveda Concept Salon for color. May just look into this…. They also have junior stylists who will color natural hair; something to keep in mind for those of us who are on a tight budget:)
Question ladies…
I was thinking about doing henna but I have dark hair, practically black, so I was wondering if it would show up at all? I have a few gray hairs that urk the heck outta me (I’m 25 years old) and every time I clip them they just come back. I am seriously considering putting Henna in my hair. I’ve watched many tutorials online and the process is not complicated, I just dont think I will have much of a color change. Maybe just a tint or nothing at all. Will the Henna at least hide my gray hairs?
No real drastic color change, you’ll see it mostly in certain lights. I definitely know my hair turned lighter but I know it’s due to me using honey in all my mixes. Honey is a natural lightner but that happens over time too. I kind of hate having lighter hair and would definitely like jet black or something close to it. It covers my greys really well and because of that I know when my hair is growing too. A grey hair on my head used to be really little and then I noticed it was getting grey again at the roots. I looked at it closer and saw that I had gotten atleast an inch to and inch and a half of growth. It’s really cool to see the growth without measuring. Plus grey hair colored red/orange is pretty hott lol.
Okay, thanks for the reply. I will probably still do it out of curiosity and to know that at least my gray hairs will be covered. I cant stand when they just pop out in random places. lol
my hair is pretty dark also… I did my henna treatment about a week ago and saw no change in color but I did like the fact that my hair felt stronger after.
I have color and my hair is just fine.
I was 6 months natural and so giddy about rocking a color with my new curls. I was warned by a fellow natural to not get a permanent color and look what I did. I got a color. I think if I would have rocked my regular shade, my hair would be longer and healthier. I didn’t know about henna at the time. Its not horrid but if I would have left the harsh chems alone…
I think it all depends on the person and if they are willing to commit to taking care of color treated hair because it WILL take more work unless they are using a natural dye.
I think color is fine if you know that you have the time (or the resources) for the extra care that colored hair needs.
I used to have highlights and would love to do it again – but I’m going to wait until both of the munchkins are out of diapers. 😀
I colored my twa with a box hair color (brown) a few months after my big chop. It didn’t change my texture, but my ends always seemed dry. I wouldn’t do it again.
I used henna on my hair in April and was sad that my hair turned red. But I like it better now, the color mutes over time. And the henna didn’t make my hair dry.
box color:
[img]https://bglhonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Photo%20on%202010-11-08%20at%2018.33%20%233.jpg[/img]
henna:
[img]https://bglhonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Photo%20on%202011-04-28%20at%2012.02%20%232.jpg[/img]
Did you do the henna yourself?
Jade your hair looks good especially with the henna, now I’m contemplating giving henna a try. Thank you for providing examples of each. Ooow
Yes, I did. My best friend started to use henna, so I asked what she used. It’s Dulhan Henna Mehndi from an Indian grocery store. (Her hair turns out glossy and dark with red strands that are visible in the sun.)
It was very messy, so lay down newspaper, wipe up spills asap, and wear your gloves. I rinsed my hair out without gloves and my nails are still orange.
I was wondering what color did you use from that website!?
Very pretty! I love the red look on you.
I love red. That’s why I wanna do henna so badly. I’m not into the blonde-ish colors… henna is right up my alley and you just proved it!!
Thank you for the compliments, ladies.
Off topic- the halter neck top you’re wearing is super cute 🙂
I like the colour of your hair too.
Thank you, it was given to me by a friend.
WOW that colour looks gr8 on you!!!
I like to color my hair. I did it with the relaxer and will again as a natural once I give birth in July. My hair hasn’t broken off, but I only color it twice a year, get the ends trimmed, and am serious about conditioning it. That being said, color isn’t for everyone. I have friends who will keep up the maintenance and their hair still broke off :-(. If my hair began to suffer, I would stop… begrudgingly, because the gray hair is coming in, lol.
I only do rinses. They only coat the hair so theres no damaging effect.
if your hair can handle color, then yes, it’s worth it. color changes my hair’s texture, so it’s not worth it for me. while transitioning, i got the first highlights i’ve ever had in my life, done professionally at a hair salon. it was a beautiful bronze color. i didn’t notice any damage while transitioning because i had it straightened.
however, months after i BC’d, i noticed that my highlighted hair had a looser curl pattern than the uncolored hair. after that, i knew that as much as i loved color, i needed to opt for different things.
henna is okay, but i’m not really sold on it as far as coloring. on my one year hair anniversary, i really wanted blue hair but knowing what i knew about what it does to my texture, i opted for extension clip-ins for my length check.
i think when i loc my hair in the future, i’ll live out my color dreams, but for right now, it’s not worth it to change my hair texture.
https://msjanelle.blogspot.com
I am always so torn on this subject! I went natural because relaxers ALWAYS burned my scalp no matter what kind. Coloring does the same thing, but I never remember until the color is sitting in my hair (always done professionally). For the past 4 years I’ve been getting a Beyonce blonde-ish color. I would get a trim and color every 6 months. The dark roots aren’t cute, but I don’t like the salon enough to go more than that. I like the color because it makes natural hair styles “pop”. I have slight issues with dryness at my ends. I wish I could say I treated my colored hair better, but I haven’t. Lucky enough it hasn’t broken off (I have what I call “ignorantly” strong hair). I will now be letting the color grow out because I miss my shiny black hair. My hair can be shiny in this color, but it just takes more work. All that to say- it all depends on you and your goals!
I have been debating this for a while. I have some people my hair looks dry…Not because I don’t condition it well but because the color is a washed out brown color…I am terrified on my texture changing..I have dont henna and maybe Ill just do it again but the henna process is sooooo longgggg… Idk :/
I think that you have to know your hair. My hair has always been strong -relaxed and natural – and able to take coloring with minimal (if any) damage. If my hair were fragile, I wouldn’t chance it. I was pretty sure that my hair would be okay. But just to be safe, I did a protein treatment and DC’d for two days before I colored (my color is very similar to the girl in the photo) and it’s been fine. No breakage, no extra dryness, nothing.
oh but i have no damage at all.lol
i love color also but i dont do mine bright plus i use products like loreal and garnier fructis so the color doesnt show so strong and the smell is wonderful *garnier fructis one.lol
Ok this is my take on the color situation. I honestly would not ever color my hair with chemicals, or strip my hair of color by bleaching it. I have colored my hair with henna, but the henna does not leave my hair too dry or strip it. It instead makes it stronger. The only real place on my head of hair I was targeting for color was my few greys that are strewn about my head. The main reason that I would not chemically color my hair is because I do not want the hassle of having to learn once again how to keep it moisturized. When I had a relaxer, another chemical, my hair was very hard to manage. It was constantly dry and when I tried to keep it moisturized it would just lie limp. So for me personally I would never color my hair because I could just see the fight for moisture being lost. Also I have seen many naturals say that they’ve colored their hair and that was their biggest regret.
ps:If I really wanted color, I could just get a clip on weave. Nice and Easy 🙂
+1
Been naturally curly for 8 yrs now. Now that I’m in my 40s the grays have been coming around. Trying to stay natural, I have not colored chemically, but I did try the Surya Brasil henna cream (they also have a powder). I get it at Whole Foods. It’s great! No smell, leaves my hair very soft and easy to use. I would like to try some highlights or some other color but a little bit leery as to what would go with my very dark hair and light skinned complexion. My haircolor looks too flat and one dimensional.
I have issues about coloring. It messes up my hair all day long. But I want to try henna coloring. I did a lot of reading about it and it seems to be essentially like conditioning in color!! I’m mastering my conditioning regimen and I plan to start henna at the start of 2012
i regret getting color. the pieces i got done are shedding out something terrible and it completely changed the texture of my hair. besides, i love the color of my natural hair, so i don’t know what i was thinking trying to impove on what was given to me naturally.
I have always loved color from my relaxed days. That was part of the reason why I went natural because my hair could not handle both. One piece of advice for anyone who decides to color their hair Condition your hair…Condition your hair..and one more time for the hard of reading…lol..Condition your hair….it is a must not an option.Also know the lighter the color the more damaging it can be learned that the hard way.
just my two and a half cents
I recently colored my hair. It’s a rinse; I’ve seen no damage but it took me almost a year to finally do it. I beefed up conditioning & moisturizing months before I did it. It was worth it, I got a new color for the summer but my marley hair no longer matches 🙁
I love color as well and colored all the time when I was relaxed with no problem so I see no reason to stop just because I am natural. I have colored twice since I have been natural 1 year this past Sunday and I have had no problems or damage at all; I just make sure to keep my mosture level up, which I have to do anyway because my hair is prone to dryness and I deep condition once a week and all is well. I plan to color again in the next month or two and will always do so whenever I feel like it because I get very bored with my hair and rather than cut it again, color will be the change I need :o)
I lovveeee experimenting with color. I get bored with my hair easily and right now I am dying to experiment with some reds this summer but my hair hates color. No matter how much time I take pampering it after, it breaks and gets damaged pretty badly. So its a no for me. I will just stick to henna for a little lightening effect.
I have actually been thinking about using henna on my hair, but because I’m completely natural, I’m nervous that a stylist won’t know how to use the henna. I’m also nervous that I will mess my hair up at home. Let’s just say I’m nervous. But I want to experiment!
Have you heard of this stuff? https://www.lush.ca/shop/products/hair/henna-hair-dyes/caca-rouge-mama
People who have tried it tell me it is not too drying because of the cocoa butter in it?
I recently tried henna at home myself… its a very simple task… takes a while to finish but very simple. I didn’t see much of a color difference but my hair does feel stronger and I have a more defined curl. You should try it out
For me, the answer depends on the reason for coloring. If I had a lot of gray hairs that I wanted to conceal, then I think coloring would be worth it. If it was just for the sake of changing things up, then I don’t think it’s worth the potential damage.