Have you ever thought of colouring your hair? Let’s talk J’ouvert hair!
Coloured hair has become a growing trend in Jamaica and around the world, not just for women but for men as well, both young and old. We know people are colouring their hair to hide their greys or highlight them (as with the salt and pepper style) or make a statement as a bold blonde, a feisty fuchsia or a daring red! Coloured hair is simply not just for necessity but for defining and shaping individuals into who they want to be and with the colours they want to identify with. Colouring one’s hair, therefore, is a personal decision. So, let’s make some colour magic and get J’ouvert hair.
How many of you colour your own hair or would like to start but is unsure of the procedure? Today, we will look at the steps to bleaching and colouring your own hair and save yourselves some “ka-ching ching”!
The first step in colouring your hair is Hair-bleaching or hair-lightening. To get your hair colour at its most potent (to make it pop), hair bleaching is highly recommended as the first step to colouring your hair. Bleaching your hair to a light shade is a must! Your hair must not be black or too dark or the new colour will not show very well. There are several ways to bleach or lighten your hair, using various types of mixed products. The bleach is formed by making a paste with an anhydrous bleach (bleach without water, i.e. bleach powder such as basic white or quick blue) and hydrogen peroxide. You apply the paste directly to the sections of your hair that you want to colour and let it stand until you can visibly see the change in your hair. Some types of hair will process a lot faster than other so you may start to see the change immediately.
According to L'Oreal Paris Beauty Magazine, there are at least five ranges of colours: temporary, semi -permanent, demi-permanent, permanent and highlights. Demi-permanent, simple refers to a bleach and colour combination kit, where the bleaching and the colouring takes place simultaneously – often called a box colour. So read the colour package carefully to see which colour range is right for you. By this stage, you would already know which colour you want, whether it’s a single store-bought colour or an amalgamation of colours to create a unique look. Colours have a way of changing intensity in your hair when compared with the colour on the packaging. This is often based on the shade of your hair before the application of the colour and the processing time. So again, read the package carefully and monitor your hair to see how it’s progressing.
After bleaching or colouring your hair you should commit to treating your hair with the right oils and products to regain and maintain its moisture. This includes using cream oils such as shea butter, liquid oils such as coconut or castor oil and applying deep conditioning masques to the shaft of the hair. The benefits of rehydrating the hair after colouring and bleaching are abundant.
The main ones are:
It strengthens the strands, making them less prone to breakage and split ends.
It nourishes the roots of your hair, reducing the likelihood of baldness.
It thickens the hair, restoring volume and integrity.
It makes your hair more manageable, reducing frizz, static, and tangles.
Therefore, be sure to rehydrate!
Finally, the frequency of recolouring will depend on the type of dye that is used (temporary or permanent) while re-bleaching will depend on the rate at which your hair grows. It is important to monitor the progress of your bleached and coloured hair to see if the colour is fading and how healthy your hair is.
Let’s recap!
Colouring your hair is a personal choice as it changes the texture and tone of your hair. Before starting this journey, do a little research on hair bleaching and colouring to see if this is really a journey you want to take. Remember, bleaching is a necessary first step in colouring your hair if you really want that new colour to pop! Always care your newly bleached and coloured hair as this is important in maintaining the integrity and quality of your hair. Finally, colouring your own hair will save you time and money and can give deep-seated satisfaction and joy especially when the results are far greater than expected.
Now that you know the simple, easy colouring process, is J’ouvert hair the path for you? Will you colour your life?
Contributed by Wraqesha and VP Shauna
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