THE Hair Post

I'm constantly asked about my hair colour so here's how I mix my pastel pink colour, I've popped some FAQ's at the bottom of this post as well but anything else you'd like to know please get in touch! 

Enjoy...

You will need

La Riche Directions Rose Red

Bottle of white conditioner (you can use any brand, just make sure it's white so you can see the colour mix properly)

Mixing bowl

Tint brush

Use enough conditioner to completely cover your hair, I mix a whole 500ml bottle so the I've got more than enough, I have shoulder length, pretty thick hair and a 500ml bottle is more than enough for my amount of hair, so keep that in mind! You can use any remainder for top ups, I use the same mix whenever I wash my hair for a little top up of colour.

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I use Rose Red to create my pastel pink as it's an incredibly pigmented colour so when you mix it down to create a pastel it's still got loads of colour quality!

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Start with a tiny amount of Rose Red, I actually just like half a pea sized amount to create a pastel colour, it may sound like not enough but you just have to trust me, you'll see once you start mixing! It's easier to start with a small amount and add colour gradually to get your perfect colour than wasting the mix! 

TIP: When it comes to the colour of the mixture vs the colour you're hair will turn out you want to aim for roughly the same colour, maybe a touch darker (brighter if you're going for a pastel shade) I've found that the mixture colour is pretty true to the end result. If you're unsure remember you can always do a strand test beforehand to make sure!

Ensure you've throughly mixed the colour together before you start application

Use your tinting brush to apply the colour, I start from the roots and work it through the length of my hair, making sure all the hair is coating, pay attention to the tips to make sure your colour is even

I usually leave my colour on for about an hour or two, as we're using a tiny amount of semi permanent colour mixed with colour it's really not damaging so I don't worry too much about the time! I also put cling film all around my hair to make sure it all stays in place, it also heats up the heat a bit so the colour absorbs really well

Rinse out your hair as normal, until the water runs (kind of) clear, this is semi permanent so they'll always be a little colour run when you wash your hair

And Viola! Pink pastel hair! 

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Hair dye brands:

I've always used La Riche Directions semi permanent dyes, that's just what I've used since I was 16, I've always been happy with the colours, application and finished colour so I've not really felt the need to branch out, it's also the most widely available brand in the UK I think (and affordable!) I've also heard great things about Manic Panic and Crazy Colour but as I've not used them I obviously can't review them! There's loads of different brands and colour out there so my suggestion is that if you're using something new try a little out first to make sure you like it before whacking it all over your head! 

Other popular questions answered:

I'll apply this same colour mixture once a week to keep my colour fresh, pastel hair colour fades quicker so it does take some upkeep! Once a week should be fine, it does depends on how often you wash your hair though, I wash my hair a couple of times a week.

My hair is bleached blonde underneath the pink, I do not do my own bleaching! I go to the awesome Hula Hair in Selby, UK. She takes care of all my bleaching, I wouldn't recommend at home bleaching as it is super damaging, even if you think you're being careful, box dyes are very bad for you hair and that bleach damage will catch up to you, trust me! I've been there, I had to have all my hair cut off but to a few inches and it SUCKED. So just find yourself a great hairdresser. 

The lighter your hair the better your pastel colour will be, I'm afraid you'll more than likely have to bleach if you're after light pastel shades!

Washing your coloured hair with cold water helps prolong the colour, don't leave your hair to soak in the tub or shower for too long, I just do quick washes now to prevent colour run! Cold water also helps prevent colour bleeding

Wear old clothes when applying the colour, also wear gloves!

Apply your colour to dry hair, it's easier, the colour will absorb better, and helps prevent colour bleeding if you're doing more than one colour

If you're using more than one colour separate the sections of hair first, apply the colour with a tint brush to make sure you're getting a tight section then either clip up securely or wrap with tin foil to keep the different coloured sections of hair from touching. Wash out with cold water to avoid bleeding

Want a really specific colour but can't find it? Mix colours together! You can create your own signature colour, just have a little experiment, start my mixing a small batch so you're not wasting the hair dye if it goes wrong, (just keep a note of what proportions you're using of each for when you've found your perfect colour!) 

Hair Care Products:

My hair is very 'highly styled' which means I use a lot of hair colour, lots of hair spray, back combing and well I do ALOT to  it, it's not in the most perfect condition but I really try to take care of it! In order to help minimise damage I try to avoid blowdrying and let my hair dry naturally. I don't use straighteners and prefer to avoid doing curl sets using heat tools too often. I am very careful when bleaching my roots, and leave as far in between bleaching as I can, I ONLY bleach my roots, avoid the dreaded (and super damaging) overlapping!

Tresemme Keratin Shampoo, and Colour Protect Conditioner

For deep conditioning I use a Joico K-Pax Deep-Penetrating Reconstructor and Joico K-Pax Intense Hydrator, I can't recommend these two products enough, they have done wonders for my 'highly styled' hair!

I love the Kenra Professional range for hair care and styling, their serum and blow dry spray is wonderful for taking care of your hair!

I hope you've found this post helpful, I think I've got most of your questions answered, anything else you'd like to know just leave a comment below, remember you can see daily hair pictures and advice and tips on my Facebook and Instagram pages



Thank you for reading!

xx