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2/21/11

Fixing A Bad Hair Coloring Job

I got my hair colored 2 weeks back at a salon, and I wasn't happy with the result. In spite of being a certified hairstylist myself, I always get confused when it comes to my own hair, especially with color. I'm not sure what went wrong, really. I told the guy I didn't want my hair to be bleached, but he (and his posse and the manager) told me it wasn't possible to lighten my hair without bleach. Then I thought it's rude to keep telling them how to do their jobs, right? So I shut up and went along with it.
They used a pre-lightener (twice, or in his words- 'refresh' the bleach) and then Loreal Majirel 8.31 (beige blonde). Here's what I looked like when I reached home (tired, with backache & apparently no lipstick)....

Managed a smile for the camera
It may not look so bad there, coz it was night time & with flash, but in daylight it looked like this...

>.< Me no likey! Leopard automatically came to mind
I paid 3000 rupees for that. Oh... the regret & the guilt!


What do you do? What do you do? You can't spend another 3-5k at a salon (that's the cost of global/all-over hair coloring). And you have to attend a 3 year-old's birthday party in a few days! Don't panic (yeah, right). This is where that cute cap you bought but never had the chance to wear will save the day.

Cap ~ Esprit (in case you'd like to know, lol)
Wear it, and go to the nearest supermarket. It's hot and your scalp is all sweaty, but you have to withstand that, woman! You need that hair color! 
So, I bought Loreal Excellence Creme in Natural Light Brown #6- the shade I was kinda looking for. I was thinking anything light brown.

Loreal Excellence Creme Natural Light Brown 6

Contents ~ Gloves, Pre-color serum, Color, Developer, Comb applicator & After-color Conditioner

The comb applicator did make it easier for me to coat my long straight strands.

Developing time- 45 mins

The result....

Right after (hair partially wet)

I missed coloring (or they were just being difficult) a few blond strands, especially at the back, but it's okay, I'll use another box next month, and concentrate on them. Whatever, at least the leopard mane is gone, no?

Here's a pic after one shampoo...


I'm quite happy with the result, and funnily it was the color I had in mind when I was at the salon. Sheesh!

Before & After

Loreal home hair colors have never (touchwood) disappointed me so far, and I've used a quite a few of them- Feria, Casting Creme, and 4-6 shades of Excellence Creme.

Price ~ Rs.499
Rating ~ ♥♥♥♥4.5/5. 

Definitely better than Wella Kolestint (review HERE) and can you believe Kolestint costs a little more than Excellence Creme?! Kolestint is Rs.519


Moral: Most hair problems begin with bad salon jobs, at least in my case. (My instinct actually yelled "Don't do it! Don't do it! You already know you won't be happy", but I went and did it anyway. I don't know why I have to be such a hair abuser!)
And yes, buy at least one cap or hat, no matter how ridiculous you think you look in them (although I'm sure there's a hat for everybody), especially if you like experimenting with your hair. I bet you will need it one day ;)


♥ Cynthia Z ^.^

28 comments:

  1. Omg same story. Last month I went to my stylist, and paid $200 for the colouring job just like your before pic!! and I wanted the colour in your after pic!! I was SOO pissed that right after I left the salon, I picked up a dark brown hair colour before I got home, and coloured my hair the very next day lol. My colour now is very dark brown, not quite what I wanted, but WAY better than the blonde mess I got as the salon.

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  2. the makeupholic- OMG $200?! I can totally understand u getting pissed! What a waste, right. Glad u fixed it at least, you can always lighten it later- by yourself! hehe

    ♥xx♥

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  3. The result you came up with looks a lot better than that hot mess the salon created :P

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  4. Saimese- Totally agree! =D

    ♥xx♥

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  5. Cynthia!!! Love your audacity sweetheart..!!! I could never do that!! I would all shattered after a bad color like that! but you almost undone it..

    XX

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  6. You did a great job. I've rencently been disappointing with L'Oréal Féria Power Reds but I guess the rest of the line is great anyway.

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  7. I can't imagine how it must be at the salon when you saw your end result :( Good thing you fixed it. Now it looks really nice and silky. I didn't find the salon job too bad though.

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  8. Ahhh...yes the coloring job you did definitely looks better than the salon. Iv never gotten my hair colored/ streaked. Im scared its going to lead to much too much hairfall- something i already struggly with..

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  9. I would have died of depression!! I was never brave enough to color my hair because of this reason. I always think,what if it goes wrong and the next day i have to go to office!!
    Sareena

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  10. 1 question: doesnt coloring ur hair so many times spoil ur hair?? back to the point Cynthia, you know what i am neva eva satisfied with the outcomes of the salon, no matter wat hair cut i get later on i just regret.. recently i was in a salon to get a hair cut done and last year i had permanently straightened my hair and so the guy asked me to get touchups done.. i donno wat went into me i got it done and after 3 days i went to get a hair spa and thn a hair cut.. i had asked him to gimme front bangs only but thn he chopped off all ma hair and rie now i am so god damn frustrated, cant even complain!! boo hoo..

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  11. ohh gosh ..seriously ..i have burnt my finger many times but u got good knowledge to tone them down..

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  12. I really like the fist pic u know. U look so prettty!! ok we can ognre the hair color in that one :) but still the face looks pretty im being totally serious.
    good job correcting it tho. Ur styling talent shines thru. u shud open a salon!

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  13. cnf- aww...thanks! Salon is not my thing, that's why I didn't pursue hairstyling further. Ya the color doesn't look so bad in the 1st pic.

    Ana- thanks...u should wear gloves then

    butterfly- oh my gosh! That's a lot of messing up! Next time take a picture. Actually sometimes a good hair color can make the hair shine, esp brunette shades. Blondes, on the other hand, takes away the shine

    ♥xx♥

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  14. Nisa- haha...I thought it's better to fix it rather than die with a bad hair color =D

    pnb- Better to avoid t if u feel u don't really need to color

    meg.meh- lol...thanks

    Gaby- I've never used Feria reds, just light browns n dark blondes

    rainydays- Thank u :)

    ♥xx♥

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  15. You look so cute and bubbly with the cap on! Love the transformation, Cynthia!xoxo

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  16. The result of the first is not so bad but a little bit dull, may be it's too clear for your natural base. But yes I prefer your hair on photo after , it is more natural

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  17. oh my days I was so scared for you when I saw the initial highlights pic! Me no likey too :S The highlights are tooo close by, almost like he was opting for a full head but then changed his mind in the middle lol. What you got in the end is soo much better though :) I so wana try the colour you did from Loreal :)

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  18. Liked you in both the hair colors..

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  19. wow... loved the end result... i always wanted to colour my hair but am scared tht it might damage my hair... :P is there any temporary thing that i can do ?

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  20. Deeptima- U can try Loreal Casting Creme...it lasts for 28 washes. It's shimmery and makes hair shiny

    Aarth- thanks

    GG- lol...I was scared too! Loreal colors are pretty good

    ♥xx♥

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  21. U look super cute in dat cap..n d final outcome was perfect..alls well dat ends well ;)

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  22. Oh! What a mess, now I am even more afraid of going to salons! But you did a great job! Your looks amazing...

    Style Fashion Etc

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  23. Hey, are loreal hair color range any good?

    I've never used them, but want to experiment.
    Do they have any side effects?

    I once used henna on my hair, although it made my hair super soft and shiny BUT my hair started graying :( (I'm only 22!! )
    Well..i'm not sure it was because of the henna only or some other reason..but it did started graying only after I used it.

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  24. hey wat browns wud suit a warm medium indian skin tone?? plus my hair is natural black..please help...

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  25. hey cynthia!!i would appreciate if you could answer my question??i wanted to know if you could lighten your hair without bleaching just using the box colour dye....my hair is very dark brown...brownish black!!i reallly really wnat the colour that you got after colured yourself!!thanks in advance!!

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  26. This is so funny. So glad you were able to fix the problem though. :D

    I actually had a similar experience when I was a teenager and wanted to color my hair for the first time. I went to the Salon and specifically requested "thin and natural highlights" and "no streaks! Oh god please don't streak my hair!" D:. In the end, I walked away from the salon with thick ugly (1 inch wide) stripes around my head. I honestly looked like a Zebra. Unfortunately, I had to grow my hair out. D:

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  27. What a mess and yu handled it well :) love this post and tank gaws its happening wit everyone...

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  28. Hey Cynthia.. I am so addicted to your blog.. you can find a solution for anything that u can think of you on your blog... I am having lots of greys and I am really fed up getting touch up's done at the salon's.. now that I have moved to a new place, I am not able to find any good salon.. So, was just thinking of coloring my hair at home..

    Can you please tell me is excellence creme better than the majeril color's that they use in the salon's and also, can you also put up a tutorial on how to use a majeriel color.. It will be really helpful..

    Thanks :)

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♥xx♥