The dip-dye ombré is a more radical transition between colours, for instance, blonde hair with pink tips, red ombré on black hair or dark hair with purple ends.
Yes, you can! It’s not as difficult as it may seem if you have the appropriate ombré hair products and carefully follow the instructions. You can always invite a friend or a relative to help you out.
Smart Beauty ombré hair home kit includes everything you need to create a Bleach Blonde Dip-Dye look. The product was nominated for the Pure Beauty Awards because it is suitable for vegans, and also affordable and simple to use.
Fancy something more creative? Pink ombré hair, blue ombré hair, purple or even red - it's all up to you! To create pastel ombré at home, you will need a Bleach Blonde dip-dye kit and a colour of your choice. Add blonde or brunette shades to create a natural ombre.
Decide where you want to start your ombré. Consider starting below your jawline in you have long or medium hair. Ombré on short hair looks great when applied at the ends.
Get ombré home kit.
Make strand and skin sensitivity tests to prevent adverse hair and scalp reactions. Don’t underestimate this step. Your safety and health are above all.
All good? Let’s get down to business!
1. Comb your hair.
2. For symmetrical ombré divide hair into 4 sections as shown in the picture. Create 4 ponytails by binding each section 100mm from the ends (or whatever length you choose) with the hair bands.
For layered ombré, create a horizontal parting working from ear to ear. Lift up the top section of your hair and clip to the crown of your head (see the picture).
3. Backcomb the hair around the area where your ombré begins to allow a gradient look.
4. Mix ombré hair products in a bowl. Wearing gloves, apply the mixture from tips to the point where your ombré begins. Not the other way around!
Symmetrical ombré: evenly apply the bleaching mixture with application brush to each section below the hair bands.
Layered ombré: working from left to right apply your bleaching product in alternative sections of approximately 25mm, leaving a 25mm gap of natural hair between treated sections. Repeat for other sections.
5. Fold the kitchen foil or cling film around each section to create a pocket.
6. Leave the mixture to develop for the time recommended on the box. Timing is very important as the product will continue bleaching until it dries out, unlike the colour that stops processing in 45 minutes. When the time is up, remove the foil/cling film.
7. Keeping your gloves on, rinse the hair with warm water until the water runs clear. Then wash again using the shampoo and conditioner for coloured hair.
8. Dry and style your hair.
9. Now those who wanted a classic ombré, may stop at this point and enjoy the results!
If you want to add the colour to your ombré, we recommend waiting for at least a week before applying the dye to prevent the damage. You may consider deep conditioning treatments for hydration. When the time is right, choose your pastel or vibrant hair colour and apply it on your bleached area, using this tutorial again.
Applied hair colour will eventually fade. To reduce fading choose a good conditioning shampoo designed for coloured hair. Avoid acidic, fruity, 2 in 1’s or anti-dandruff shampoo
When you are ready to try another look just find yourself a really good clarifying or cleansing shampoo as this will help remove the Smart dip-dye, then and then apply an all-over hair colour.
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Welcome to SmartBeauty! Your one-stop-shop for everything that has to do with hair cair and color, and we present to you our range of exquisite hair color refreshers that you can use at home and rejuvenate your luscious colored locks!
Now before you ask yourself, how long does permanent hair color take to fade? A better question would be, how can you avoid it altogether?
This is where hair color refreshers come in! They are a chemical-free gel or paste that you can apply to wet dyed hair and wait the instructed time. They are known to revive the brunette hair palette, reduce yellow in blondes, and rejuvenate vibrant colors to the point where people think you just had them done! But, that’s not all; they are also able to condition your hair, making sure that your hair stays silky and smooth!
There is a pronounced underlying difference between color refreshers and hair dye, as hair dyes are meant to color your hair in a completely new color, and refreshers are intended to keep the integrity of your existing hair color. You can apply hair color refreshers to already dyed hair and be carefree, and they do not bleach your hair! You would need a whole tube of hair dye to cover the length of your hair, but a small bottle of refresher can last you for four washes so that you can be worry-free for months!
Hair dyes usually last up to about five weeks. Still, you can see fading starting to appear sooner, depending on your diet and the color of your choice. This happens more frequently in the case of platinum blonde or red tones.
But you have nothing to worry about as our refresher lasts for up to 5 washes, precisely what you would require to keep your hair fresh in between salon appointments!
If you are a mom-to-be and are looking to dye your hair, we suggest that you put the plan on hold as the pregnancy is already stressing out your hair. We don’t want to burden them further. However, suppose you already have a dyed head of hair. In that case, our SmartBeauty hair color refresher is perfectly safe for you to use during your pregnancy, as they are completely void of any chemicals such as bleach or peroxides.
For All The Bold Queens With Vibrant Hair colors: Copper, Red, or Purple Color Boost refreshers.
Now that you have decided to revive your hair color, it is time to get started.
Hair colour can only last for so long, and there comes a time when you get bored with your current hair colour and want a little pick-me-up. But, there’s always the issue of damaging your hair from bleach. Bleach is a strong chemical and could end up damaging your hair if you’re not careful. So, to avoid that, to remove the colours safely, we suggest you do a bleach bath or bleach wash for your hair instead of simply bleaching. At Smart Beauty, not only do we strive to provide you with the best hair visually, but we also provide you with the best hair care tips and tricks, ensuring that your hair stays healthy and deserves to be the crown on top; of a queen like yourselves! We want what’s best for you, and as it is widely known, bleach isn’t a gentle chemical. This is why you must be very attentive and careful throughout the process, and instead of asking yourself questions like “How much bleach is safe for a bath”, just follow our guide, and you will have a naked canvas soon!
Bleach bath isn’t a complicated process and only requires a few items. . After you’ve gathered all the things necessary for a bleach bath, be sure to read and follow our bleach wash guide to the T!
If this is your first time working with bleach or a developer? If so, then it’s better to be cautious and use our Gentle Smart Beauty Bleach-it version to ensure you don’t end up damaging your hair. You can always repeat the processes if your result is not light enough.
Now it is time that you get the bath ready for application,
If you couldn’t find a clarifying shampoo, your shampoo would do just the trick; however, a clarifying one would be lesser of a shock for your hair!
Ok! Time to get down to business and get your hair bleached!
Although we tried to cover most of the things necessary to do a good bleach bath hair job, there are a few things you would have to keep a watchful eye on, as hair reacts differently under different treatments.
The most significant factor is the timing, as many variables affect the duration you are to leave in the bleach bath, such as the nature of your hair, the colour you are trying to get out, and the shade of blonde you are trying to achieve. We want your hair to remain in the best condition possible, so check very frequently -at least every four or five minutes. It will stop working after 60 minutes.
To do this, before you apply the mixture to your entire head, separate out a small test section to use the concoction.
Or, if you had already applied it to your head, what you can do is keep a small section out of the shower cap and keep rechecking it to see how light the color currently is.
That's it! You can now enjoy a blonde look or delve into a whole new world of funkier and brighter hair!
]]>So, the decision to go blond is usually a drastic one! And not a decision that should be taken lightly! When you are blonding at home, there is something to be said about not having the expert knowledge to hand to make sure that you get the desired result, and let’s face it, we want to do our own hair colour creations at home so we can save money and stay safe!
]]>So, the decision to go blond is usually a drastic one! And not a decision that should be taken lightly!
When you are blonding at home, there is something to be said about not having the expert knowledge to hand to make sure that you get the desired result, and let’s face it, we want to do our own hair colour creations at home so we can save money and stay safe!
But...without at least some knowledge of how hair behaves and the potential pitfalls of blonding at home, there is likely to be some element of “experimentation” to get the technique, process, and end colour that’s right for you!
Your current hair colour is not just one colour, believe it or not!
There are many different tones and shades that make up the natural hair colour you see on your head! And this is something that you need to take into account when blonding at home.
You also need to be aware of the porosity of your hair, which is how absorbent or indeed resistant the strands of your hair are to due and bleaching. You will find that really permeable hair types will suck up colour like a sponge, whereas more resistant hair types will be a lot harder to get colour into.
How is the condition of your hair?
This is a super important thing to know! Hair that is in poor condition will take to bleaching and colouring at home in a very different way to strands of healthy hair, so it’s always best to make sure your hair is in the best condition it can be before blonding at home, giving you the best results possible.
Previous Colouring…
This is a biggie!
You would not expect to put a pastel colour on hair that has been previously dyed black and expect to have a flowing turquoise mermaid mane after 30 minutes, would you?
The same goes with blonding!
If your hair has been previously dyed, you will have to be uber careful when blonding at home, and this is due to the colours underneath behaving differently when they come into contact with bleach.
The easiest way to see how your own hair will behave when you decide to go blonde will be a strand test of your own hair because we all know that everyone’s hair is individual, and we cannot always compare our results with the ones displayed on the box kit!
So, how do you correct a mistake?
Toners are a wonderful creation for blondes and the minor mistakes that might happen with the end colour result!
How to Fix…
A purple is the opposite of yellow in the colour wheel, so using a purple toner on hair that is slightly over-yellow will counteract any of the yellow tones and neutralise warmer tones.
This is a typical result which is due to the red tones that most dark hair colours have, but it can be fixed!
You will need to look at dark indigo or blue toner to counteract the orange and brassiness in your hair for orange.
When Ash-blonde didn’t quite go to plan, you can choose any toner that has warm tones, such as coral colours or peach, to bring back the warm hues and cancel out the ashy greeny grey!
Make sure that you have a contingency plan when blonding at home, just in case!
Make sure you understand how your hair will behave with a strand test (and a patch test too, while you are at it!) to make sure the colour is going to be the best for you!
And finally, get your hair in top condition before you blonde, to make sure that you get the sassy colour you desire at home!
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Hair moves with the trends as much as fashion, and there is always something new to know about blonding Techniques.
The Major Historic Issue With Bleaching Your Hair…. Yes, you guessed it...DAMAGE! In the years gone by, if you desired an excellent bleaching result for your hair (and it’s usually the darkest of hair that craves the bleach blonde look!), you would need to visit a hairdresser... sometimes more than once, for a long and laborious visit for gentle and gradual colour lifting.
The Major Historic Issue With Bleaching Your Hair….
Well, we now have a product to hit all of your blonde hair goals, from grey coverage to brightening up your faded colour, while also being completely safe for your hair. How is that possible? Smart Blonde+Plex is our first blonde range with added Smart Plex Anti-Breakage formulation. It’s blended into our hair dyes to protect your already tired hair from damage during colouring. Just like salon professional lightener, Smart Blonde+Plex treats and tones your hair at the same time. You can now safely enjoy four of the trendiest blonde shades – Platinum Blonde, Ash Blonde, Creamy Blonde and Summer Blonde.
Smart Plex is an accessible and affordable alternative to salon. Just like Olaplex, that's used by celebrities and professional hairstylists, Smart Plex also rebuilds the micro-bond fibre structure of your hair. Apart from colouring your hair, it also makes it more nourished, healthier and stronger.
Smart Blonde+Plex provides 100% grey coverage. And those shades are so pretty, they will instantly make you feel and look younger. We particularly recommend Smart Blonde Platinum as a solution to blend or cover grey, silver or thinning hair. So even if your hair is thin and fragile, this blonde range won’t break them. Besides, it will do quite the opposite – the Plex formula will restore your hair strength, suppleness and volume.
If you don’t have grey hair and just want to rock the platinum blonde trend, Smart Blonde+Plex will tick all of the boxes too. It will make your hair brighter, softer and glossier, just like Kylie Jenners when she embraced the icy blonde hair trend.
Smart Blonde+Plex hair dyes will lift up to 4 shades. Please note that to get a perfect Platinum or Ash colour, your hair should be naturally light or medium blonde. If you have black or dark brown hair and use this product, you will get a medium dark brown hair. So to go blonde from brown and achieve the shades shown on the box, you will need to lighten your hair first. We advise that you bleach your dark brown or black hair in multiple sessions to maintain its structure and health.
Do a patch test 48 hours before dyeing your hair. Why? Although we meet all EU/UK Cosmetic Directives’ rules and regulations, your body is unique and you never know how it will react to any of the ingredients.
What’s in the box: 50ml of permanent blonde hair colour with added Smart Plex, a 100ml bottle of Smart Colour activator cream, a pair of protective gloves and an illustrated step by step instruction leaflet. If your hair is thick or long you may want to use two packs.
—> Spread and apply the remaining product all over, making sure the hair is completely saturated and leave to develop for a total of 45 minutes.
—> Once the roots are saturated, massage and leave for 20 minutes. Apply the remaining cream throughout the lengths and ends of the hair making sure the hair is completely saturated and leave to develop for 15 minutes, making the total time 45 minutes from the start to the finish.
Start the timer before you apply the colour. We’ve noticed that our customers are over-processing the colour which leads to poor results. This is because they start the timing process when they finished applying the colour, rather when they start.
So there you go! Your lustrous blonde hair is ready, all done by yourself. Stronger and softer than before, with added brightness and gloss. All of this is provided by a single Smart Blonde+Plex colouring pack at the comfort of your own home. Buy now on special offer and experience the difference.
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Fiery, vibrant, dark or subtle, red hair is a real head turner! It's the high-impact hair colour that never goes out of style, but it’s also the toughest one to maintain. In this article, we explain the science behind this unique hue, plus share some secrets of making your red hair colour last longer.
]]>At the end of this blog post, you will find a fun competition – join and get a chance to win one of the Smart Beauty permanent red hair dyes!
Before answering this question, it’s worth explaining the chemistry behind hair colouring process. When you apply a hair dye, colouring agents lift your hair cuticle. Once it's open, the dye molecules pass into the hair cortex, the layer responsible for your hair pigment. The colour gets locked there for up to 6 weeks until the dye molecules are washed away.
Unlike other colours, red hair colour is made of very small molecules. Because of their size, they are more easily removed by water, especially when you use shampoo. Also, those small red colour molecules are more easily broken by UV, chemicals and harsh hair products.
If you are thinking of going red, this article 'How to dye your hair red without pre-lightening' may be useful for you.
There are a few essential rules to maintain vibrant and shiny red hair colour between colouring sessions.
Protect your hair from the sun
UV radiation is the main reason for colour fading. Therefore, you should use hair products that create a protective layer against it or wear a hat.
After having dyed your hair, don’t shampoo for 2-3 days
Wait for at least 72 hours so your hair cuticle can fully absorb the colour. Dry shampoo is your best friend!
Wash less, but with good hair products
Red hair molecules are so small, it’s very easy to wash them out. The less you wash your hair, the longer you keep the colour vibrant. Though when you do wash it, use sulfate-free shampoos and conditioners that are created specifically for colour protection.
Use hair colour refreshers
Every time you dye your hair, you weaken its cuticle. Healthy hair can keep the colour for longer and damaged cuticle releases it faster. Smart Beauty hair refreshers are a budget-friendly option to bring back the vibrancy of your hair colour. Simply apply it for 3 minutes and your red hair colour is refreshed!
Wash your hair with lukewarm water
When you apply heat to your hair, its cuticle becomes porous and can’t hold the colour. Hot water and styling tools can definitely make your red hair colour fade quicker. Try to get used to colder water and style your hair just once a week to keep your colour bright.
Sounds good? Now let's move to a fun part!
In light of the current situation, many of you spend most of your time at home and need some entertainment. We get you! So here's the game for you: guess all of those 3 red hair celebrities and leave your answers in comments for this Facebook post. Be the first to guess all 3 and win Smart beauty red hair dye of their choice: Hollywood Red, Red Velvet or Rich Plum. We will close the comments in a week.
Good luck!
]]>Dying our hair in various fun colours is a creative way to express ourselves. But sometimes the fear of damaged, porous hair after colouring is stronger than the desire to change our look. We understand that. But what if we told you that you can safely dye your hair purple, red or any other colour? Would you do it? If the answer is yes, you’re in the right place – we developed a hair dye that won't damage your hair!
Together with the scientists, we started researching different ways of how to colour hair without damaging it at home and luckily found Nio-Active Smart Plex treatment. The technology allowed us to add this protective treatment to our permanent dyes and therefore protect your hair from breaking during colouration.
How does permanent colour work? Permanent hair dye acts in two steps – first, it removes the original colour from your hair and then it adds a new colour to it and locks it in for a month. To perform those steps, we need to open up the outer layer of your hair (cuticle) and bring the dye to the inner hair layer (cortex). This process involves chemicals that soften your cuticle, allowing it to open access to the cortex. Unfortunately, during that, the hair structure changes and your hair becomes weaker and drier. There’s no way to deliver the dye to your hair without breaking your hair bonds, but when we add a Nio-Active Smart Plex treatment to the dye, it reconnects your bonds straight away and repairs your hair. No more brittle and weakened hair!
You can read more information about different types of hair dyes and bleach here.
Unlike a hair conditioner that works only on the surface of your hair, Nio-Active Smart Plex technology works from inside hair strands and allows the restorative ingredients to deeply penetrate the hair. It rebuilds the bonds broken by hair dye and brings back the original healthy structure.
Since the Nio-Active Smart Plex is mixed with our permanent dyes already, you don’t have to worry about adding an extra step to your colouring routine. Just colour your hair as normal, and the treatment will automatically start working during colouration. When the dye breaks your hair bonds, Nio-Active Smart Plex will repair those broken bonds and prevent your hair from further damage. In addition to your fresh new colour, you will also get stronger, shinier and more hydrated hair.
Plex technology has been the single biggest development in hair colouring for decades. Since we started adding it to our products, we’ve got many verified reviews from our customers saying how they can feel a real difference in their hair, and that it became smoother, softer and shinier. It’s a real game-changer – now you can change your hair colour as often as you would like to, at an affordable price.
Select one of our permanent hair dyes that contain the Nio-Active Smart Plex and enjoy the long-lasting colour without damage to your hair.
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At the Spring 2019 show, Italian fashion designer Giambattista Valli turned the catwalk into a fairy-tale. His models had magical pastel-coloured hair with lots and lots of glitter. To get the look, apply Red Silver Glitter Spray throughout the whole length, but leave the roots untouched.
Alternatively, paint your hair with the Temporary Red Hair Colour or any other pastel colour, and then apply silver or gold glitter on top.
Root glitter is the exact opposite of Valli’s hair – you should apply the glitter on your roots only. This is a versatile way to wear glitter because you can use on any hairstyle, whether it's loose hair, space buns or side-parted hair.
Simply spray Silver or Gold Hair Glitter over the root section and you're ready to celebrate Christmas and NYE in style!
Elsa from Frozen may be a character from kids cartoon, but for one night only you can become her even if you're an adult! Get all-magical with some Dutch or French braids and a Silver Hair Glitter on top.
Hair glitter spray is very easy to apply: just shake the can well and spray in short bursts holding it 15cm away from your hair. Since it’s a spray, there’s a chance the glitter will also get onto your clothes so make sure to cover your shoulders.
To remove the glitter from your hair, simply wash it with your normal shampoo, and it’s gone! Remember to wash your hair before you go to bed so no glitter rubs into the bedding.
Need more ideas? Check our blog post with Temporary Hair Colour Ideas for the Festive Season.
Enjoy your new glitter hair and have a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
]]>If you had to pick the best time to go red, December would win! Red is the signature colour of Christmas and New Year’s, so you may as well try it on yourself. It takes a lot of confidence to go red but once you’re there, it’s so much fun! Plus, red hair colour is a statement, by colouring your hair red you are telling the world: “Hey, I am here! I am confident and brave!”
So if you ever wanted to try this magnificent hair colour but were afraid to damage your hair, this post is for you. We will show you how to dye your hair red from brown without pre-lightening at home, easy and under £7.
Best red hair colours for light skin tone are Rose Gold, Deep Amber and Red Velvet.
Best red hair colours for medium skin tone are Intense Red and Hollywood Red. Try Sunset Orange as well - not exactly red hue, but suits your skin tone perfectly.
Best red hair colours for dark skin tone are Rich Plum, Red Velvet and Rose Gold.
These are basic guidelines for choosing red hair colour for your skin tone, to find out more read our guide “What Hair Colour Will Suit Me?”.
Good news – most of the intense and dark red hair dyes don’t require bleaching your hair in advance. Our new red hair colours will work on dark blonde, medium blonde and light brown hair colours.
To colour your hair you will need to mix hair dye with developing lotion. This mixture will automatically lift your hair pigment and turn it into a desired shade of red. Unfortunately for light and bleach blondes, bright red hair colour may look too overpowering with such hair. Try something more subtle instead, for example, Rose Gold hair colour.
There are a few important tips we want to share with you before you start applying the colour. Red dye is very noticeable, so put on an old shirt or cover your shoulders with a dark towel. If you know you’re a messy person, throw some towels on the floor too. And don’t forget to open the window/door to make sure you’re not breathing in as many chemicals.
Step 1: Divide your dry, unwashed hair into 4 sections, front to back and ear to ear.
Step 2: Apply some olive oil (or Vaseline) on a cotton pad and rub it around your hairline (don’t forget areas behind your ears). This will prevent staining.
Step 3: Wearing gloves provided, empty the tube of colour cream into the application bottle and shake until thoroughly mixed.
Step 4: Apply the mixture evenly to each section starting from the bottom section, roots to ends.
Step 5: Comb through, secure your hair with a clipper on top of your head and wait for up to 30 minutes (read the instructions provided). While you are waiting, check if you have any dye on your skin or surrounded area and remove it as soon as possible.
Step 6: Almost there! Wash your hair with a colour-safe shampoo - you know that you’re done when the running water becomes clear. Then apply a conditioner. Rinse again.
Dry and enjoy your new beautiful red hair colour!
When you just coloured your hair red, forget about your favourite white clothes for a couple of days, they may turn pink! But it’s only for a few days and then you’re back to normal life. Well, almost – if you loved hot showers, now you’d have to love wearing a shower cap too – red hair colour is very sensitive to the heat. And then, use a standard hair colour maintenance kit: a nice sulfate-free shampoo, a conditioner for colour-treated hair and a hair colour refresher once in a while to keep vibrant and fresh.
Enjoy your new red hair colour!
]]>Summer is amazing and so are your picnics in the parks and holidays abroad. But there is a slight catch - the sun makes your colour fade faster and takes away its natural gloss. Blonde becomes orange, brown hair turns grey and a bright red hue disappears in days. Luckily, there’s a cure for all that “summertime fadeness”: hair colour boosts and refreshers - simple solutions to revive your hair colour at home in literally minutes!
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Blonde is one of the most difficult colours to maintain, especially in summer. Are you struggling with the cheap-looking brassy hair after being on the sun for a while? Look into the anti-yellow conditioners, masks or refreshers. Apply Platinum Blonde Express Colour to your natural or colour-treated blonde hair, and in just 3 minutes it will reduce brassy tones and bring back your cool blonde tone.
Another common problem among blondes is green swimmers hair and just generally dull and lifeless hair. Try Honey Blonde Express Colour to add warm tones, condition your locks and add shine and vibrancy. Express Colours are free from ammonia, parabens and PPD and last for 4-5 washes, so they are safe all around and can be used often.
Read this article if you want to know more about the difference between hair colour refreshers and hair dye.
Rainbow hues fade away due to sun exposure, heat styling and frequent shampooing. During the summer purple would lose its vividness especially fast, but there’s a way to keep your purple hair colour ultra-bright and shiny all year long - a Purple Hair Colour Boost Refresher. Unlike express colour, the refresher can only be used on the coloured hair but results will last for up to 21 days and it will give you 4 to 10 applications. Hair colour boost is free from harsh chemicals so even pregnant women can use it safely.
Red is such a gorgeous colour but long sun exposure can kill it pretty fast by damaging the pigment and making your hair dull and boring. Apart from the sun, there are other risk factors for your red hair, such as styling tools, swimming pool chlorine, hot shower water and over-shampooing. To revive your faded red hair colour, try Rich Red Express Colour, a temporary solution made with the hypoallergenic formulation. The express colour will last for up to 5 shampoos, but the more times you use it, the better the coverage will be. To keep your red bright even longer, try Vibrant Red Colour Boost - the award-winning refresher for chemically-treated hair.
To extend the life of your brown hair colour in summer, hydrate your hair with masks, air humidifiers and drink plenty of water. If you're not wearing a hat all the time, the sun can still affect your brown hair colour by lightening it or bringing the unwanted orange hues. To enhance and revive your brown hair try Rich Brunette Boost Refresher if your hair has been treated with a permanent or semi-permanent dye. Natural brunettes can use Warm Brown Express Colour instead and enjoy their refreshed brown hair colour for up to 5 washes.
Browse All Hair Colour Refreshers to find the right shade and revive your faded hair colour.
]]>Hack 1: Strengthen the bonds
Preparation is the key when you decide to go blonde from brown.
"If you're going platinum blonde, you need to use a product that helps repair and strengthen the bonds in your hair fibers,” - a celebrity hairstylist, colourist and social influencer Kristin Ess who is responsible for Lucy Hale’s blonde hair transformation, has shared with Marie Claire magazine.
Bleach strips the oils, so you need to build up extra moisture in your hair before lightening it. Apply conditioning masks with oils - coconut, Argon and olive oils are few to name.
Your hairdryer and styling tools also absorb the oils, so it’s worth getting a Blow Dry Hair Treatment that would build a protective layer on your hair and lock the moisture in.
Lastly, don’t wash your hair for at least 2 days before bleaching to let the natural oils protect your hair from the damage.
Find a cost-effective Home Bleach Kit and lighten your brown hair to blonde in a few sessions, up to three shades each time. That would allow your hair to recover and restore its moisture balance.
Rachel Brosnahan is a great example of how going from brunette to blonde with minimal damage is possible, besides you’ll have a chance to enjoy different hair colours in-between sessions.
To seamlessly transit from brown to sun-kissed hair, enhance your dark hair with Blonde Highlights, like Natalie Portman just did. That’s a great option if you're bored with your current hair colour but also don’t want anything too drastic, and the main bonus - much less damage will be done.
Instead of going a full-mode blonde, try the rooted blonde look to leave half of your natural hair 100% healthy. Margot Robbie’s naturally growing roots is a perfect example of how the brown to blonde hair transformation doesn’t have to be all radical. Apart from saving your scalp and roots from the damage, you'll also save up on maintenance - just use a blonde toner to keep the colour fresh.
Talking about the toner... When Bella Hadid brought her brown hair to brassy yellow blonde, it was a bit of a shock for everyone. Turned out, that just like Rachel Brosnahan, Bella has dyed her hair in a few sessions and most likely used a hair toner to get her current perfect blonde look. Use a Conditioning Honey Blonde Toner to maintain the color and improve the condition of your hair.
Still not sure what to choose when going blonde from brunette? Check all Blonde Products in our catalogue and find the one that suits your needs best.
]]>The search for “Lilac Hair” rose over 1000% on Pinterest this year, and Instagram now has more than 200,000 posts with #lilachair hashtag. This pastel hue has set to be the most wanted hair colour of this year, so you better try it before 2019 is up!
]]>Yet, many of those who are searching for it online either don’t know how to get pastel lilac at home or simply scared to damage their hair. That's why we created an Ultimate Beginner Guide to Lilac Hair Colour with answers to the most common questions we find on our email: “how to get lilac hair from brown?”, “is lilac hair hard to maintain?” and many more.
Since so many famous women have rocked the pastel lilac trend, it’s easy to notice that this hue suits any skin tone. Below, find the closest tone to yours, and see how the pastel purple colour works with your complexion.
You need to choose whether you want a permanent, a semi-permanent or temporary hair colour. A Semi-Permanent Lilac Hair Dye is a good option for newbies because it is vibrant, ammonia and PPD-free and lasts for 4-5 washes only.
On the contrary, a Permanent Lilac Dye is a commitment, so you’d probably want to get it if you already tried pastel purple before and you are sure it’s something you like. Also, it’s great for covering grey hair. A temporary colour is like a makeup for your hair that lasts for 1 night only.
Pastels look good on a cool/ashy blonde base but don't work when applied on yellow hair, so unless you are already a light cool blonde, you will need to lighten your hair first. Don’t let it stop you from getting the hair your dreams - you can lighten your hair at home too. After all, you can always call your friend or a neighbour and ask for help.
The DIY pastel lilac Pastel Hair is an easy job to do if your hair is very light blonde or bleached. All you need is a semi-permanent lilac Pastel Hair home dye kit that contains a colourant, a pair of gloves, an application brush and a leaflet that will guide you step-by-step.
You'll have to bleach your hair first and then apply pastel purple hair colour. There’s a really good video on Refinery29 with brunette to purple hair transformation, worth watching and copying.
If you don't want to bleach your hair, try a beautiful Amethyst Purple hair colour instead, it will look gorgeous against brown strands.
You do need an extra effort to maintain lilac pastel hair, but it’s not as hard as you may think. The biggest enemies of pastels are the sulphates, they contain salt that strips the colour. Always opt for sulphate-free hair products and purple or “silver” shampoos to boast violet pigment.
After you’ve coloured your hair, don’t wash it for 1-2 days to let the dye settle. Lower the temperature of your styling tools to 180 degrees to keep the moisture in. This whole routine may take some time, but your freshly coloured lilac pastel hair will thank you for that!
We hope that this Beginner Guide on Lilac pastel Hair has helped you make up your mind, and you’re good to go and give it a try! Got any questions? DM us on Facebook and we are happy to answer them!
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In this article, we are going to look at the different types of hair dyes and how bleach works too!
Bleach/highlights contain chemicals that remove the colour from your hair by the process of oxidation. "Oxidation decolourises the pigment in your hair shaft, which is why bleach will turn your hair almost white if it's left on for too long. Very bleached hair often gains a yellow tint, because keratin (the protein your hair is made of) is naturally a pale yellow.
It's not possible to make your hair a lighter shade without the help of a bleaching agent.
Semi-permanent or temporary hair colour gives you more natural colour and is also easier to use. You can use semi-permanent dyes straight from the box as they don't have to be pre-mixed.
Temporary hair dyes last for about six weeks and tend to fade progressively. Because temporary colours don’t contain bleach, they can't lighten your natural shade. Temporary dyes fade with shampooing and exposure to air. Temporary colours are also available in spray formulations.
Permanent Hair dyes use the oxidation process. For example, an oxidiser (such as hydrogen peroxide) and ammonia are mixed with the colouring agent before application. The job of ammonia is to bust through the hair cuticle to deposit colour. This may damage the hair cuticle and degrade the hair's structural integrity, however, provides the best colour result.
Permanent dyes don't have to be applied as often as semi-permanent or temporary colours because of they last longer.
There is a broader range of permanent colour, and these colour shades are often more natural-looking.
Their formulation is complicated, and manufacturers go to great lengths to attain long-lasting colour that does minimal damage to the strength and elasticity of your hair. Smart Beauty colour formulation contains Nio-Active technology which deeply penetrates the hair during the colouring process to prevent damage, leaving the hair soft, smooth and shiny.
The chemicals used in permanent hair dyes are stronger and the mixture usually has to be left on for a more extended period.
Ammonia-free hair dyes are made up of monoethanolamine (MEA), an organic chemical compound that is a primary amine and primary alcohol. It is used as a replacement pH adjuster in hair colour -- used at lower percentages and coupled with emollient oils, making it less volatile and less damaging than ammonia. However, just like any other chemical, the more it is used, the higher the damage, and inferior colour performance.
Conclusion
It's simple, Maintain your hair. All chemical processes reduce the elasticity of your hair and increase their chances of breakage. Therefore, any hair that has been dyed or coloured is vulnerable to damage, this why Smart Beauty has developed Nio-Active technology which deeply penetrates the hair during the colouring process to prevent damage, leaving the hair soft, smooth and shiny.
We advise you to take measures to add the much-needed moisture back to your hair after dying your hair or highlighting/bleaching it. Smart Beauty recommends it’s intensive conditioning toners, which also reduce yellow tones or it’s 10 in 1 restore, protect and style product
]]>If you’re dyeing your hair the same colour for years, maybe it’s time to try something new! But first, you need to discover what hair colour will suit you best. Your skin tone and undertone should help you with your choice!
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Skin TONE is the shade of your skin. It may be fair, light, medium or dark. Each of the tones will also have an UNDERTONE - cool, warm or neutral.
Cool undertones are bluish, pink and ruddy.
Warm undertones are peachy, golden and yellow.
Neutral is a combination of cool and warm undertones.
Bear in mind, medium skin doesn't have to be warm. For example, you may have medium skin with a cool undertone or fair skin with a warm undertone, and the other way around.
How to find your skin tone? Just look at your wrist - if your veins are purple and blue, your skin undertone is cool. Green veins indicate warm skin. And if you have a combo of purples and greens you might be neutral.
While choosing a hair colour, it’s recommended to pick a shade that’s opposite to your skin undertone. So for example, if you have warm skin, then icy blonde and cool pastels will look best on you. And if your skin is fair and cool, you may consider going caramel blonde or warm brown for the best results. And yet, everyone is different and you may have to break the rules sometimes :)
Fair skin with red undertone: platinum blonde, metallic silver, ash blonde, champagne hair colour
Fair skin with cool undertone: honey blonde, strawberry blonde, caramel highlights. Try also ash blonde if your eyes are grey or blue.
Light skin: both cool and warm, such as golden, caramel, honey blonde as well as platinum, icy and silver.
Medium skin: golden hues look best on such skin, try caramel blonde, strawberry or honey.
Dark skin: honey and caramel blonde, dark blonde and amber.
Fair skin: brunette shades with red tones such as mahogany brown.
Light skin: milk chocolate, cinnamon, golden brown and cinnamon and mahogany brown, copper brown.
Medium skin: rich chocolate, caramel brown, ash brown, chestnut, dark mocha, sapphire black.
Dark skin: espresso brown, dark mocha, rich chocolate, pure black, brown-black.
Fair skin with neutral undertone: a mix of cool and warm hues. Strawberry, copper, Red Velvet
Fair skin with cool/red undertone: Vibrant Red, dark auburn, burgundy
Light skin: deep amber, strawberry blonde, copper.
Medium skin: Hollywood Red, dark auburn, burgundy
Dark skin: Intense Red, Red Velvet, dark auburn, burgundy.
Fair and light skin with warm undertones: pastel lilac, pastel blue hair colour, any mermaid colour.
Fair and light skin with cool undertones: any warm pastel shade, such as Rose Gold or Orange Sunset.
Medium skin with warm undertones: blue and green hair colour.
Medium skin with cool undertones: candyfloss pink, ruby, fuchsia, magenta
Dark skin: any pastel or vibrant colour will look great with dark skin! Try bright hues such as Neon Pink, Pure Purple, Electric Blue, or pastels like candy floss pink and ocean blue.
We hope this article has helped you to understand what hair colour will suit you and you found the right hair colour for your skin tone. If you're still unsure, browse all hair colours and get inspired!
All images: multiple authors from Unsplash.com
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Silver grey hair is the new millennial pink! Thanks to Google Trends, we can see that grey hair trend is taking over the island - thousands of British women are searching for chic silver grey hair dye and dark grey hair dye, and we couldn’t dismiss this request! In this blog post, you can discover how to dye your hair grey at home, find useful tips and get grey hair inspiration.
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First of all, consider your skin tone. Silver grey hair will look best on olive and fair skin with yellow undertones. If you have a pink tone, your skin may appear red and irritated with a cool grey hue. So for you, it’s better to go for a peachy colour such as Metallic Rose Gold.
There’s also an amazing trick suggested by LA hairstylist Jessica Warburton who shared it in her interview for Matrix hair products:
Dark grey hair colour is more versatile. It will suit any skin tone except very pale skin. It may look tired with a grey background.
Brunettes wishing to achieve a light grey colour would need to strip out their natural colour with hair lightener first, and then apply the Silver Grey hair dye. Bleaching may be stressful for your hair, so try to lighten your hair safely and do it in a few sessions.
A safe alternative for brunettes would be metallic dark grey hair. You will only need to lighten your hair a few tones up! Plus, metallic hair dyes have added treatment Add-Plex that protects your hair bonds from aggressive chemicals.
Blondes, exhale! If you’re a natural light blonde, you can apply silver blonde hair colour straight away! If you don’t want to commit, try Ash Blonde Toner to add a cool tone to your hair.
As any pastel colour, pastel grey hair colour fades quickly, especially light grey. The less you wash your hair, the longer your colour will last. Invest in a quality dry shampoo and try to wash your hair twice a week to the limit.
Apply dry shampoo before going to the gym to skip washing your hair afterwards. When going to the shower, use a shower cap to protect your hair from water and additional sweat.
Use paraben-free hair products designed for coloured hair and find a nice purple shampoo/conditioner to maintain your silver grey hair.
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During colouring, bleach and colour break hair bonds. These are the layers that hold together your keratin proteins and build a strong hair structure. If your structure was already weak, you'll get porous and dry hair after the colouring.
Luckily, hair scientists developed a treatment called Add-plex that can be added to a dye to prevent hair damage. It contains active components that penetrate into hair and cover it with a protective layer, so harsh chemicals can't break it. View Blonde collection
Remember that feeling and look of freshly-coloured hair? Smooth, silky and moisturised. Shortly after, the hair becomes dry and dull again. This won’t happen with Add-plex, because it gives deep long-lasting hydration. When you are dying your hair with Add-plex, bleach will absorb the same amount of moisture from your hair as always, only this time you will have a lot of it left.
Results? A shiny and soft hair with strong inner support.
The DIY colouring process is complex enough to add another step to it. That is why we decided to simplify your life and started adding Add-plex to our products. Now you can change your colour at home as often as you want without fear of damage.
We’ve started with Metallic Hair Colours and added Add-plex to all metallic shades. The Metallics are popular among celebrities and Instagram influencers, especially grey hair colour. Lady Gaga knew how to get grey hair and painted hers in metallic silver just a few weeks before going blue for Golden Globes:
American model Iskra Lawrence swapped her blonde look for a trendy dark grey hair colour:
Pop-singer Jojo has also chosen to dye her hair metallic silver for a PaperMagazine shoot:
After a long work and research, we've decided to drop 7 new shades this spring, all built on Addplex formulation. The range will include various shades of black, brown, purple, red and copper that are harmless for your hair.
Subscribe to our mailing list to receive updates and exclusive discounts on upcoming products!
Here's a little treat for reading this article till the end:USE CODE “SAFE HAIR DYE" and get 15% off any Metallic Shade.
]]>With the celebrations coming up, it’s time to think about your Christmas and NYE party hair! The no-strings-attached hair colours and glitters are your festival beauty must-haves. Especially when the party season is over and you have to go back to work. Whether it is to try the vivid colour...
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A little bit of fairy dust will make your look truly magical! Temporary Glitter sprays will add a festive shimmer for just a night and then will be washed out easily the next day. You can apply a thick layer of glitter to your parting or root area, spray to fishtail braids, apply on a ponytail or sprinkle all over your hair. You can also apply hair glitter on single strands to recreate a trendy tinsel hair.
Gold Glitter Spray looks best on honey blonde, warm brunette, black and red hair. Silver Glitter Hair Spray goes with platinum blonde and cool dark hair colours. If you want something different, try the combination of Red and Silver Glitter that will work well on any hair colour and texture. You can also play around and use our glitter as a makeup - it's totally safe for face and body.
For a cleaner application, cover your shoulders with a towel and apply the spray in your bathroom with another towel on the floor.
At this time of the year pink hair isn't just for little girls and teenagers! From Suki Waterhouse to Bella Hadid, the grown-up Hollywood ladies just can’t get enough of pink. Only this time they favour temporary hair colour accents such as pink highlights.
Use Temporary Pink Hair Colour Spray to add a touch of carmine or bubblegum pink to your hair with no full-time commitment. Such sprays are easy to apply yourself and don't contain bleach or peroxide so they won't damage your hair. How to colour your hair at home?
What colour comes to your mind when you think of Christmas? It’s no doubt red. Santa, mulled wine, mistletoe berries and even Kate Middleton’s tartan skirt she wore to a Kensington Palace Christmas party - red is the most festive colour in December!
According to a beauty trendsetter online-magazine Refinery29, the hair colour trend of 2019 is red and especially red velvet which is the combination of red and violet. Try Red Wine, Mulberry Red or Intense Red Temporary Hair Spray to create a trendy, festive and fun party look. View Blonde collection
Red can be tricky to wash out from blonde or porous hair, so make a test first. Spray it on a strand and leave for 5 minutes. If colour washes out easily with water and shampoo, go ahead and experiment with your new red hue!
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It does indeed! Warm blonde tones such as honey, gold, caramel and strawberry blonde can take years off your face. If you are a natural blonde, try a toner that contains moisturising ingredients to make your hair more youthful. For instance, our Honey Blonde Intensive Conditioning Toner with shea butter and wheat extracts will not only leave you with a lovely warm honey tone but also restore your hair's health and vibrancy.
Yellow tones, however, would make anyone look older. So to fix brassy colour and get back your cool blonde tone try Platinum Blonde Conditioning Toner Cream. It will remove an orange tone and make your hair natural-looking, bright and shiny.
If you’re a brunette and brown hair colour reflects your personality, just add some golden hues. Face-framing blonde highlights or a few caramel strands throughout the hair, will soften your features and brighten up the skin. As another option, try blonde balayage - a multi-dimensional colouring technique that makes your hair look voluminous and therefore younger.
Young hair is healthy hair - strong, silky and shiny. Metallic hair dyes moisturise hair cuticle during colouration so you get softer and healthier mane. And because it’s metallic, it adds a lot of shine and makes your hair so lively and vibrant! With this dye type, you can even try Metallic silver pastels. For even more youthful and trendy look consider Metallic lilac. Guarantee your colleagues will not recognise you!
From Salma Hayek to Helen Mirren - famous women over 40, 50 and even 60 have proved that Metallic rose gold pastel colour does not have an age limit. To keep it young opt for pinky and peachy pastel shades, and perhaps slow down on blues and greens.
Generally, these colours will make anyone appear older: black, cool dark brown, fiery red, yellow blonde, mousy blonde and dark grey. There’s a common opinion that platinum blonde and silver hair dye age you, but we don’t believe so. If your hair is healthy, shiny and matches your skin tone, any hair colour will make you look fresh. Just remember to bleach your hair safely and have an appropriate aftercare.
To look young means to feel young! So enjoy your life, do what you love and have fun.
]]>Summertime is a beautiful and fun season for us, but perhaps not so much for our hair. By the end of the summer, we are left with split ends, tangles and destroyed hair colour. All that due to UV light, humidity and chlorinated water which are the enemies of good-looking and healthy hair.
]]>When your hair is stressed, keep moisturised. For instance, leave deep conditioning hair masks for 30+ minutes or pop into your salon for a similar treatment.
For money and time saving, try leave-in hair products. Our Restore Protect and Style Hair Treatment is one of them, an affordable spray that you don't need to rinse away. The treatment solves multiple problems at once: improves the structure, smoothens, adds elasticity and protects from the heat, so you can use your dryer safely.
Image credit: unsplash.com
Seawater and chlorinated swimming pools turn your cool blonde colour into a brassy-yellow tone.
To keep your blonde bright and your hair healthy, add a conditioning toner to your haircare routine. The toner will make sure you have a perfect tone in-between appointments.
Smart Beauty toners nourish and restore damaged hair and provide a cool platinum or ash blonde tone. We added shea butter and wildflower extracts to make your hair hydrated and deeply conditioned. As a result, you get a shiny, healthy and natural looking blonde hair.
Hot tip: protect the colour by soaking your hair in fresh water before you jump into a pool or the sea. Your hair can absorb a limited amount of water, and with such pre-soaking, it will consume fewer chemicals and salt that usually destroy the colour.
Image credit: pexels.com
It is generally recommended using lower temperatures on your dryer and to forget about a straightener for at least a month. If a healthy slow blow dry and air dry aren't your things, it’s worth getting a heat-protection spray.
Blow Dry Express Stying and Treatment speeds drying, adds body and helps to keep the essential moisture. The spray creates a glossy finish and makes your blow-dry last longer.
Hot tip: wash your hair with lukewarm water to avoid additional dryness and prevent root breakage. Finish with colder (but not freezing) water to improve blood circulation and contribute to overall hair health.
]]>While Glastonbury is having a "fallow year", there are plenty of other UK music festivals to enjoy. From famous Bestival (London Grammar, M.I.A), Creamfields (FatboySlim, Tiesto) and British Summer Time Hyde Park (Bruno Mars) to the smaller happenings like Standon Calling (George Ezra), Blisscamp (Cold Panda) and Boardmasters (The Chemical Brothers).
Image credits Instagram @tashatripphair @amikafi
After seeing the fashion looks at Coachella 2018, it seems that the colourful French Braids and Princess Leia Buns with Glitter roots is the thing this year. As for colours, Strawberry Blonde is still the most popular shade during the festival season. Play with hair colours using wash-out colour sprays - they are safe and easy to apply and remove. Try Electric Blue and Dark Pink to shock your friends and be the brightest star!
1. Choose your temporary hair colour
2. Cover your festival outfit (put a towel on your shoulders)
3. Comb your hair
4. Separate the sections you don't want to colour with a clip or elastic.
5. Spray Smart Beauty temporary hair colour (15-20 cm away).
6. For a deeper and more saturated colour, spray it on for longer.
When you want to remove the colour or try another one, just wash your hair as normal.
Image credits Instagram @blackhair_flair @alearauz
Mermaid Hair is for sure the new festival aesthetic! How to create mermaid hair at home? We don’t recommend using semi-permanent dyes as it may be too difficult and take a long time. Instead, get different temporary colours and apply it on separate strands. Try mixing Passion Plum and blue for the start, or add Emerald Green for more depth.
Image credits pexels.com, Instagram @lullabelzuk
Remember how you used a glitter hairspray to sparkle at your graduation? Or at least googled the old Spice Girls photoshoots to get the 90’s inspiration? Well, Silver and Gold Glitter sprays are back for another summer. The coolest way to wear hair glitter is on your roots. Add hair piercing (accessories, for instance, metal rings) and a striking festival makeup to make your look even cooler.
Image credits unsplash.com, Instagram @kelsforbeauty
If you aren’t a fan of the crazy hair but still want to try something funky, then Sun Bronze, Beach or Platinum Blonde temporary hair colours may be your cup of tea. These sprays will work perfectly on blondes and slightly lighten dark hair.
Whatever you choose, just remember that hair colour is temporary, but your memories will last forever. Enjoy your summer and make the most of it!
Image credit @mikkykoopac
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A refresher is a chemical-free colouring paste that you apply to a wet hair, and wait for just 3 minutes to get stunning results. It revives brunette shades, reduces yellow hues in blonde tones, and revitalises vibrant colours, leaving your hair soft and shiny. Interesting fact: it is often used by celebrities a day or two before the red carpet to get a perfect deep colour.
Dyeing your hair with permanent or semi-permanent colours is not recommended, but our Hair Colour Refreshers are perfectly safe for future moms and people with allergies. Smart Beauty refreshers are free from harsh chemicals such as parabens, bleach and peroxide.
A hair dye is designed to change your hair colour and cover the dark roots or grey hair, while colour refresher is ideal to maintain the existing colour and blend the greys. It can only be used on previously dyed hair and does not bleach your hair .
Hair dye can last up to 5 weeks, but the fading can start much quicker, especially in platinum blonde and red tones. Our refreshers last up to 5 washes - exactly what you need to keep the colour fresh between salon visits.
You would probably need the whole tube of hair dye to cover all your length, while a Refresher covers at least 4 applications. Yes, this little jar will serve you months!
1. Choose the right Refresher shade that matches your base hair colour.
Dark: Warm Brown, Mahogany Brown, Copper Brown or Chestnut Brown.
Blonde: Platinum Blonde, Ash Blonde or Honey Blonde.
Vibrant: Copper, Red or Purple Colour Boost refreshers.
2. Wash your hair with your normal shampoo without conditioner, rinse and towel dry.
3. Place a towel around your shoulders and divide hair into 4 sections: front to back and ear to ear
.
4. Wearing protective gloves, grab some Refresher from the jar using your fingertips and evenly apply the cream to your hair from the roots to the length. Start with the back sections and continue to the front. After spreading the cream to each section, comb it through.
5. Leave the Refresher for just 3 minutes, or a little longer for the more intense colour. Rinse well without additional hair products.
We are proud to say that Smart Beauty Colour Boosts are not tested on animals and are suitable for vegans.
Image credits: unsplash.com, pexels.com
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You can experiment with almost any colour, just keep in mind that it should compliment your skin tone.
Fair skin: for cool skin tones try warmer shades such as rose gold, strawberry, baby pink and sunset orange. If you have warm undertones opt for pastel blues, silvermoon grey and peppermint greens.
Medium skin: for the skin with golden undertone the best choice will be all the trendy pastels such as lilac purple highlights, baby blue and candy floss pink. For the cool skin tone try vibrant colours: emerald green, electric blue, magenta and pastel fuchsia. For instance, blue highlights on brown hair may be not an obvious selection but still a very beautiful one.
Dark skin: for warm dark skin the best choice is bold hair colours! All the bright purples: from magenta and neon pink to deep purple and plum, as well as vivid blues and greens. Black hair with bright pink highlights is our favourite! If you have a cool undertone though you are the luckiest as you may go both warm colours and cool pastels.
Part 1: bleaching hair at home. If you aren’t a natural blonde you will have to lighten the strands first using our bleach hair products.
Alternatively, use our new “Blonde hair highlights for fine or chunky results” that will make your lightening process quick, safe and easy. It contains all the necessary tools for bleaching. Get 50% OFF this week!
Part 2: applying colour on highlighted strands. Always wear gloves as a colourful product is really difficult to remove from the skin. Read our recommendations on how to get the best pastel hair colour.
If you are not sure about the colour, try our coloured sprays. They are great for temporary highlights or for testing a colour or style before you commit to chemicals.
Useful advice
To maintain the colour use sulfate-free shampoo. Apply hair masks and thick conditioners to rehydrate your bleached strands.
Be aware that products that contain the word “cleansing” are likely to wash away your colour.
However, it's also a great option when you decide to get rid of it and try something new.
]]>What you need to know
Why does red hair colour fade quickly?
The red hair molecule is the largest of the dye molecules, next to blue
If your hair is naturally in good condition or you use loads of serums, conditioners and styling products, then you will be surprised to know this does not help the cause. Dye molecules need to grip the hair.
]]>What you need to know
Why does red hair colour fade quickly?
The red hair molecule is the largest of the dye molecules, next to blue
If your hair is naturally in good condition or you use loads of serums, conditioners and styling products, then you will be surprised to know this does not help the cause. Dye molecules need to grip the hair.
Don’t get phased out though, there’s a simple solution, use a good quality clarifying shampoo to really clean your hair before application, if you do not have one, then mix a bit of washing up liquid with your normal shampoo, yes it really works.
How to get a bright red or copper with dark hair without bleach?
Have recently been scanning YouTube and found loads of video on how to get bright red or copper on dark hair without using bleach. Then these YouTubers go on and show you how they mix developer with cream colour. Wake up girls, what do you think the developer is? It's peroxide (bleach).
Now there is nothing wrong with using bleach to lighten your hair, if you follow the instructions and take care, it has been done for years. These bleaching kits come in different strengths, 12% (our Bleach-it) for dark hair and going down to 6% for dark blondes (Our Total Blonde), check or ask before you buy.
If you apply the colour straight after you lightened your hair, the colour will last longer, however, you do run the risk of permanently staining your hair.
One final point about lightening your hair, always do a strand and sensitivity test before application.
How long do you want it to last?
One night, a few weeks or maybe permanently. I am always amazed when taking a customer helpline request on customers’ expectations. I recently had a customer who was convinced that when she had enough of the red hair, she could simply wash it off and return to her natural hair colour in one shampoo. Another could not understand why the red hair colour would fade, even though her daily swimming routine was a prerequisite to going to work.
For red or copper hair dye to last, the colour molecules must stay in the hair for permanent colours or on the surface of the hair for temporary or semi-permanent products.
Use a good quality shampoo, designed for colour hair, we do individual sachets of colour care shampoo.
How to refresh the red and copper hair colour?
When your red or copper hair colour starts to fade, which it will use our vibrant red or copper colour boost between treatments or our fabulous express~colour range of reds and coppers. You will not need to use an additional conditioner, as this is already built into the products. You will get 4-6 applications from one bottle, depending on how long or thick your hair is.
Cautionary Notes
Please remember, that temporary or semi-permanent dyes can rub off on clothing and bedding when recently applied.
Hope this helps achieve great results, if you have any questions, drop us an email.
Mike
]]>If you feel any burning or irritation, wash off immediately.
Checking and finishing off
It's very difficult to give time guidelines as it is so personal to you. Things that affect the timing are your type of hair, the intensity of the colour you want to remove and your natural hair colour. We want your hair to remain in the best condition possible so check very frequently -at least every four or five minutes. It will stop working after 60 minutes.
If this is your first bleach bath, make the first check even earlier.
How to check
To do this, separate out a small section of hair, scrape a bit of the bleach mix off and see how light it is. If you want to continue, put that section back and spread the mix back over it.
Once you're happy with the colour, rinse the mix off really, really well and apply conditioner. Leave the conditioner in for a bit longer than usual to prevent your hair drying out.
That's it! You can now leave your hair or apply a new colour, whatever you want.
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]]>Say a sad farewell to one of our favourite products- Intense Red Highlights.
Unfortunately, because of recent changes to the EU Cosmetic Directive, we have been forced to discontinue this fantastic product.
]]>Unfortunately, because of recent changes to the EU Cosmetic Directive, we have been forced to discontinue this fantastic product.
This doesn't mean that any of the dyes used in our Intense Red Highlights were dangerous, but one of the dyes used simply has not been included in the latest round of EU legislation. The only other option we have would be to have this particular dye tested to EU requirements and I'm afraid that is outside our financial capabilities.
With our innovative scientists we are looking for a dye that will achieve the same affect, conforms to our own standards of quality and hair care and satisfies the EU Cosmetic Directive as well. Unfortunately we have no idea how long that will take.
What can you do instead?
As an alternative, please use either Bleach-it or Total Blonde to lighten your hair, then apply Intense Red semi-permanent over the lightened sections of hair. We can also supply have Cameo Pink and Neon Pink Highlights as alternatives while stocks last.
We are so sorry that we are unable to supply Vibrant Red Highlights any more and if the situation changes we will let you all know straight away.
Thanks,
Mike
]]>• Before applying Smart Pastel Semi-permanent hair colour, wash your hair thoroughly with a clarifying shampoo and dry completely with a hairdryer. DO NOT USE a conditioner or styling products as Smart Beauty Pastel Hair Colour must be applied to clean, dry hair to achieve the best results. • Cover and protect any clothing or nearby furnishings with old towels to prevent hair colour staining • Wear the protective gloves provided, this will stop your hands from being stained • Apply petroleum jelly to your ears and the skin around your hairline to protect it from staining
PASTEL HAIR COLOUR STRAIGHT FROM THE TUBE
• Handle with care, this product will stain skin, fabrics and most surfaces • The pastel hair colour is ready to use and does not require mixing • This product can be resealed, stored and used to refresh your hair colour
PASTEL HAIR COLOUR APPLICATION
• Part your hair into 4 sections; front-to-back and ear-to-ear (as shown in the diagram)how to get pastel hair colour step 3a how to get pastel hair colour step 3• Use one half of the Smart Pastel Hair Colour tube for sections 1-2 and the second half for sections 3-4 • Using the application brush, start with section 1 at the back, applying the hair dye from root to tip ensuring that you avoid excessive scalp contact. At this point, you may want to consider using the help of a reliable friend • Repeat the process with sections 2, 3 and 4 until the whole head is completely covered with hair colour • Ask your reliable friend to check that you have not missed any areas. If you have, ensure these are covered immediately • Loosely cover your hair with cling film
RINSE, DRY AND STYLE
• Once the development time has been reached, remove the cling film • Carefully rinse the hair with cool water until the water runs clear, avoid the risk of staining surrounding untreated hair • Smart Pastel Hair Colour contains a conditioning base so there is no need to use any shampoo or conditioner • Dry and style hair as normal
5. PASTEL HAIR COLOUR AFTERCARE • Applied hair colour will fade. To reduce fading choose a good conditioning shampoo designed for coloured hair. Avoid acidic, fruity, 2 in 1’s or anti-dandruff shampoo • To refresh the pastel hair colour simply wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo and dry completely. Protect skin, clothing and furnishings as before and repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 • When you are ready to try another look just find yourself a really good clarifying or cleansing shampoo and this will help remove the Smart Pastel Colour and then apply an all-over hair colour
• You must carry out a strand test prior to lightening your hair as results may vary
• Cut a small amount of hair from an area which is hidden and tie one end securely with a piece of cotton or a piece of sticky tape
• Place the test strands onto a piece of kitchen foil or cling film
• Make a note of the start time, use the application brush provided to apply a small amount of the mixed Smart Lightening Cream onto the strands of hair, ensuring sufficient coverage
• Keeping the test strands straight, fold the tin foil in half to create a pocket around the hair
• After 20 minutes scrape the Smart Lightening Cream from the strands to check the shade and personal development time. If it has not yet developed, re-apply the Smart Lightening Cream to the hair and check every 10 minutes until your desired shade is achieved DO NOT EXCEED 60
MINUTES
• Once you have reached your desired shade or the maximum time of 60 minutes has been reached, note the time and rinse the strands until the water runs clear
• Heat the strands with hairdryer until completely dry
• Clean the application brush, non metallic mixing bowl and your protective gloves in cool running water.
• If you are happy with the colour result, proceed to Test 3. How to colour your hair at home?
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