Are you tempted to try a new hair color, tone your highlights, or cover gray hair at home?
Perhaps you've heard horror stories of hair damaged by bleaching, turning yellow, or a shade that could only be removed by scissors. Don't worry: dyeing mishaps can be avoided with the right products and a little research!
Here are the best tips for successful at-home hair coloring! Your guide is the domestic brand Vivahde Hair, developed by professional hairdressers, which offers 34 versatile shades, as well as developers and bleaches.
Home hair coloring: where to start?
Has inspiration struck to change your hair color quickly and dramatically? That can be successful, but before you grab the tube, do a little groundwork! This ensures the end result is what you want.
1. Assess the condition of your hair.
Previous treatments, especially bleaching, make hair more porous and fragile. Porous hair reacts to coloring differently than healthy, uncolored, and untreated hair. If your hair has started to stretch and feels gummy, it's a good idea to take a break from bleaching.
2. Identify base and complementary colors.
Have you noticed that yellow just won't turn cool, no matter how hard you try?
The answer lies in complementary colors, which neutralize unwanted shades and enhance desired ones. Complementary colors are on opposite sides of the color wheel: blue and orange, red and green, violet and yellow. For example, violet neutralizes yellow.
Vivahde Hair's selection includes 34 shades for several different levels of darkness. All shades can also be mixed to adjust the level of darkness and the nuances of the shades.
Shade codes make finding the right color easier:
N = Neutral
A = Ash
G = Gold
C = Copper
R = Red
M = Mahogany
V = Violet
B = Brown
GR = Gray
e.g., 9VM shade, bright pearlescent blonde:
9 = lightness level
V = shade (violet)
M = nuance (mahogany)
When you want to remove yellowness, choose V-shades, i.e., violets. If you are darkening and want to avoid green tones, choose B- or G-shades, i.e., browns and golds. Copper tones can be neutralized with ash (A).
3. Decide on your goal (and be realistic).
All previous colorings leave their mark, for example, as visible root growth or a shade that still lives in the ends. Therefore, the base always affects the direction the new color will take. It's good to know that hair dye does not lighten previously colored hair.
If your ends are dyed dark and you apply a lighter shade over them, the change will barely be visible in the ends. Lightening dark hair usually requires multiple treatments and time. The bigger the change, the more patience you need!
Lightening hair dyed with plant-based dye can also be successful with Vivahde Hair products. However, it should be noted that plant-based dye may not lighten completely, as it is a direct dye. When lightening dark plant-based dye containing indigo, the color turns greenish but does not lighten completely.
Vivahde Hair colors are highly pigmented: if you are considering between two shades, choose the lighter one.
The hair in the picture was created with colors: 3N black-brown + 4A frosted deep brown. Roots: permanent color 1:1 3% ends: demi-permanent color 1:2 3%.
Avoid common hair dyeing mistakes
Too strong a bleach!
Many people want to quickly get rid of old hair color or achieve a platinum blonde result with one treatment. This is not the best solution for the shade or the condition of the hair.
Strong developers also lighten your hair's natural pigment. In this case, the result is easily yellow, warm, and in the worst case, brittle and "burned" hair.
With Vivahde's 0.9% and 3% developers, bleaching is moderate. It is also recommended to tone the hair after bleaching. Warm tones can be neutralized with their complementary colors.
It is better to do several mild bleaches than one as strong as possible. This way, you can monitor how your hair reacts to the bleaching.
You skimp on the dye
If you're wondering if one tube of hair dye is enough, it's better to get another one, especially if your hair is thick. A sparingly applied mass more easily leaves an uneven result that needs to be corrected later.
Too long processing time does not mean a better result
Especially in bleaching, it is important to observe the maximum limits. Hair dye that has been on the hair for too long can result in an uneven result or a shade that is darker or warmer than desired.
You don't tone after bleaching
Did you still end up with a warm tone in your hair despite everything, which you didn't want? This is normal when bleaching, and that's why it's worth toning the hair after coloring. A yellow base is easy to neutralize to cool or neutral with a complementary color.
Vivahde colors are violet-based, so they effectively cover yellowness.
If you are considering the suitability of a shade or whether your hair can withstand bleaching, do a small test strand first.
The stunning bleach in the picture: 9VM bright pearlescent blonde, gloss toning 1:2 0.9%.
Vivahde Hair – domestic hair dyes for successful home hair coloring
Vivahde Hair is a hair dye series developed by hair care professionals, designed to make home hair coloring easy, versatile, and gentle.
The colors, made in Finland, are vegan and fragrance-free. The formulations contain oat oil, which conditions, shines, and nourishes the hair.
Hair dye that serves three purposes
You'd be hard-pressed to find a more versatile hair dye: with one tube of color, you can perform three different treatments by changing the mixing ratio and developer!
Choose gloss toning, demi-permanent color, or permanent color:
- Gloss toning (+0.9% developer) maintains color and adds shine without lightening your natural base, excellent for toning highlights. Works as an alternative to silver shampoo, direct dye masks, and is also perfect for first-time coloring experiments!
- Demi-permanent color (+3% developer) provides intense toning for treated hair and naturally covers gray hair. The result is a soft root line.
- Permanent color (+3% developer) is suitable for uncolored hair, covering grays, and for durable root color.
- Permanent color (+6% developer) is primarily for strong, thick, and uncolored hair, and for strong gray coverage. Lightens natural hair color by 2–3 levels. Not recommended for treated hair.
Bleaching cream with adjustable strength
The versatile bleaching cream can be used for both highlights and full hair bleaching. The jojoba oil-containing formula stays moist, and the low pH also protects the hair. The bleaching strength can be adjusted by selecting the developer.
Developer, which you need with hair dye or bleach
Both coloring and bleaching always require a developer, which controls the coloring result.
Choose a developer according to the condition of your hair and the desired result:
- 0.9% – the lightest option for gloss toning and gentler bleaching.
- 3% – the most versatile choice for permanent and demi-permanent colors and effective bleaching.
- 6% – the strongest option that covers gray hair and lightens natural hair color by 2–3 levels. Not recommended for treated hair.
The stunning shade in the picture was created with colors 9VM bright pearlescent blonde + 9B sandy blonde, gloss toning 1:2, 0.9% developer.
Hair dyeing step by step with Vivahde Hair instructions
Hair does not need to be washed beforehand, as the natural oils of the scalp protect the hair during the treatment. Wear something that can get stained: old t-shirts work great.
Here's how to succeed with home coloring:
- Have enough dye. Consider the length and thickness of your hair. If you have leftover dye, you can reuse it, as the product lasts for 12 months once opened. Gather everything before mixing the colors.
- Take out gloves, a brush, clips, and a protective shirt. Divide your hair into sections to which you will apply the dye one section at a time.
- Mix the dye just before use. Oxidizing dye starts to oxidize immediately, and bleach is at its best within the first 15 minutes, so it's advisable to mix it in small batches and proceed one section at a time.
- Apply sufficiently: too thin a layer will result in an uneven outcome.
- Follow the processing time carefully. Start timing from when the last section has been treated. Never go into a hot sauna while hair dye is processing!
- Wash and remember conditioner. First, add a small splash of water to your hair and gently massage: this emulsifies the dye and makes rinsing easier. First, wash the areas where you first applied the dye. Finally, shampoo and finish with conditioner.
- Admire the shiny and beautifully colored result! You can easily maintain and tone the color with gloss toning.
You can find more dyeing tips on the Vivahde Hair website. You can also ask for a free consultation from the trainer by sending an email to asiakaspalvelu@vivahdehair.fi or on Instagram @vivahdehair.
Explore Vivahde Hair's color selection and find new inspiration among 34 different shades!💡
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