Hi all! I've been looking on this forum for aaaaaages! but have only posted twice (i'm quite shy!!!) and i need help.........

I currently CO my hair every two days, and that seems to be going ok exept sometimes my head gets itchy but thats probably down to not rinsing well enough!

my real problem is that i dye my hair (i'm sorry but i just can't live with my natural colour as its so boring!! and i only use semi permanent which on me lasts as long as permanent but with far less damage!! - hurruh!!) and the trouble is that when you use conditioner it coats the hair and the dye can't get through, so..... how can i prepare my hair for the evil of colouring? do i HAVE to use shampoo?

i tried asking Sian100 but i'm not allowed to send private messages! because i saw that she CO's and colours! so Sian100 if you read this pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease could you help??? your hair looks great btw!!

and if anyone else knows of how to do this please please please post back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thank you all!!!

I usually use a sulfate-free shampoo before doing henna, and it seems to work fine. I like Giovanni 50/50, available at health food/organic groceries.

Welcome to LHC :flower:

Hi Bunnii, I'm really flattered that you'd consider asking me for advice. :flowers:

So your question is can dye penetrate through coating from CO? I think if you're worried about coating from CO, you should eliminate conditioners which contain cones from your routine. I don't know what country you live in, but cone-free conditioners that are sold in the US are listed here (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=30310). There are also, to my knowledge, listings of cone-free conditioners for Canada (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=44867) (another one for Canada (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=44865)), the UK (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=44650), and Germany (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=45269). I think you're in the UK because of how you spell "colour" though. ;)

Also, you may want to bear in mind that CO washing does not work for everyone. I think this thread offers the best descriptions (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=9367) of how to do CO washing. Rini also started an interesting recent thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=44591). If CO doesn't work out, you may also want to try CWC instead. I have no experience of CWC myself, but others find it suits them.

I think you need to bear in mind also that my hair is far more damaged than yours! My hair is chemically lightened, which strips the colour out of hair. Yours is dyed, which chemically adds colour to the hair. Lightening is much more harmful due to it's nature. If you're only using semi permanent colour then I think your hair will be alright! Others would disagree, but I personally don't think semi permanent is that damaging. Mind you, everyone's hair is different. So you should be able to get your hair in great condition.

Because of the differences in the way my hair is coloured compared to the way you colour your hair (i.e. you dye instead of lighten), I think it would be great if other LHC members who also dye their hair could chime in here and say what their experience of COing and dying has been- did residue from conditioners affect the ability of the dye to be absorbed by your hair? Did you find shampooing before dying helped the dye to hold better?

Your hair must be quite porous if semi permanent lasts as long as permanent. That happened to me as well when I was younger and had been dying virgin hair with temporary and semi permanent dyes. It was a bit of a nuisance.

Thanks for your query, Bunnii; I'm sure others will also reply (they probably already have due to my slow typing! :silly: ).

Hi! thanx for both replies! i am in the uk and i started using boots basics conditioner, so i'll try using just that and rinsing reeeeeeeeally well! and that won't coat my hair? i used to use just shampoo without conditioner before when i dyed so it could penetrate but that left my head very dry and itchy for days after the colouring, the only thing that calmed it down was a heavy load of conditioning!!

i'm using country colours in rouge noir, and it stayed vibrant for 6 weeks between colouring and i'm hoping the colour will hold on even better now i've quit using shampoo!

Also i usually use a cone free conditioner all over then one with cones in for the ends as i don't think my hair is quite ready for a full on cone quitting life! does that make it CO or CWC??? hmmmm!?!

Hi Bunnii,

I moved this to the Mane forum, where I think you will get more input.

The difference between CO and CWC is that the CO uses only conditioner ('conditioner only') but the CWC uses shampoo. It doesn't have to do with whether 'cones are being used or not.

Many people who CO don't use 'cones simply because not all 'cones can be removed without using shampoo.

Good luck with your search for answers here! I am sure you will find what you are looking for. :flowers:

Cheers,
Dvips

Bunii:

I live in the UK too. I use Henna Treatment Wax from Savers (99p for a tub) when i dye my hair. I use it to wash the dye out because its quite thick and really cleans nicely.

I have noticed that my colour doesn't last as long with CO though, but that might be my hair (its really strong and doesn't take colour easily...i'm even having a nightmare trying to henna it!).

OOh, also, one of my favourite conditioners for washing is Superdrug's just conditioner - its cone free (as is the treatment wax) and dirt cheap (32p) so you can afford to use loads every time you wash.

After dyeing my hair, i usually use Inecto's coconut conditioner (also from savers...i'm such a cheapskate!!) it smells beautiful so covers up the chemical smell some dyes can have (i tend to use Directions or Manic Panic - they're both vegetable based and wonderful colours!) and its moisturising and cone free.

I always dye mine when its damp, and i leave the dye on for as long as i can stand it (usually about 4-5 hours) regardless of the instructions.

It may be helpful to shampoo a day before colour application, then go back onto the CO.

hi all again!
sorry i've taken so long to reply its been what? 3 months? or there abouts! really sorry about this had loads on!!! sorry!!

anyhoo thank you for your advice, i ended up using a cone free conditioner and dying a day later, seemed to work, only it washed out quicker than it used to, i'm guessing thats because of the co.
so i'm now using permanent dye again! more damaging but i get the colour!

notice i have an avatar? thats my hair!!!! wooo!

Hi bunnii! I just want to throuw my two cents in about henna. Looking at your avatar, (lovely hair, btw) I think you can get that result with a few applications of henna with amla and indigo added. Added bonus: instead of damaging your hair, henna will condition and strengthen it. Since I have stopped coloring and switched to henna, the condition of my hair has improved completely. (reference my profile pic)
The henna thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=35188) is full of information on how to do this, and its gotten way too long to read in its entirety, but has become a very active henna chat thread, so you can read a bit at the beginning and then ask away.

Anyways, if you like dying, I won't tell you not to, but it sounds like you are worried about damage, and from your avatar, I think you can get a great color from henna while repairing it somewhat, so I wanted to suggest it.

thanks spiraleeee, i thought about henna but have no idea where to get any! i've tried hair shops and health shops and found nothing! i would like to try it though if i could only find the stuff!
thank you also for the hair compliment its nice when people say nice stuff! i notice a black kitty in your pic i have one shes called vader (i'm a nerd!!)

lol, you can click my siggy to see the whole cat.

There are lots of good places to get henna online. I get mine at an Indian spice shop near where I am moving to. But I have also bought good body art quality henna from here (http://www.mehandi.com/shop/hairhenna.html). Also, here is a link (http://www.hennaforhair.com/samples/) for samples if you want to do strand tests before comitting to a full head application. Catherine is very helpful, and there is a good henna for hair forum (http://www.hennaforhair.com/forum/index.php?module=phpwsbb&PHPWSBB_MAN_OP=viewforum&PHPWS_MAN_ITEMS=4)at this site.