Dumb hair question about "going dark"

heatherkj · October 2011

I have been thinking lately that I want to do something different with my hair. I don't want to do a dramatic chop--I like the length--but it's just so boring. I have been doing the same thing (cut + blonde highlights) for nearly 10 years now, year-round.

Soooo I've been toying with the idea of going darker for the winter months. But I'm SKEERED. Hold me.

First, I'm afraid it won't look good. Secondly, how do you "go back" after going dark? Like, what would my options be come spring/summer?

Aside from highlights, I've always had my natural hair color as a base, so I know nothing. Help?

scrgl · October 2011

A few of my girlfriends do seasonal hair...like "fall hair" right now. In the summer they have very blonde highlights, in the fall blonde mixed caramel and brown, winter caramel and brown with just a bit of blonde, spring bring the blonde in a little stronger still with some brown and caramel, then cycle back through in the summertime. I always think it looks really nice and they keep all the colors in, just emphasize the darker/brigher/lighter colors depending on the time of the year. I've never thought it looked really drastic, but can tell the difference.

star678 · October 2011

I dyed my hair dark out of a box once. It was the lowest type of permanence and was really easy to get back to blonde since it faded out so quickly. However, it looked like an at-home job (since it was) and I hated myself with dark hair-- your mileage may vary on that, but I would recommend seeing a stylist. I think I would have liked it if it were done properly and not in my mom's laundry room.

melissainabq · October 2011

scrgl:
A few of my girlfriends do seasonal hair...like "fall hair" right now. In the summer they have very blonde highlights, in the fall blonde mixed caramel and brown, winter caramel and brown with just a bit of blonde, spring bring the blonde in a little stronger still with some brown and caramel, then cycle back through in the summertime. I always think it looks really nice and they keep all the colors in, just emphasize the darker/brigher/lighter colors depending on the time of the year. I've never thought it looked really drastic, but can tell the difference.

I've done that and liked it but then last spring just decided I wanted lower maintenance and went all dark. I'm loving it. We have a similar skin tone and I think you'd end up liking it too.

I second going to a stylist and not doing it from the box. They can show you swatches and let you see it against your skin. Those box charts never accurately reflect what it looks like on you and nothing's worse than botching your hair and then still having to pay someone to fix it (and sometimes spending more than you would have if you just trusted them to do it in the first place).

MrsJaay · October 2011

I go dark every fall and then I go lighter in the Summer. My hair dresser always threatens to kill me for this haha. I have brown hair so I just dye it quite a few shades darker all over in the Fall. I don't usually have any extra maintenance with it and it's cheaper than highlights. The hard part for me is going back light. My dark dye fades out really well but when I get highlights in the Summer sometimes the bottom highlighted half will take on an orangish hue (from the old dye) and I'll have to get a toner put in to blend the colors and take the orange out. I actually had to get a toner each time I got highlights this Summer. I think I'm just going to stay dark year round this year.

I don't know that people with lighter hair have the same issues that I do. I do like being able to change my hair with the seasons.

613marriedlady · October 2011

I have naturally dark blonde hair. I always get it highlighted. In the fall (last Wed) I added some low lights with my highlights. It's the highlight that is damaging, not the lowlight. For me, the lowlights fade pretty quickly, since it is going over previously highlighted hair. I however, to go the the hairdresser every 6 weeks, so it's not a big deal to me.

cmc714 · October 2011

I usually go "darker" in the fall/winter with low-lights. Looks like we have similarly colored hair. Last year I went pretty dark (for me) by doing an all over toner. It faded after a while and then I just started highlighting again in the spring.

heatherkj · October 2011

Thanks, all. To clarify, I would never try to do it myself! Definitely plan to use a professional. I'll have to talk to her to see what she suggests. I'll keep you posted.

ColleenS629 · October 2011

My hair was always blonde and when it started getting darker, I started highlighting it. Last summer I decided to dye it to my "natural" color... ""s because I had never seen it that color, as I had been highlighting it since it started getting darker. I got it done at the hair salon because I was afraid to do it myself. It still faded pretty quickly. I've just been growing it out now. I assume you could just get highlights again come spring/ summer if you wanted to.