Lightening Your Hair With Believe

Now that the warmer weather is here, everyone’s hair is no longer hidden under hats and what that means to us at Believe is that we are seeing an awful lot of very bad hair color applications—many are do-it-yourself at-home jobs.

The reason we see none of our clients among those who look like refugees from tin foil and paintbrushes over the kitchen sink or (men, are you reading this?) the ones who look like someone applied shoe polish to their heads is because we are lucky enough at Believe to have a Master Colorist. Lisa, the owner of Believe, spent years learning her craft and consulting on every hair coloring session we do here at Believe.

And while we can’t condense all her training into one article, here is the first of a series of articles revealing some things you should know about hair coloring (even if you insist on doing it yourself—and again, we beg…please don’t!).

Lightening the hair

This is a preparatory process for the application of a single-action, penetrating tint or toner and a lightening product used to lighten the hair to the desired shade.

Professional hair color lighteners were created to lift dark hair to light by diffusing natural melanin present in the hair's cortex. Experts like us at Believe know, they can’t always guarantee that you’ll walk in with black hair and can walk out a platinum blonde. (The underlying pigment might not allow that.) We may be able to take your very dark hair and make it much lighter—but that might take more than one application of lighteners and (do-it-yourselfers take note) you could be playing with fire.

Each application may damage hair due to the level of lightening and chemicals required to achieve it. The stylists at Believe are looking out for the long-term health of your hair. Listen to us!

The over-the-counter lighteners may contain a lower level of potentially harsh chemicals (and may not lighten your hair properly either) but don’t be fooled. They can still severely damage your hair. If you must lighten your hair at home—do a strand test in some inconspicuous place. Remember…Hair lighteners actually remove color—to just minimize the color, but remove it completely.  We really do recommend you step away from the box and make an appointment at Believe. We can assess your hair and tell you if it’s even a good time to consider lightening your hair. If we find it so, we will use one of the following hair lighteners: Oil, Cream or Power of Paste.

Oil Hair Lighteners

Oil Lighteners usually consist of the mixture of hydrogen peroxide with a sulfonated oil. 

Oil based lighteners are usually mixed with 20 volume developer and one or more lightening activators. Many of the lightening activators do contain ammonium persulfate.  It is the ammonium persulfate working in harmony with the hydrogen peroxide and the lightener to remove any unwanted red, orange or yellow tones in the hair.

Oil lighteners can provide maximum control when lightening naturally dark hair, which may take an hour or more.

Neutral oil lighteners can be used without adding color to soften the hair to better take a tint later or Colored oil lighteners add temporary color and highlight hair while they lighten. Gold lightens the hair while adding red highlights.
Silver lightens the hair while adding silvery highlights to gray or white hair.  It also minimizes red and gold tones on other types of hair. Red lightens the hair and adds red highlights.
Drab lightens and adds ash highlights, toning down or reducing red and gold tones.

Cream Hair Lighteners

Cream hair lighteners are the most popular types of lighteners.  They're easy to apply and will not run, drip or dry out, making them easy to control. With conditioning, bluing and thickening agents, they can protect the hair from harsh chemicals, “drab” or dull red, orange or gold tones, and make sure the lightener stays even and doesn't run (you don’t want streaks).

Powder Or Paste Hair Lighteners

Powder or paste lighteners are the fastest type of hair lighteners. These types of hair lighters contain oxygen-releasing boosters for quicker and stronger action in lightening. Your Believe stylist will mix these lighteners that hold really well and prevent overlapping with previously colored hair. You really need a professional to properly use these lighteners so they don’t dry out too fast, drying out the hair shaft and irritating your scalp.

Make an appointment with us at Believe to assess the condition of your hair prior to lightening it. We are happy to take a look, give our honest opinion, and recommend some next actions to get your hair ready to go lighter, Next week, check this space for some other things to consider if you taking bold action and Going Blonde.

Tips for beating holiday stress

Where did the time go? Wasn't it just Labor Day yesterday? It seems like that to us at Believe, but the holidays are upon us...Chanukah has begun, Christmas is hard on its heels, and then the new year beckons. Between now and then, it's rushing, shopping, parties, guests, family, and, of course, food, food and more food.

   All this celebrating is not only fun--but stressful. So...here's some tips to keep you beautiful and balanced through this hectic season and on into the new year:

*Get some sleep: You really don't have to stay up till midnight to get it all done. Take a page for the book of the older ladies you know--they do their shopping and wrapping w-a-a-y before the holidays (ok, make that a note to self for next year), but you can do a little each day now, instead of waiting till the last minute and thinking you will get it all done then. If you get to stay at home, nap! JFK ran the country on 10- minute power naps (though we prefer an hour after lunch). If you have little ones, curl up with them. You'll all be better able to cope.

*Drink more water than usual: Going in and out of heated spaces dries you up and good moist skin and hair begin on the inside. (Also, remember alcohol dehydrates you. Stick to a glass of festive champagne--it will help with the calorie count, too.)

*Hair needs moisture, too: Wash with a moisture giving shampoo and conditioner, then lock in that vital moisture by using a dab of organic butter worked through your hair. Try Aestelance Butter, made from basil, rosemary, sandalwood and all-natural ingredients (It smells wonderful and stands up to the constant on-off action of your cute wool hat.) Another trick to try--rub your hairbrushes with a dryer sheet every now and again. It helps with that static electricity problem. 

*Take off that cape: You aren't really Wonder Woman. Delegate! Your husband can wrap gifts, kids can load the dishwasher, and you don't have to volunteer to organize the gift exchange at work. Stress is hard on you (and is no good for your looks, either.)

*Not only your lips chap: You should always keep a good lip balm, like ZUM KISS, with you and use it often, but don't forget your cheeks, chin, elbows and knees. Winter winds get to the first two and keeping everything else covered constantly rubs and causes rough skin. Try thicker body butters like Zum Body, made with aloe vera, red clover, and essential oils.

*Make one more list: On top of the gift, wish, and to-do lists you are lugging around, make a gratitude list of all the blessings in your life. It is sure to give you the gift of perspective.

*Help others: Make sure to remember to save time and go online to donate to your local food pantry or pet shelter. Then, when you are kicking yourself for losing patience at your kids or spouse, you can remember you are not an evil witch--just over-worked.

*Give yourself more time: Start an hour earlier in the morning. Meditate for 20 minutes to start the day and take one item off your to-do list and move it to another day. You'll actually gain time by not being so frantic.

*Eat a good breakfast: Even if you don't the rest of the year, you need proteins and carbs (always yummy) since you are revving your engine higher now.

*Take a breath break: At around 2 or 3 pm when that slump hits (you know the one), stop everything and breathe deeply--in through your nose and out through your mouth--deeply enough to make your abdomen lift three times. Do a couple of neck rolls, rub your temples as though you are having a facial, and, if your doctor agrees, you might want to start taking a vitamin B tablet for a complex/protein boost.

*Think of those hidden hands and feet: Gloves and socks keep us warm, but wreck havoc with our skin and nails. Keep tea tree oil to rub on those toenails (to prevent fungus growth) and be sure to rub cream in your cuticles to keep them from cracking. We use Zum Rub, a shea butter moisturizer. Naturally, the skin of both hands and feet need extra moisture too. Make sure to run moisturizer all over immediately after a shower (before your skin dries) and remember to keep that shower on the cooler side. Hot water is drying. Keep cream to rub in your hands throughout the day (Zum Minis are great for your purse or briefcase.)

Pre-sleep stress busters: Consider giving up caffeine for the duration.  Explore the wonderful world of herbal teas (visit Annie's Remedies.com to learn the time-tested qualities of each). A cup before bed, a warm bath (throwing a few of the same herbs in some cheesecloth and then in the tub is restful, too) and lavender oil (a dot under your nose and one between and just above your eyebrows) can lead to more restful sleep and sweeter dreams (Maybe you'll actually have some visions of sugarplums dancing in your head!) Try all of these for over-excited little ones too.

*Relatives can be pains in the ***: We know, but you've only got one family --and as our mother's said, you can do anything for a little while--even put up with your mother or mean Aunt Sadie. You can steer the conversation in another direction or leave the room (no, that doesn't mean stomp out). Remember, you don't have to go to every fight you are invited to, life is short, and it is the holidays. Enjoy yourself.

*Treat yourself to an early gift: Have a facial (or even a Vitamin C or Pumpkin Peel Treatment to banish dry flakes) get a massage (cold muscles are stiff muscles and our therapist has magic fingers), stop by Believe for a cup of tea or espresso and a little shopping while you're at it. We've got a holiday special skin treatment Tapas menu--Pick two services for $100.) Buy a scalp/hair treatment for him and some of the world's greatest organic baby products for Junior. (Ask us how you can earn a gift card for yourself too!)

   From our family here at Believe to your family, we wish you happy (and stress-free) next few weeks and hope to see you soon.