FAQ / Tutorial: DIY Colorful Rainbow Ombré (Mermaid Hair)
Thursday, March 19, 2015I've been getting a lot of questions about my dream hair that I am proud to have achieved. So to answer all of you, this is a blog post dedicated to just that. Let's get started because I know a lot of you are eager to know the details, assuming of course that's why you're here reading my blog, right?
I'll do a Q&A style for this post to try and be concise about how to do a colorful ombré / mermaid or unicorn hair / pastel or rainbow head style. I hope you'll find this informative and if you still have any questions, feel free to comment below and I'll do my best to update this blog regularly to answer your queries. Please do understand that I am no expert and you can take my advice with a grain of salt.
HOW DO YOU GET STARTED?
First of all, you'll need to bleach your hair. There are no shortcuts. If you want awesome colored hair, you have to get rid of the dark pigment first in order for the colors to show. I already wrote a post about going blonde and some instructions on how to bleach your hair at home. You can check that out by CLICKING HERE. If you're not confident to do it yourself, you can always get a pro to do it for you, but I must say this, why spend all that money when you can just do it yourself? Just remember one important thing: DO YOUR RESEARCH FIRST!
WHAT HAIR DYE DO YOU USE?
Right now I'm all about semi-permanent hair dyes. It's safe to use and is actually made from vegetable dyes so the colors last only for a couple of weeks because it gradually fades. I like it that way because I can start with really dark colors and it eventually fades into pastel shades. It's awesome! TIP: Stay away from dandruff shampoo and hot water because it will fade the colors away faster than you'd want it to. I personally prefer the ones from Manic Panic because they have a million (okay, exag!) colors to choose from. There's also Punky Colour, Pravana, Adore, Sparks, Special Effects, and La Riche Directions. That's a multitude of semi-permanent hair colors if you ask me! For people in the Philippines, you can buy it from Funky Streaks or Rainbow Head.
HOW DO YOU DO IT, LIKE GET ALL THOSE COLORS IN YOUR HAIR?
It is actually the same concept as the DIY ombré hair that I did before when my hair was longer. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to do it. All it takes is guts... well, no guts, no glory! Anyhow, you have to do it by sections at a time. Do not mix all the colors! Depending on what style you're aiming for, you can do the dark colors first then the light ones or vice-versa. As for me, I did the tips of my hair first. Then slowly worked my way up. For more details, you can read about it in my previous blog post by going HERE.
CAN YOU LIST WHAT YOU *REALLY* NEED TO COLOR YOUR HAIR?
You'll need colorful dyes of course and you'll need conditioners (a lot of it!), keratin or any treatment oil (I still find Argan oil the best for my hair!), a mixing bowl and comb, gloves, an old shirt and towel, and a lot of guts. Tee hee! I think there are some semi-permanent hair dyes that don't require you to bleach your hair first, but those are some pretty dark colors. If you want to obtain a bright colorful hair, then bleached blonde hair is A MUST! (How do I even stress this enough?) Also these dyes can stain so be ready to do massive clean-up if you're not too careful. I personally like darker shades of colors because I can always mix it with a conditioner to make it lighter and it's more cost-effective that way. The conditioners and treatment oils keep your hair healthy. Also I refrain from shampooing my hair so the colors last longer. I only shampoo my hair when I really have to, i.e. when it's really dirty or when it stinks! Otherwise, just use conditioner every day and you're okay. It will be oily and heavy at first but your hair will understand and will adjust in time so it won't produce much oil to weigh down your crowning glory.
IS YOUR HAIR DEAD? HOW DO YOU TAKE CARE OF IT?
Bleached hair equals dead hair basically. But there are ways to revive it and even though it involves a lot of products, you don't have to sell an arm and a leg to keep your hair alive. It boils down to choosing the right hair products and finding the ones that work for your hair. Different folks, different strokes. In most cases, you'll only need a wee bit of hair product. You can find a list of products I use to maintain bleached hair and how to keep a healthy and shiny mane by clicking HERE.
WHAT IF YOU MESS IT UP?
The good news is you can just color it black or brown and forget it. But with perseverance, you can do... anything. It's just hair. It will grow, but if it doesn't then you're screwed. LOL. I'm just kidding! Of course, you can always run to the nearest hair salon to get it fixed or you can wear a hat. But what can possibly go wrong with trying to do a mermaid hair or a colorful ombré? If you follow instructions carefully, read blogs and reviews, then prepare yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally, you're gonna be okay. Di gani, pwede raka mo hilak ug colored! Hehe. Seriously though, don't think too much of it. Don't stress. Just have fun! Don't worry about your hair... for now. I mean, sooner or later we'll grow old and we'll lose our hair. That's for sure. So when will you play with it? When it's gone? Are you afraid of losing hair and getting bald? There are safe and natural solutions like a hair restoration surgery. Maxim Hair Restoration is a hair transplant clinic in the Philippines that provides proven and effective hair transplant surgeries. Check out their website at www.maximhairrestoration.com for more details.
HOW MUCH DO YOU SPEND FOR YOUR HAIR? WHERE TO BUY HAIR PRODUCTS?
Honestly, I don't know. I never counted and even if I did, I'd imagine I have saved a ton considering I do everything at our house and you know I always look for creative ways to save on products. All my hair experiments take place at home so I don't have to pay any professional fees. I buy hair products when they are on sale, some are gifts, and others are freebies. A lot of my hair products can be bought at department stores, drugstores, and online shops. It's just a matter of looking for ones with the best deals. Can you imagine if we had coupons here in the Philippines?!?
WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON HAIR CHALKS/SPRAYS AND FOOD COLORING OR CREPE PAPER (yes, FYI, you can use that for hair coloring too!)?
If it works for you, then why not, chocnut? In fact, I have used them before and it works for both dark and blonde hair. But the guarantee is pretty slim and if you're not mentally-prepared, you could be in for a disappointment. It is also VERY temporary, meaning it's gone in a day or two. You'll have to keep reapplying and I don't have the luxury of time to do that. Also you can take note that my home-made purple shampoo/DIY hair toner is actually made with food coloring and you can check that out HERE.
WHAT ABOUT ATTENTION? PEOPLE *WILL* LOOK AT YOU!
I'm an only child so there's nothing new with getting all the attention. Plus, my hair deserves it! Many people don't know what it takes to get it to look this way! When I see someone with colored hair, I don't stare. That's just rude. I would compliment that person and give my biggest and most genuine smile because I know the story... so, R-E-S-P-E-C-T! Also, my husband says I'm the most oblivious person in the world with absolutely no peripheral vision, so there. Most of the time, it's not that I don't care, but it's just that I don't see people looking at me. If you don't like the attention, sorry folks, but if you live here in the Philippines, you better get used to it! :)
WHAT DOES COLORED HAIR SAY ABOUT YOU?
If employment is what concerns you most then you'll have to take that up with management or your company's policies. Since I work at home, I just couldn't care less about the criticisms I get for being different. I mean, come on. Aren't people being judgmental idiots for thinking that just because your hair is different, you're automatically like a rebel or a bad person or something? It's friggin' 2015. Deviating from the norms is, well, normal. My hair does not define me as a person or affect my attitude in any way. It simply means I like colored hair because I'm bored of black and brown. End of story.
So go ahead! Spring is in the air and summer will be here in no time. This means that for students, now's a great time to do some hair experiments with reckless abandon! If you're someone who's been told to get a life, well, here's your solution! If you're bored beyond belief with the usual hair color offerings, now you have endless choices to make! But if you're simply looking for some change, then your hair is sitting right there on top of your head. Join me! A whole new world of colors awaits!
Good luck, guys! Please do tag me when you've finally taken the colorful plunge! Follow me on Instagram: @bastaigat_sikat or use my hashtag (#bastaigatsikat) so I can find you wherever you are on social media. So excited to see all your creations!
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