Direct hair dyes: Temporary and semi-permanent

These hair colors do not change the hair structure. During the dyeing process, the dyes are deposited on the surface of the hair and are slowly but surely washed out with each hair wash. Characteristics: The colour mixture is already ready for use in the package. The colour is applied to the washed, damp hair and rinsed out after 15 to 20 minutes. How long direct hair dyes last depends on how they are prepared:

• So-called temporary hair dyes, such as curative lotions and colouring mousse, change the natural hair colour only slightly and hold one or two hair washes.
• With semi-permanent hair colors, the so-called soft tints, the colors are adapted to the hair keratin. Therefore, they do not only accumulate on the surface, but penetrate relatively deeply into the hair fiber. Tinting lotion, foam tints or tinting mousse survive eight to ten hair washes and are ideal for short-term changes in natural hair colour. The lighter the initial colour, the more possibilities are open and the more intensive the colour result. However, lightening is not possible.

Colouring according to your mood: permanent hair colours make it possible

Oxidative hair dyes withstand hair washing, exposure to light or other hair treatment methods. They allow almost any hair color, whether lighter or darker. They are also ideal for covering grey hair. Grey hair disappears completely, especially with natural hair colours. No wonder that eight out of ten hair dyes belong to this group.

Two colourless components become one colour

The colour is created by chemical reactions directly on and in the hair. This requires two components, both of which are colourless: Developer and coupler. They are mixed together before application and then applied to the hair. After 30 minutes the dyeing process is finished. The hair is now completely dyed. Depending on the formula, the colour lasts up to 24 hair washes or is permanent. Important for this colouring is the use of hydrogen peroxide in combination with ammonia or monoethanolamine. Some products use only a little hydrogen peroxide and sometimes completely without ammonia.

Blonde like a bread roll

As with oxidative hair dyes, hydrogen peroxide is necessary for bleaching. These break down the existing melanin pigments of the hair. First the dark colour pigments, the eumelanins, then the light red pheomelanin are discoloured. When bleaching, the exposure time must be carefully observed. If the exposure time is too short, then the light red pigments are not completely degraded, the hair colour becomes orange.

Back to natural hair colour through repigmentation

Hair pigments can not only be destroyed or changed but also restored. With the so-called natural colour cream, grey hair can be pigmented to its original colour. The repigmentation cream binds the oxygen in the air to form colour pigments that are similar to the natural pigments in one’s own hair. In this way, the original hair colour is gradually restored. The longer and the more often the natural colour cream is used, the more intensive the result will be.

Brilliant colours and shine with the right care

Oxidative hair colors and bleaching change the hair structure. For this reason, it is particularly important to care for the hair with these two colouring methods. Modern hair dyeing systems therefore contain more active care ingredients that smooth the hair surface again. This increases the shine and luminosity of the hair colour. In order to maintain this effect for a long time, special products for coloured hair should also be used for shampoo and hair care.