Any hair dye contains aggressive substances that negatively affect the hair, penetrating deeply into it and damaging its structure. An alternative to dyeing with permanent dyes is hair tinting, which looks especially impressive on dark hair.
Pros and cons of toning dark hair
The benefits of hair tinting are obvious:
Hair is not exposed to ammonia and hydrogen peroxide.
Toners are formulated with vitamin supplements and nutrients to help maintain healthy hair.
As a result of a properly performed procedure, the hair's own shade becomes brighter, they acquire shine and silkiness.
Toning allows you to try many shades and choose the best one.
Like any cosmetic procedure, toning has its drawbacks:
With the help of toning, you cannot get another hair color, you can only give a certain tone.
Toning in a lighter shade requires preliminary lightening of the hair.
Toning agents are quickly washed off, a repeated procedure is often required.
Types of tinting agents
According to the durability of the shade, tinting agents are divided into the following types:
Temporary, one-time tonics - these include coloring pencils and crayons, special mascara, varnishes and sprays.
Light tonics are also short-lived, but they contain nutritional supplements: these are tint shampoos and balms, gels, mousses, foams.
Sparing tonics consist of natural components: henna and basma, as well as products containing chamomile, oak bark, cinnamon. The color lasts up to a month.
Persistent tonics retain their color for up to 2 months, as they contain a small amount of an oxidizing agent.
To give your hair an original shade, you can use natural dyes. The undoubted benefit of using natural remedies is that they do not harm the hair, but, on the contrary, strengthen it.
Most often these are substances of plant origin. The most popular natural dyes are henna and basma.
Henna tinting
For dark hair, henna gives a deep shade with a copper sheen. Experts recommend purchasing natural, Indian or Iranian henna.
Method of application: a sufficient amount of henna powder should be diluted with hot water, kept for 10 minutes. Then the gruel is applied to the washed and dried hair in strands, starting from the bottom. Then the composition is distributed along the length of the hair with a rare comb, combing them up. Wrap the head with cling film or polyethylene and wrap it up. Henna can be kept on dark hair for a long time - from 2 hours or more.
Henna and basma toning
Basma in its pure form gives the hair a blue-green tint, therefore it is used only in combination with henna - dark hair will have a slight reddish tint.
1 way - alternate toning: apply henna as described above, keep for 40-60 minutes, and then rinse your hair without shampoo. Then you need to prepare the basma: pour hot water, bring to a boil in a water bath, apply to the hair in the same way. To obtain a chestnut shade, the composition is kept for an hour and a half, black - up to 3 hours.
Rinse with running water. Within 2-3 days, the pigments are oxidized, only after that the desired color appears. During this period, you should not wash your hair with shampoo.
2 way - mixed toning: henna and basma powders are mixed, then applied to the hair.
Advice:
to obtain a chestnut shade, the powders are taken in equal shares, the exposure time is at least an hour;
for chocolate - basma and henna in a 3: 1 ratio, from an hour and a half;
for black - basma and henna 2: 1, hold for 3 hours;
to enrich the palette of shades, you can dilute henna and basma with tea broth;
with dry hair, toning with henna and basma requires the use of a balm, since dyes have a drying effect;
after applying henna and basma, dyeing, curling and other procedures with chemicals should not be performed for 2-3 months.
Other natural dyes
For brown-haired women and brunettes, toning with tea is suitable.
There are several such recipes:
Taking 3 tbsp. tea leaves in a glass of boiling water, you should boil the liquid for 15 minutes, strain, moisten your hair, keep for about half an hour. Wash off the composition without shampoo.
For 1 liter of water, take 2 tbsp. l. tea, boil for 15 minutes, leave for 20 minutes, filter. Moisten hair abundantly, wrap and hold for 40 minutes. At the end, do not rinse.
Taking 2 tbsp. black granulated tea for 2 tbsp. boiling water, keep the composition over low heat for 20 minutes. Then it is applied to the washed hair, wrapped up the head, held to obtain a chestnut shade - 15-20 minutes, for a darker one - 30-40 minutes. Do not wash off.
Brew strong tea, bring to a boil, add 1 tbsp. sage, the same amount of nettles and 2 tbsp. rosemary, rinse hair. The broth can be used several times.
A soft chestnut shade can be obtained with walnut. It will take 3 tbsp. l. shells or leaves of an unripe, green nut per liter of water. Raw materials need to be boiled for 10 minutes, cooled, filtered and used for rinsing.
A beautiful copper shade on dark hair will turn out if you mix tea and nuts. Equal parts of black tea and dry crushed nut leaves should be poured with boiling water and simmer for 20 minutes. Having infused the broth for 10 minutes, apply it to washed hair.
A pleasant dark shade will give the hair a spruce bark: it should be grinded and brewed with boiling water, let it brew. Then the hair is moistened and the composition is kept for 1 hour.
To darken your hair, you can rub crushed fresh sage leaves into your hair. Under the influence of sunlight, the effect is enhanced.
Hair toning for dark hair requires adherence to certain stylistic canons. Owners of dark hair belong to the "autumn" and "winter" color types, each of which has several subspecies.
Color type "autumn"
The type "autumn" has the subtypes "soft", "warm" and "dark autumn".
Some stylists also highlight the fourth: "deep autumn".
"Soft Autumn". Representatives of this subtype are characterized by complex, soft, warm shades. The skin has a beige undertone, the color of the eyes is gray and gray-green, less often - light brown or amber, the contrast between the protein and the iris of the eyes is average. A woman of this color type usually has hair with a red tint - copper, honey, walnut.
"Warm autumn". In women of this subtype, the appearance is brighter, more contrasting. They have thin, light skin, eye color - brown, hazel, honey, green, although blue-eyed representatives are also found. Red shades are also visible in the hair color: amber, copper, chestnut.
Considering these characteristics, experts recommend toning in shades for the subtypes “soft” and “warm autumn”: dark red, cognac, chestnut, chocolate.
Black should be avoided as an unnatural, rough contrast is created, and white - when lightening hair, you can "lose face", that is, it will become faded and expressionless.
"Dark Autumn". Pigments of this subtype have warm tones based on red-black and brown shades. The skin has a reddish or golden tone. The color of the eyes is predominantly brown, sometimes interspersed with gray or green, the contrast between the protein and the iris, and also, between the color of the skin and hair, is quite bright. A rich palette of hair colors - from dark blond to black.
"Deep Autumn". This subtype differs from the others in the greatest contrast and this is similar to "Winter", but warm shades are inherent in it: skin color beige, peach, ivory; hair is brown, chocolate, dark blond, brown-black with hidden golden or fiery shades. The color of the eyes is saturated, bright (brown, hazel, green).
For toning, chocolate and chestnut shades with a copper or golden tint are recommended.
Color type "winter"
To determine the color type "winter", the fundamental feature is the color of the skin and hair, the color of the eyes is a minor factor.
With a common distinctive feature - dark hair - in the appearance of the "winter" type, there are several varieties.
"Mild Winter". This subtype is characterized by beige and olive (but not dark) skin, hair in brown tones with overflowing cold shades. Eyes sometimes combine several colors (for example, brown or gray with green).
"Warm winter". It is characterized by deep brown or black hair color. Skin - warm olive or beige shade. The eyes of the representatives of this category are usually black.
"Southern winter". This type is typical for the appearance of the Latin and Mediterranean type. Dark skin, very dark and deep hair color is similar to the previous one, but eye color can be different and bright.
For the winter color type, the following shades are recommended: dark chestnut, dark chocolate, dark copper, dark red (pomegranate, mahogany, dark cherry), eggplant, plum, graphite, black (with blue, ash, brown and other tints) ...
Colorless toning of dark hair
Colorless toning is a new technique designed to restore and improve hair structure. There is no change in the existing shade, however, it evens out and is filled with shine.
Hair tinting with the help of a colorless corrector has a protective and therapeutic effect on dark hair.
This procedure can be carried out both with the help of a specialist and independently at home.
Colorless toning (screening) is carried out in several stages. Hair must be thoroughly washed and a nourishing mask applied. It can be purchased ready-made or made by yourself. To do this, mix the egg, 1 tbsp. l. sour cream, 2 tsp. honey and 1 tsp. burdock oil.
The mixture is applied to the hair, kept for a while, washed off and slightly dried. Next, apply the composition for toning, maintain it according to the instructions, wash off. After that, it is recommended to use a nourishing balm.
Toning in several shades
Different techniques are used to color hair in several shades:
ombre - contrasting or smooth transition to a lighter tone;
shatush - the effect of burnt hair;
booking - soft overflow of several shades in the main palette;
balayage - against the background of deep color, the play of shiny strands;
highlighting - classic, zonal, Californian - part of the hair or individual strands have a contrasting shade.
Hair tinting in different shades is done in the same way as coloring: a lightening composition is applied to the desired areas of dark hair. After that, you can start "coloring".
Recommended combinations: a brown shade looks harmonious with a copper one, a caramel one with golden blond, dark purple with an eggplant. Professionals advise against using more than 3 colors.
Features of toning dark hair
Hair tinting has its own characteristics depending on their color and structure. On dark hair, tones close to the natural color look organically.
For black-brown, these are dark chestnut, with a reddish tint, as well as purple, chocolate, mahogany and even blue. For light brown hair, tinting with copper shades will be effective. Dark blond and not too dark brown hair allows you to use a wide palette of colors: copper, bronze, wine-red, with an ash tint.
It must be remembered that the darker the natural color, the less visible the shades will be.
Toning techniques
Full length hair tinting
To achieve the desired shade, the tonic must be applied to washed and dried hair and distributed over the entire length. The duration of the dye is kept according to the instructions. After that, the hair should be moistened with water, lather and “blurred” all over the head - this process is called emulsification. Then the hair is washed with water without shampoo and a balm is applied.
Toning at the roots
When the roots of tinted dark hair grow back, a sharp color border is not formed, but the desired shade still disappears. This can be corrected in the following way: comb the hair on one side, make partings after a short distance and apply the tonic to the roots.
After withstanding a certain time, it is necessary to emulsify - thanks to this, the roots will acquire the desired color, and the original shade will become fresher and brighter. It is important not to forget to paint over the roots near the ears.
Hair ends tinting
The ends of dark hair are usually tinted in lighter shades (usually 2 tones) using persistent toners with a small amount of oxidizing agent. To achieve the effect, the ombre technique is most suitable.
In this case, the question often arises: how to achieve a smooth transition of shades. To avoid sharp contrast, you should not accurately fix the upper border, you need to distribute the tonic with a comb with frequent teeth.
In what technique is it better to tint short hair, square
Short haircuts and bobs limit their owners in creating different hairstyles, but they provide many opportunities for the play of shades.
Both monochrome toning and balayage techniques, classic, transverse and colored ombre, shatush with walnut and honey shades and others:
balayage - dark strands alternate with lighter ones;
multitonal ombre - hair is tinted in several shades at once;
"two colors" - hair is tinted in two contrasting shades, for example black - red;
shatush - curls are tinted in different places and at different heights.
Hair tinting at home - instructions
Preparation for toning is carried out similarly to the coloring procedure.
It is necessary to carefully read the instructions for using the selected tonic, prepare the workplace, apply petroleum jelly or greasy cream to the skin along the hairline, use gloves.
The toning agent is applied by hand to the hair and evenly distributed from the roots along the entire length. It is important to ensure that there are no unprocessed strands left.
After thoroughly massaging the roots, comb the hair in different directions with a rare comb for even toning. Keep the composition on the hair in strict accordance with the instructions.
The tonic should be washed off with water until it is completely transparent. You cannot use shampoo when rinsing.
The final touch: apply a conditioner for colored hair.
How to apply tinted shampoo for maximum effect
The tint shampoo is applied to clean and slightly dried, damp hair - this way the coloring will be more effective. The product is distributed with massage movements, you need to pay attention to each strand along the entire length (you should not rub it into the scalp, the shampoo only stains the surface of the hair). Then you need to distribute the composition well, combing the strands with a thick comb.
Masters advise to perform this procedure twice: hold for a few minutes after the first application of the product and repeat again. The effectiveness of toning depends on the duration of exposure to the tint shampoo.
Toning dark hair after highlighting and lightening
Hair tinting gives a very interesting effect on dark hair after highlighting. It is not necessary to apply the toning agent immediately, but wait from 2 days to a week.
Hair tinting on dark hair after unsuccessful highlighting is easy to fix at home
Toning is usually carried out over the entire head (individual strands can also be toned, but this is quite difficult and more suitable for ombre, shatush, balayazh techniques).
Toning technology:
the hair is slightly moistened and combed (after washing, 2-3 days should pass).
Divide the entire mass of hair into several parts (using non-metallic clips).
Distribute the tonic over the strands on the back of the head.
In the same way, they paint over the hair of the temporal part and on the crown.
Maintain the recommended time.
Wash off the composition until water is transparent.
Before toning bleached hair, you need to assess the degree of their damage: apply a drop of tonic to several hairs. If the product is absorbed immediately, the hair is badly damaged. With an average degree of damage, this does not happen immediately, if the tonic is not absorbed for a long time, the hair is healthy.
Depending on the results of the test, the concentration of the tinting agent depends: for damaged hair, it must be diluted in proportions from 1: 2 to 1: 5.
To determine the optimal concentration, you need to apply a toner and evaluate the result after 5 minutes: if the hair darkens too quickly, you should rinse the composition and make it weaker.The tonic should be kept for 20 minutes, rinsed, and balm applied.
How long does hair tinting last
On average, the shade after toning stays on the hair for 2-3 weeks.
To maintain brightness longer, experts recommend:
wash your hair with shampoo and treat with a balm for colored hair, preferably the same cosmetic line as the tonic;
apply the appropriate shampoo (for dark hair);
make nourishing masks;
wash your hair with warm, but not hot water;
use a hairdryer as little as possible (as well as curling irons, irons, etc.);
varnishes, foams, mousses can change the tone of the hair;
dark hair should be protected from sunlight.
What can cause a bad result
Sometimes it is not possible to achieve the desired result, it depends on some circumstances that must be taken into account:
You cannot apply tinting agents on partially gray hair, you can only tint even, absolute gray hair.
You cannot tint your hair after dyeing with henna and basma, as well as after a perm, you must withstand a couple of months.
After highlighting or lightening, hair can be tinted no earlier than a week later.
If the hair is damaged as a result of the use of aggressive coloring agents, it is necessary to restore its structure, otherwise the shade will turn out with different tints.
Hair tinting, with careful adherence to the instructions and recommendations of specialists, is considered a harmless cosmetic procedure. Thanks to the application of the tonic to dark hair, the strands will acquire a rich shade.
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I do toning with henna just to strengthen the hair and give it a shade.