Lighting hair can cause a lot of damage to curls. Bleaching strands cause them to become dry, limp and frizzy. If light hair is your goal, then go for it! But if healthy strands is more of a priority, then it’s best to avoid lighting your hair.
We know bleach is bad for curls, but what about darkening them? Bleach is stripping curls and taking colour out, whereas darkening strands is putting colour in. Both involve chemicals, but the process of darkening hair is less invasive.
Like everything in life, there’s a trade off to changing your hair colour. You might love light locks, but it comes at the cost of health. You might love healthy, strong curls, but it comes at the cost of not dying your hair. The same applies for darkening your hair. Although not as invasive as bleach, it does involve the use of chemicals to treat your hair.
I love my natural, ultra dark brown hair, but sometimes I like to spice it up and dye my hair one shade darker. Here’s how I dye my curls with no damage.
Prep
I prep my hair by washing it and getting rid of all my knots. Waist-length curls would be impossible to dye without being fully knot free. Once my hair is 100% dry, I go through and detangle again to be sure no new knots have formed.
My hair dye routine
I use a dye that is 80% natural. It’s more expensive than other dyes on the market, but it is definitely worth it. Since my curls are long and dense, I need 2 packs to cover all my strands.
It gives my hair the colour I desire and doesn’t start to fade until at least 3 months. The only con is that once it starts to fade, it fades quick. Considering that it’s natural, I don’t mind about this at all.
Damage
My curls aren’t damaged after using this dye. They do feel a bit drier and more prone to frizz, but this is easily fixed through treatments and leave in products. My favourite repair treatment is by Rizos Curls. Rizos Curls Vitamin C Repair Mask improves my curls elasticity, shine and strength within just one wash.
Curls are all about fun and expression. If darkening your hair is your dream, then I hope that my tips can help you achieve your dream look with minimal damage. This article is not to put you off lightening your hair, though. If you want to lighten your curls and don’t mind trading off healthiness and shine, then go for it! Enjoy your hair ♡
With love,
Sarah xx
