Can you mix different shades/levels of temp. color?

UCurlGirl

I use a Clairol colorgloss (semi-perm color); it has no ammonia but relatively low peroxide. The color I use is a brown/black level 2, but it's a little flat. I was thinking of mixing it with deep red to warm it up a bit, because I'd seen someone else do it at a salon. Can I do this at home???

Thanks!

Transpogue

I would not recommend it. The way that color in a salon is mixed is that you add the different colors in the same bowl, then mix with developer. Since you cannot know for sure what the developer volume is for home haircolor, nor if the amounts are exactly the same, nor if the levels will compliment each other, it would be very hard to predict the results. My suggestion would be to do the black/brown, rinse, dry, and then apply the red. You will most likely get a "gloss" effect where you get a red cast over the black brown. Otherwise, I would try to find a different shade that will give you that warm dark brown in one step. A red color shampoo/conditioner will also help warm up the hair (but make sure that the shampoo is an orange-red rather than violet-red...does that make sense?)

HalfWavyHalfCurly

Specifically, which Clairol product are you referring to? As long as you use the same product you can mix brown/black with red, I suggest in a 2:1 proportion so you don't go to red but to be sure of results PLEASE do a strand test first that way you can adjust the proportion more to your liking.

If this product comes with a developer just be sure to measure the developer to match the total amount of both colors you mixed. For the strand test mix tiny amounts of each color and developer, don't mix the whole batch then because the mixture will degrade as time goes by. And don't be nervous if by chance you didn't mix the amounts in perfect proportion, I've sometimes "eyeballed" my mixtures and it hasn't made any noticeable difference.

HalfWavyHalfCurly

I forgot to mention that when mixing different levels you should stay with numbers close together, if not you could get a lighter shade and in a gloss I'm not sure what that will do, maybe it wouldn't have much of an effect. You didn't mention the level of the red, do you know what it is?

UCurlGirl

HalfWavyHalfCurly wrote:

I forgot to mention that when mixing different levels you should stay with numbers close together, if not you could get a lighter shade and in a gloss I'm not sure what that will do, maybe it wouldn't have much of an effect. You didn't mention the level of the red, do you know what it is?

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Thanks! It's the Clairol Colorgloss. I'm confused about these, though. I have to do repeated applications to keep the color, and with the developer being peroxide-based, won't this damage my hair in the longer vs. doing permanent color?

The color I'm using is a level 2, and there are no reds in level 2. I think the closest red is a level 4...

HalfWavyHalfCurly

If you have to do repeated applications you should switch to a s/p or d/p formula, these are deposit only and have lower volume h.p. as they do no lifting (and you don't need any) so they are gentler on the hair and may even last longer. If there's a Sally's near you you can choose from 3 or 4 professional brands. The most economical one is Color Charm, comes in a tube and packaging is blue, this is a concentrated product so you use twice as much developer. Check out thecolor chart. Just a suggestion: you could probably try their "4/6 Claret" straight out or mix 2 parts of the 3/0 Dark Brown with one of "6/4 Mahogany" or "6/45 Fiery Red". Of course, the real swatches will look different at the store so this is just to give you an idea.

UCurlGirl

HalfWavyHalfCurly wrote:

If you have to do repeated applications you should switch to a s/p or d/p formula, these are deposit only and have lower volume h.p. as they do no lifting (and you don't need any) so they are gentler on the hair and may even last longer. If there's a Sally's near you you can choose from 3 or 4 professional brands. The most economical one is Color Charm, comes in a tube and packaging is blue, this is a concentrated product so you use twice as much developer. Check out thecolor chart. Just a suggestion: you could probably try their "4/6 Claret" straight out or mix 2 parts of the 3/0 Dark Brown with one of "6/4 Mahogany" or "6/45 Fiery Red". Of course, the real swatches will look different at the store so this is just to give you an idea.

OMG, thank you so much!!!! The product I'm using is a demipermanent, and has a developer much like the one you mentioned (peroxide based). I checked Clairol's website, and it said it's needed to open the cuticle to allow the color to penetrate. But since it's demipermanent, eventually it fades and I need to repeat the application. That's why I was wondering if doing a permanent color utilizing an ammonia/peroxide based-color once would be better than using a peroxide-based product repeatedly? I'm kinda confused on that point.

HalfWavyHalfCurly

Well, I now can't remember why I didn't recommend the permanent CC since that's the one I used very successfully for over 2 years when my hair was dark. It was so good I only needed to refresh the color on the length every few months only, also doing CG helped give my hair shine and because I didn't shampoo the color lasted longer.

You can choose either liquid or gel (in a tube), both of which are also concentrated. Oh, I think the gel has less ammonia. The shades I used were 211 (very dark brown) and 367 (black cherry) or 607 (cyclamen) but later on I just bought the pure red additive they have. So little was needed that when I decided to go lighter I still had more than 1/2 a bottle and I mailed it to a Curly from here who wanted similar hair to what I'd had. Here's an electronic color chart.