My hair is damaged, but I have to color the gray!

I've posted under the health section because my hair is newly damaged and I don't know what to do. I have coarse, frizzy, type 3b hair that never really had curl definition because I never learned how, but it was pretty. I've been hot iron straightening for about 10 years and highlighting longer than that.
Of course I'm going to stop using all heat, but I just don't want to give up the color! I was blond as a kid and it turned dishwater blond as I got older then dishwater brown. So, most of my friends know me as a dark blonde now with brown going through it - done by a salon always. And now that I am gray, there is no way I would give up coloring that. It is damaged, I know, but can I continue coloring it while I do all the things to fix the damage?
Of course I'm going to stop using all heat, but I just don't want to give up the color! I was blond as a kid and it turned dishwater blond as I got older then dishwater brown. So, most of my friends know me as a dark blonde now with brown going through it - done by a salon always. And now that I am gray, there is no way I would give up coloring that. It is damaged, I know, but can I continue coloring it while I do all the things to fix the damage?
3a (boticelli) fine, high porosity
CG since May, 2011
CO wash - Devacurl LoPoo
Condish - Devacurl OC
Styling - Devacurl Styling Cream, AnGel
DT - Heaven in Hair
CG since May, 2011
CO wash - Devacurl LoPoo
Condish - Devacurl OC
Styling - Devacurl Styling Cream, AnGel
DT - Heaven in Hair
0
Comments
Don't do protein right after the color - do it a few days before - because protein will strip the color, but it's necessary when you've colored your hair to do protein in between coloring.
So the regimen should be - protein after poo, and a conditioner, then in a few days use color, with deep conditioner afterward - no protein after coloring for a few days. Then at the next poo, use something like Curl Junkie Beauticurls Strengthening Conditioner which combines protein with conditioner or any other good protein treatment followed by conditioner. There are other good products too, that's just an example. HTH
Highly porous. Color over grey.
I love all the Curl Junkie products. Still experimenting with gels and curl creams. Still hoping for 2nd day hair....
Every day is a gift :flower:
If you are trying to lighten your natural color with a permanent coloring, try slathering your hair from root to ends with coconut oil the night before you color. Coconut oil is one of the few oils that hair can absorb into the shaft. Sleep with the oil on your hair then in the morning, color your hair over the oil- yes the color comes out perfectly. The permanent color opens the hair shaft and the color and even more coconut oil is drawn into the shaft. It prevents the damage that coloring alone does.
I personally like the demi color because you never have that harsh line of color/ roots, it gradually fades a bit before the next coloring so you don't get the hard line and it doesn't damage the hair like permanent color does. I buy the Redken EQ online since I can't afford to go to the salon each month to have it done.
Highly porous.
Color over grey/blond
3b/c/a mix. medium texture, low porosity
My Motto: Strand Test! some hair pics
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] -- gone, but never forgotten.
And Curlypearl had a great regimen for using protein before coloring.
CWC using whatever works this week