The truth is, sometimes there is no way to avoid colours running into each other as you rinse them out. This is particularly true when you have colours like White, Yellow, Lilac, (or any pastel shade), in your hair which corrupted if you have a deeper, more pigmented shade placed next to it. It is unavoidable to some extent but you can use this in your favour!
Bleeding can be a good thing. You can use it to create custom colour blends that look 100% deliberate. The trick is to place your colours carefully.
Take yellow as an example. Imagine you want to do a bright yellow fading into green, fading to blue. If you place the blue at the top, think about what is going to happen when you wash your hair – the blue will wash all the way down the length of the hair and muddy the yellow. So all you need to do is flip your gradient around so that you have yellow on top, then green then blue on the bottom. Always put the deepest colours on the bottom and you can’t go too far wrong. Enhance the look while you’re dyeing by smudging the borders between colours to give a softer gradient.
So what if you don’t want to use a gradient… let’s say you’re doing chunks of a colour?
The key here is to accept that some of your lighter colour is going to be affected. So, using our yellow and blue example above, if you wanted a streak of yellow in the middle of your blue hair you need to make your yellow area about 50% larger than you actually invisage it so that there’s a good portion of yellow that’s not directly touching any blue. Accept that some of the yellow is going to turn greenish. It’s inevitable but you can reduce how green it goes by following the tips below.

Tips to Reduce Bleeding

• Wash your hair carefully – even suds can stain light hair so avoid piling your hair up on top of your head as you wash and when you rinse let the water run from root to tip without bunching your hair together.
• Consider washing some areas separately – if you have blonde hair and just a chunk of colour, you may want to think about tying or clipping the blonde hair back while you wash the coloured area. This will prevent the colour rinsing through your blonde and discolouring it.
• Rinse in cold water – the colder the better. Cold water seals the hair cuticle slightly so less dye escapes.
• Use conditioner – this will also seal the hair and reduce the amount of colour in the run-off.
• Choose the deeper colour carefully – some dyes bleed more than others. Avoid really deep shades of plum, dark blue and dark green which will stain everything in sight (hair, nails, bathroom and more importantly you’re freshly bleached hair)

Imagine applying nail polish to a fingernail that’s full of ridges and bumps. If you have dry, damaged hair, that’s exactly what you’re doing when you dye it without conditioning first. A reconstructive conditioner comes in particularly handy because it contains ingredients that are designed to repair and rebuild damaged portions of your hair follicles that heat-styling tools and excessive brushing can cause. Ingredients such as protein-packed ceramides act like spackling compound that fills in gaps and makes your at-home dyeing job look as if you just stepped out of the salon, not the comfort of your own bathroom.

1.

Choose a day from one week to two days before you dye your hair for your deep-conditioning treatment. This will give your reconstructive conditioner time to take effect and boost your hair health before it’s time to dye.

2.

Wash or rinse your hair to wet it, then squeeze it thoroughly to keep your hair from feeling too wet, which prevents the conditioner from penetrating as effectively.

3.

Apply the conditioner to your hair by starting at your ends -- they tend to be the driest -- and working your way upward. If you’ve got some issues with greasy roots, you don’t have to apply your reconstructive conditioner all the way to your scalp.

4.

Use a wide-toothed plastic comb to gently comb the conditioner through your hair and ensure that it’s as evenly distributed as possible. If you have tangles, apply some extra conditioner to that area.

5.

Wrap your hair in a warm towel as you wait for your conditioner to work its magic. Read the label for the right amount of time for you. If your hair is very damaged and/or brittle, this may be as long as 45 minutes to two hours. The heat from the towel’s warmth will help to open the hair shaft so that the conditioner can penetrate your hair more effectively.

6.

Rinse your hair with warm water to remove excess conditioner. The result should be hair that’s soft, but not weighed down. In a few days, you’ll be ready to dye your hair to greater success.

Things You'll Need

1.Reconstructive conditioner

2.Wide-toothed comb

Tips & Tricks

If you skip shampooing your hair one to two days before you color your hair, the extra scalp oils will help to reduce dye-related irritation.

If you’re using oils as your reconstructive conditioner, skip wetting your hair first. Oil and water don’t mix when it comes to cooking and deep conditioning. Apply conditioner to dry hair instead to reap the benefits.

The truth is, sometimes there is no way to avoid colours running into each other as you rinse them out. This is particularly true when you have colours like White, Yellow, Lilac, (or any pastel shade), in your hair which corrupted if you have a deeper, more pigmented shade placed next to it. It is unavoidable to some extent but you can use this in your favour!
Bleeding can be a good thing. You can use it to create custom colour blends that look 100% deliberate. The trick is to place your colours carefully.
Take yellow as an example. Imagine you want to do a bright yellow fading into green, fading to blue. If you place the blue at the top, think about what is going to happen when you wash your hair – the blue will wash all the way down the length of the hair and muddy the yellow. So all you need to do is flip your gradient around so that you have yellow on top, then green then blue on the bottom. Always put the deepest colours on the bottom and you can’t go too far wrong. Enhance the look while you’re dyeing by smudging the borders between colours to give a softer gradient.
So what if you don’t want to use a gradient… let’s say you’re doing chunks of a colour?
The key here is to accept that some of your lighter colour is going to be affected. So, using our yellow and blue example above, if you wanted a streak of yellow in the middle of your blue hair you need to make your yellow area about 50% larger than you actually invisage it so that there’s a good portion of yellow that’s not directly touching any blue. Accept that some of the yellow is going to turn greenish. It’s inevitable but you can reduce how green it goes by following the tips below.

Tips to Reduce Bleeding

• Wash your hair carefully – even suds can stain light hair so avoid piling your hair up on top of your head as you wash and when you rinse let the water run from root to tip without bunching your hair together.
• Consider washing some areas separately – if you have blonde hair and just a chunk of colour, you may want to think about tying or clipping the blonde hair back while you wash the coloured area. This will prevent the colour rinsing through your blonde and discolouring it.
• Rinse in cold water – the colder the better. Cold water seals the hair cuticle slightly so less dye escapes.
  http://www.naturesbrands.com?a_aid=4f5dc2f7a2375        
• Use conditioner – this will also seal the hair and reduce the amount of colour in the run-off.
• Choose the deeper colour carefully – some dyes bleed more than others. Avoid really deep shades of plum, dark blue and dark green which will stain everything in sight (hair, nails, bathroom and more importantly you’re freshly bleached hair)

Imagine applying nail polish to a fingernail that’s full of ridges and bumps. If you have dry, damaged hair, that’s exactly what you’re doing when you dye it without conditioning first. A reconstructive conditioner comes in particularly handy because it contains ingredients that are designed to repair and rebuild damaged portions of your hair follicles that heat-styling tools and excessive brushing can cause. Ingredients such as protein-packed ceramides act like spackling compound that fills in gaps and makes your at-home dyeing job look as if you just stepped out of the salon, not the comfort of your own bathroom.

1.

Choose a day from one week to two days before you dye your hair for your deep-conditioning treatment. This will give your reconstructive conditioner time to take effect and boost your hair health before it’s time to dye.

2.

Wash or rinse your hair to wet it, then squeeze it thoroughly to keep your hair from feeling too wet, which prevents the conditioner from penetrating as effectively.

3.

Apply the conditioner to your hair by starting at your ends -- they tend to be the driest -- and working your way upward. If you’ve got some issues with greasy roots, you don’t have to apply your reconstructive conditioner all the way to your scalp.

4.

Use a wide-toothed plastic comb to gently comb the conditioner through your hair and ensure that it’s as evenly distributed as possible. If you have tangles, apply some extra conditioner to that area.

5.

Wrap your hair in a warm towel as you wait for your conditioner to work its magic. Read the label for the right amount of time for you. If your hair is very damaged and/or brittle, this may be as long as 45 minutes to two hours. The heat from the towel’s warmth will help to open the hair shaft so that the conditioner can penetrate your hair more effectively.

6.

Rinse your hair with warm water to remove excess conditioner. The result should be hair that’s soft, but not weighed down. In a few days, you’ll be ready to dye your hair to greater success.

Things You'll Need

1.Reconstructive conditioner

2.Wide-toothed comb

Tips & Tricks

If you skip shampooing your hair one to two days before you color your hair, the extra scalp oils will help to reduce dye-related irritation.

If you’re using oils as your reconstructive conditioner, skip wetting your hair first. Oil and water don’t mix when it comes to cooking and deep conditioning. Apply conditioner to dry hair instead to reap the benefits.

How to Prevent White Hair and Grow Dark Hair

When you first see those signs of gray around your temples, you probably will be tempted to pluck those suckers out. Stop! Pulling out gray hairs won't get rid of them. In fact, if you want to prevent white hair and grow more dark hair, then you may need to treat the issue on several different levels. While not all white and gray hair can be prevented, you can take systematic, effective steps to prevent, reduce and even eliminate the silver in your hair. So don't give up, and put away those tweezers. Try some natural, proven remedies to rid yourself of those silver threads among "the gold."

1.

Give yourself a massage. Massaging your scalp can reduce stress and stimulate the growth of healthy, colored hair. Use just the tips of your fingers to rub your head in circular motions using gentle, firm pressure. Be careful not to scratch your head. Do this for 20 minutes a day. You can use just your fingers or work black tea, amla or almond oil into the roots of your hair as you do the massage.

2.

Get plenty of iodine. While you might not think your diet has a lot to do with preventing white hair, eating plenty of fish and other seafood can actually contribute to your youthful looks. Fish and seafood are high in iodine, which is required for melanin production. Melanin is essential to pigmentation, and white hair can be an indication of an iodine deficiency.

3.

Stay calm. If you are experiencing high levels of stress, your body may react by ceasing to pigment your hair. Daily exercise, yoga and meditation can help you fend off the physical signs of stress.

Things You'll Need

1.Amla (Indian gooseberry) oil

3.Almond oil

2.Black tea

Tips & Tricks

Some research indicates that foods with high levels of preservatives in them can also contribute to your body's inability to pigment your hair fully.

If you suspect that your white hair is the result of high stress levels or a dietary deficiency, consult a doctor about the best way to handle the issue. If your stress levels are serious enough -- or your deficiency marked enough -- to impact your pigmentation and melanin production, you may need medical treatment.

What Makes Hair Turn White?

Photo: Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

Have you ever looked at someone with white hair and thought, "I sure hope that doesn't happen to me?" If you have, get ready for some bad news. Hair turning white is a fate awaiting all of us, but it's a change that many people don't understand. The growth and coloring of hair is a process that changes over time, and there is a lot more going on in your hair than you may realize.

Biology of Hair

Each hair on your body is a strand of fibrous protein growing out of a tube of tissue called a follicle, which is located just beneath your skin. As new hair grows within the follicle, it pushes out the older hair to make room. This process goes through three phases. The growth phase for each follicle lasts five to seven years, then the follicle shuts down over the course of 10 to 20 days and enters a dormancy period until the hair falls out. The cycle then begins again.

Natural Pigments

Each follicle contains a number of special cells whose job is to inject pigment into the growing hair. This pigment is called melanin, the same pigment that affects our skin color. There are two kinds of melanin responsible for hair color: dark eumelanin and light phaeomelanin. Various combinations of these two pigments can create an infinite variety of hair colors such as black, brown, blonde and red.

The Big Secret

From these facts you've probably already guessed the big secret about your hair, but here it is anyway: your hair is already white. In its original state, before the pigment cells do their job, your hair is a natural white or light gray. It is only through the injection of eumelanin and phaeomelanin that it has any color at all. Many babies are born with pigment cells that have not yet reached full production, which is why their hair may darken over time.

Turning White

Your hair turns white because the cells that provide pigment gradually die, leaving only the shafts of hair uncolored. Because there are between as many as 150,000 hairs on the human head, many of them will have lost their pigment before you begin to notice. Contrary to urban legend, your hair does not turn gray due to a major shock or trauma. It is possible, however, that intense stress over a long period of time hastens the death of the pigment cells.

how to Add a Dark Natural blonde

Are you looking far too dreary and serious with that dark brown hair color? Then, baby, it's time to lighten up. Lightening your hair from dark brown to dark blond is a fairly straightforward process and the results can be stunning. You'll be amazed at how just going a few levels lighter can brighten your skin tone and give you a whole new attitude.

1.

Go to the beauty supply store and purchase a level-six dark blond hair color with a neutral ("N") base. It will likely be labeled as "6N." The neutral or natural base will ensure you get the natural look you want, without too many red or gold tones to it. You'll also need to grab a bottle of 30-volume developer while you're there.

2.

Mix the hair color with the 30-volume developer, in a color bowl, according to the product line's directions. Mix the two together really well with the color brush or a small whisk. Remove all the lumps to end up with a creamy concoction. Slip on your gloves to protect your manicure from color damage.

3.

Section your hair into four equal parts. Use the tip of the hair color brush to part your hair from the middle of the front hairline, to the middle of the back hairline. Part the hair again from ear tip to ear tip, and use four large hair clips to keep each section pinned up and separate.

4.

Let down one of the back sections first. The back of your hair tends to be darker than the front, so when lightening your hair, start at the back sections. Begin applying the hair color to the mid-shaft (1 inch from the roots to 2 inches from the ends) in 1/2-inch-wide sections throughout that entire section.

5.

When you've made your way through one back section, move to the next back section, then keep the color train going on both front sections, as well. When all your hair has color on its mid-shaft, go back to your first section and apply color to the roots and ends of the hair. Tackle each of the four sections in the order you applied the color to the first time.

6.

Set a timer for 30 minutes and let the color work its magic undisturbed. When the time is up, rinse the hair until the water runs clear. Slather the hair with a generous dollop of conditioner and rinse that after one minute.

7.

Congrats! You've now traded in your sultry dark brown locks for a sexy new dark-blond hue.

Things You'll Need

1.Hair Color

3.Latex gloves

5.Timer

2.30-volume developer

4.Color bowl and brush

6.Hair conditioner

Tips & Tricks

Dark brown is classified as a level-three hair color. Using a 30-volume developer will easily lift your hair the three levels to a level-six dark blond, but if your hair is darker or lighter, you'll have to adjust the hair color you buy, or your expectations. If your hair is a level two, you'll only get to a level five with 30-volume developer. If you want to go lighter you'll have to bleach first. If, on the other hand, your hair is really a level four, a level-six color and 20-volume developer will give you the dark blond color you crave.

Lightening your hair more than three or four levels is very hard on the hair and often looks totally fake. You're better off keeping it real and sticking within the three- to four-level guideline rather than trashing your hair for a color that will likely wash out your skin tone anyway.

How do I Keep My Hair White Without Turning it Blue?

It's on every silver-haired woman's mind; how do you keep your tresses a healthy white? Over time, white or gray hair can yellow, which looks dingy and unhealthy. Fortunately, blue shampoos and conditioners ---formulated specifically for gray hair --- counteract the yellow and keep your strands looking bright. Unfortunately, many people misuse these products and end up looking like Marge Simpson. That's because every time you use blue shampoo, it deposits a slight bluish tinge to your hair. Overuse can cause blueberry-colored hair which is neither fashionable or chic; unless you're planning on joining a punk rock band.

1.

Mix it up! Don't assume that you need to only use blue or violet shampoo to attain bright hair. Overuse is what causes the bluish cast. Instead, make a half-and-half mixture of the blue shampoo and a moisturizing shampoo to start. Use the shampoo every day, gradually adding more blue shampoo to the mixture over time. If your hair starts to take on a bluish cast, you know when to stop adding.

2.

Clarify, clarify, clarify. Clarifying shampoos are key to keeping out the blue and yellow. If you notice your hair has taken on an Easter-egg color, massage your scalp and hair with a clarifying shampoo. You can use a regular clarifying shampoo or one specially formulated for gray hair. These special shampoos remove buildup and keep hair looking bright.

3.

Alternate your shampoo use. Instead of washing with your blue shampoo mixture every day, only use it every couple of days. Use the clarifying shampoo on the off days. Alternating formulas will keep your locks snowy-white.

4.

Moisturize dry, brittle gray hair with a deep conditioning treatment every week. Moisture is vital for healthy hair. As a matter of fact, take a trip to your local salon every few weeks for a deep conditioning treatment for the softest, healthiest hair you can get.

Things You'll Need

1.Blue or violet shampoo

3.Clarifying shampoo

2.Moisturizing shampoo

4.Deep conditioning treatment

Tips & Tricks

If you can't seem to get the right blue shampoo mixture, go to a salon. Stylists will be able to assess the problem by determining your hair type and color.

How to Prevent White Hair and Grow Dark Hair

When you first see those signs of gray around your temples, you probably will be tempted to pluck those suckers out. Stop! Pulling out gray hairs won't get rid of them. In fact, if you want to prevent white hair and grow more dark hair, then you may need to treat the issue on several different levels. While not all white and gray hair can be prevented, you can take systematic, effective steps to prevent, reduce and even eliminate the silver in your hair. So don't give up, and put away those tweezers. Try some natural, proven remedies to rid yourself of those silver threads among "the gold."

1.

Give yourself a massage. Massaging your scalp can reduce stress and stimulate the growth of healthy, colored hair. Use just the tips of your fingers to rub your head in circular motions using gentle, firm pressure. Be careful not to scratch your head. Do this for 20 minutes a day. You can use just your fingers or work black tea, amla or almond oil into the roots of your hair as you do the massage.

2.

Get plenty of iodine. While you might not think your diet has a lot to do with preventing white hair, eating plenty of fish and other seafood can actually contribute to your youthful looks. Fish and seafood are high in iodine, which is required for melanin production. Melanin is essential to pigmentation, and white hair can be an indication of an iodine deficiency.

3.

Stay calm. If you are experiencing high levels of stress, your body may react by ceasing to pigment your hair. Daily exercise, yoga and meditation can help you fend off the physical signs of stress.

Things You'll Need

1.Amla (Indian gooseberry) oil

3.Almond oil

2.Black tea

Tips & Tricks

Some research indicates that foods with high levels of preservatives in them can also contribute to your body's inability to pigment your hair fully.

If you suspect that your white hair is the result of high stress levels or a dietary deficiency, consult a doctor about the best way to handle the issue. If your stress levels are serious enough -- or your deficiency marked enough -- to impact your pigmentation and melanin production, you may need medical treatment.

What Makes Hair Turn White?

Photo: Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images

Have you ever looked at someone with white hair and thought, "I sure hope that doesn't happen to me?" If you have, get ready for some bad news. Hair turning white is a fate awaiting all of us, but it's a change that many people don't understand. The growth and coloring of hair is a process that changes over time, and there is a lot more going on in your hair than you may realize.

Biology of Hair

Each hair on your body is a strand of fibrous protein growing out of a tube of tissue called a follicle, which is located just beneath your skin. As new hair grows within the follicle, it pushes out the older hair to make room. This process goes through three phases. The growth phase for each follicle lasts five to seven years, then the follicle shuts down over the course of 10 to 20 days and enters a dormancy period until the hair falls out. The cycle then begins again.

Natural Pigments

Each follicle contains a number of special cells whose job is to inject pigment into the growing hair. This pigment is called melanin, the same pigment that affects our skin color. There are two kinds of melanin responsible for hair color: dark eumelanin and light phaeomelanin. Various combinations of these two pigments can create an infinite variety of hair colors such as black, brown, blonde and red.

The Big Secret

From these facts you've probably already guessed the big secret about your hair, but here it is anyway: your hair is already white. In its original state, before the pigment cells do their job, your hair is a natural white or light gray. It is only through the injection of eumelanin and phaeomelanin that it has any color at all. Many babies are born with pigment cells that have not yet reached full production, which is why their hair may darken over time.

Turning White

Your hair turns white because the cells that provide pigment gradually die, leaving only the shafts of hair uncolored. Because there are between as many as 150,000 hairs on the human head, many of them will have lost their pigment before you begin to notice. Contrary to urban legend, your hair does not turn gray due to a major shock or trauma. It is possible, however, that intense stress over a long period of time hastens the death of the pigment cells.

how to Add a Dark Natural blonde

Are you looking far too dreary and serious with that dark brown hair color? Then, baby, it's time to lighten up. Lightening your hair from dark brown to dark blond is a fairly straightforward process and the results can be stunning. You'll be amazed at how just going a few levels lighter can brighten your skin tone and give you a whole new attitude.

1.

Go to the beauty supply store and purchase a level-six dark blond hair color with a neutral ("N") base. It will likely be labeled as "6N." The neutral or natural base will ensure you get the natural look you want, without too many red or gold tones to it. You'll also need to grab a bottle of 30-volume developer while you're there.

2.

Mix the hair color with the 30-volume developer, in a color bowl, according to the product line's directions. Mix the two together really well with the color brush or a small whisk. Remove all the lumps to end up with a creamy concoction. Slip on your gloves to protect your manicure from color damage.

3.

Section your hair into four equal parts. Use the tip of the hair color brush to part your hair from the middle of the front hairline, to the middle of the back hairline. Part the hair again from ear tip to ear tip, and use four large hair clips to keep each section pinned up and separate.

4.

Let down one of the back sections first. The back of your hair tends to be darker than the front, so when lightening your hair, start at the back sections. Begin applying the hair color to the mid-shaft (1 inch from the roots to 2 inches from the ends) in 1/2-inch-wide sections throughout that entire section.

5.

When you've made your way through one back section, move to the next back section, then keep the color train going on both front sections, as well. When all your hair has color on its mid-shaft, go back to your first section and apply color to the roots and ends of the hair. Tackle each of the four sections in the order you applied the color to the first time.

6.

Set a timer for 30 minutes and let the color work its magic undisturbed. When the time is up, rinse the hair until the water runs clear. Slather the hair with a generous dollop of conditioner and rinse that after one minute.

7.

Congrats! You've now traded in your sultry dark brown locks for a sexy new dark-blond hue.

Things You'll Need

1.Hair Color

3.Latex gloves

5.Timer

2.30-volume developer

4.Color bowl and brush

6.Hair conditioner

Tips & Tricks

Dark brown is classified as a level-three hair color. Using a 30-volume developer will easily lift your hair the three levels to a level-six dark blond, but if your hair is darker or lighter, you'll have to adjust the hair color you buy, or your expectations. If your hair is a level two, you'll only get to a level five with 30-volume developer. If you want to go lighter you'll have to bleach first. If, on the other hand, your hair is really a level four, a level-six color and 20-volume developer will give you the dark blond color you crave.

Lightening your hair more than three or four levels is very hard on the hair and often looks totally fake. You're better off keeping it real and sticking within the three- to four-level guideline rather than trashing your hair for a color that will likely wash out your skin tone anyway.

How do I Keep My Hair White Without Turning it Blue?

It's on every silver-haired woman's mind; how do you keep your tresses a healthy white? Over time, white or gray hair can yellow, which looks dingy and unhealthy. Fortunately, blue shampoos and conditioners ---formulated specifically for gray hair --- counteract the yellow and keep your strands looking bright. Unfortunately, many people misuse these products and end up looking like Marge Simpson. That's because every time you use blue shampoo, it deposits a slight bluish tinge to your hair. Overuse can cause blueberry-colored hair which is neither fashionable or chic; unless you're planning on joining a punk rock band.

1.

Mix it up! Don't assume that you need to only use blue or violet shampoo to attain bright hair. Overuse is what causes the bluish cast. Instead, make a half-and-half mixture of the blue shampoo and a moisturizing shampoo to start. Use the shampoo every day, gradually adding more blue shampoo to the mixture over time. If your hair starts to take on a bluish cast, you know when to stop adding.

2.

Clarify, clarify, clarify. Clarifying shampoos are key to keeping out the blue and yellow. If you notice your hair has taken on an Easter-egg color, massage your scalp and hair with a clarifying shampoo. You can use a regular clarifying shampoo or one specially formulated for gray hair. These special shampoos remove buildup and keep hair looking bright.

3.

Alternate your shampoo use. Instead of washing with your blue shampoo mixture every day, only use it every couple of days. Use the clarifying shampoo on the off days. Alternating formulas will keep your locks snowy-white.

4.

Moisturize dry, brittle gray hair with a deep conditioning treatment every week. Moisture is vital for healthy hair. As a matter of fact, take a trip to your local salon every few weeks for a deep conditioning treatment for the softest, healthiest hair you can get.

Things You'll Need

1.Blue or violet shampoo

3.Clarifying shampoo

2.Moisturizing shampoo

4.Deep conditioning treatment

Tips & Tricks

If you can't seem to get the right blue shampoo mixture, go to a salon. Stylists will be able to assess the problem by determining your hair type and color.