Neighbour wants me to dye her hair for her.

[~Wingnut~]

Hi All :o)
My disabled neighbour has asked me to buy a home kit for her and to help her dye her hair. The last time her hair was coloured (prob 2 months ago) her sister highlighted her hair with a home kit (not particularly well) and now she wants this covered with a darker colour.
Having only ever done my own hair, and then I've never been that daring! I'm a tad nervous about doing hers as I don't want her to end with funny coloured hair!!

After doing a bit of research online Garnier Nutrisse looks like the best for her and I will pick out a dark brown colour but I have a few questions about the 48hr patch test.
Naughty me has never done the test for myself but obviously I want to on her, now on the pack it says to mix hair dye together and use contents straight away but surely if i do the patch test it will be another 48 hrs till it is used, so how do I go about that one? and also what is the likely hood that I am going to make her hair go a funny colour because of the highlights? She can't afford to have it done at the hairdressers so I really don't want to mess it up. I have warned her that it could go orange because of the highlights.

Thank you for any advice :o)

[karenmac60]

Don't mix all the colour for the skin test - just use a tiny drop, mix that and leave the rest in their separate containers till you're ready to use it. Don't use too dark a brown as they are always a lot darker than on the box and you don't want her to look like it's jet black! Also, although there is more of a risk of it going orangey, use a reddish brown as brown onto blonde can end up going green! I'd pick a warm mid brown shade. If it goes orangey you can always put a more brownish brown over that and it won't go green and will dull the orange. Guess who's had a lot of hair disasters of her own over the years? ;)

[tamborine]

Dab a drop of developer onto cotton wool & selotape to inner wrist. Start on hair at same time & when color has been applied check the patch-test.

If the test-patch is itchy & red (allergic) remove all the applied color to avoid further damage & rinse well. Suggest she uses a colored mousse instead if she is allergic to the product.

[karenmac60]

Tambo, they recommend 48 hours between skin test and colouring.

[tamborine]

so they might.....but most salons work as I pointed out. There's no way that developer remains on any head for 48hrs.

[karenmac60]

Yeah, but a reaction might not be immediately apparent. Salons tend to use semi permanent colours rather than the permanent ones folk tend to use at home. A couple of days wait is better than a head that swells up like a balloon. They're not suggesting you leave the stuff on for 48 hours, just that you wait 48 hours before pouring the whole bottle on your head. I never actually do the test myself, but if I was responsible for doing it for someone else, I wouldn't take the chance.

[tamborine]

If need be the test could be done in a shorter time span, ie 1hour before. There are more important Qs a colorist should define: Is the client on medication, are they pregnant? I dont think these Qs are listed on shop bought products.

I would recommend a salon or mobile colorist/stylist.

[~Wingnut~]

Thanx for your help Karen and Tamborine :o)

(How's Mr Mac doing Karen?) xx

[karenmac60]

Hi Wingnut, he's doing great and is going back to work on Monday (part of me thinks he should really stay off a bit longer, but the part of me he's driving up the wall is glad :) )

[craft1948]

Please do the 48 hour patch test.....there have been some horrific results for people who haven't, resulting in hospitalisation and permanent damage.

[boxtops]

Many years ago, a girl at work asked me to trim her hair before she went on holiday. I can't do hair and it ended up getting shorter and shorter before we got it level at the back <<cringe>>