Semi over permanent tint?

use direct dyes over dyed dark brown hair and they take really well. They don't stick well to my roots where there is no dye as there is nothing for them to latch onto, but depending on the colour they take well on the dyed parts. All direct dyes are translucent so you need to take into account that they will be brighter over a lighter base and that any colours that counteract each other will give a different look (for example blue over a very yellow base will have a green appearance) so over a dark base you will need to choose strong colours. I tend to use Directions or Adore colours usually, however if you want a really long lasting colour then Special Effects are also very good.

As for when the colour didn't take well the second time, this could be down to something on your hair, they should be applied to clean hair that has not had conditioner on it. I would recommend getting a deep cleansing shampoo to use before applying the colour, and I haven't tried the bedhead ones myself but perhaps you could try one of the Directions ones instead?

Hi Laura,
Thanks so much, so it should have worked - but maybe as I'd washed it the day before, and used conditioner that wouldn't have helped. So wash with a really squeaky clean type shampoo, don't condition - and then re-apply.  Do you have any thoughts on particular shades of Special Effects that might achieve something like the second pic?
So a pink-y based colour onto my reddish dyed hair, should give a raspberry-ish colour? similar to what was on the ends of mine the first time?

Much better! Washed and reapplied!

Still not the colour I really want though so if anyone has any suggestions on particular shades I'd appreciate it.  *anyone*

Moderator combined posts, please do not double post. Please see forum rule number 4 http://www.hairdyeforum.com/index.php/topic,2.0.html

If the second photo in the first post is what you want, it's tricky to get that on hair that's darker than a yellow. Orange and red tones work to neutralise blue, so it makes it hard to get that jewel toned bluish purple on hair that isn't bleached. You'll always end up with something closer to what you have.

You could try a strand test with some blue over what you have. It might be enough. I'd add a bit more pink into the mix though.

That will be exactly why you had the problem, always use direct dyes on clean hair that hasn't been conditioned! But yes, as Janine says to get a true bright jewel purple you would need a light coloured base, you can achieve a strong purple over a dark base but it will always be a dark and slightly dusky purple as the base colour will show through.
I tend to use Directions Violet when I use a purple over a dark base, but it comes out very dark. I have used Violet mixed with Alpine Green before and come out with a sort of indigo shade that had enough blue to counteract the warmth in my brown - but you have to remember that with a direct dye it can only come out darker than your base colour, so if you want something bright you would have to pre-lighten

Ok thanks. I"m reluctant to bleach as it will mess around with my curl pattern for sure.

I have curly hair too, slightly curlier than yours, but not much really (it's tighter in the profile photo because it's short, but I have that same spiral but slightly erratic curl pattern). If you're careful the curl pattern isn't affected much at all. Bleach bathing slowly over a few weeks would be the best way. You might find it doesn't take much, so if you do it bit by bit you'll be able to stop when you get to the right stage.

Thank you Janine. The lovely lady who cuts my hair (Curl Whisperer Lindsey) is adamant that colouring my hair is really really bad for it! so I'm prepared to get told off when I turn up with magenta hair!!!

Well, it can be! You just have to do it right 🙂

Thanks.  So, from reading through lots of posts. If I wanted to go for that magenta colour that I really like I'd have to do some colour remover thing on what I have now? that won't remove any permanent tint though will it, just the semi I have over that?  then, wait a week and lighten with bleach bath maybe a few times.
I've bought Directions Cerise and also Rose Red - hoping that either of them would be ok.  I guess I can do a strand test on what I have now to see if they have any effect?

It's actually more likely to remover the permanent colour. They aren't designed to work on "fashion colours" and semi dyes as they work in a different way, but there's a great side effect that they often do remove a lot of the fashion colours as well. Well, they at least fade them a lot.

You might be light enough just from using the permanent tints. Peroxide lightens a bit as it opens the cuticle to let the colour in. It probably isn't, but you never know 🙂 use a colour remover and see how it turns out.

You can try the dyes you got, but they'll still be far more on the red side and less blue toned magenta.

Ah ok, I didn't realise that then thanks.  I wonder what it will turn out like, I'm slightly nervous to try it! I think I have a lot of grey!  I guess I could try the colour remover on a small area underneath.
So you think I need something with more blue tones, I don't want it to fade to blue though.

It's pretty difficult to do a test of colour remover, though not impossible I guess.

It isn't likely to fade blue as the predominant colour will be pink. Blue is just the undertone. It'll still fade pink. 

Thank you. Sorry for all the questions! just never done this before!
Really it depends doesn't it, on what colour I end up with after the colour remover. 

Love the end result of this, nice video too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVQVMAqQ7Dc

Moderator combined posts

Uh oh, the dreaded high colour pink/red. Please don't go that route. They say it's permanent, but it ends up being less permanent than something like Special Effects dye and does a lot of damage in the process. Especially as she's done a bleach bath (or more, it wasn't clear) right before. Besides, you can get the result she got on hair that brown without the bleach baths before hand. She's done a lot of damage and I wouldn't be surprised if that girls colour faded really quickly.

Please, don't do what she did, you will lose your curl pattern that way 🙂

And flipping heck that's an annoying video! From the music in the background to her badly recorded and monologue with no breaks... phew.

(P.S. Please try not to double post, see rule number four of the forum rules. Just use the modify button, it'll show up as a new post 🙂 )