Box colours & why not to use them

[Baggybear]

I am NOT a hair geek but I often see threads where box colours are said to be bad for the hair, called evil and that they are the bain of many hairdressers lives.

I posted this in the hair section because I really don't think it would get as many responses in the consumer section. I DON'T want professional technical info, I want to understand why it's so bad to use the stuff (imagine I'm a potential client).

I don't doubt this information but I'd like to understand why box colours shouldn't be used. This subject seems to bring out such strong feelings in many hair professionals but I have not been able to find any threads that explain to a non professional why people should not to use them.

Can you please tell me why box colours are so bad?

 

[Lynne Baker]

I'm not a hair geek either, but I think that the problem is that colouring is an exact science, and entirely dependent upon the base colour, whatever colour has already been applied to the hair, the condition of the hair and the result required.
There is also the problem of the water where you live, and the possible build up of colour.
They're not 100% safe either are they? I know of at least 2 ladies who have died as a result of massive allergic reactions to them; one of whom was the cousin of a geeker.
Again, I'm not a hair geek!

All that said, millions and millions of people seem to use them, so they can't be all that bad, can they?

 

[greenreader29]

The formula or chemicals used has a lot to do with it. Plus the understanding of how to apply color. Easiest way to get black orange green and yellow hair all at once use a box color

 

[greenreader29]

It's a lot of money to fix hair, after someone uses a box color, the more they use them, the more money colorists make

 

[faerififi]

Box dyes usually contain high levels of ammonia and PPDs, the quality of the chemicals used to make them are cheaper and this is why you can happily use a professional colour in a room with a small window and breathe easily, but when it comes to box dyes the fumes are often harsh and too strong.
Its like buying a pair of shoes in one size fits all- they wont fit most people, and this is because box dyes are designed to be as strong as possible so that every consumer definitely sees a result. It probably wont be the one they wanted, but they wont be able to say it hadnt worked.
Like most stylists here I have encountered hair with box dyes on it.

Example 1- a client who has ultra fine hair put a dark brown box dye on before coming to me for a cut. Her ends were not only black instead of brown, but frazzled and tangled. She never straightens her hair so I can only assume that the damage was caused by the colour.
Example 2- Trying to remove black live XXL out of a girls hair that was half way down her back= near impossible. I tried using a colour remover and it wouldnt budge, and then even a bleach bath would barely lift it more than a 2 or 3 levels. The midlengths of the hair where colour had been applied over and over again still wouldnt lighten up after 3 attempts to lighten. This girl then got fed up of the long process of colour correction and decided to bleach her hair herself. Now shes coming back to me with orange chewing gum ends needing most of her length cut off because her hair is so damaged.

Box dyes are only recommended to take the consumer 1-2 levels above or below their natural shade. If people actually listened to that then there wouldnt be so many issues, but it is really the companies covering their backs by writing that on the box. They know that a lot of girls will want to try bright red, orange, purple and everyone has a secret desire to be blonde at some point in their lives.

The biggest reason that i hate box dyes is the companies who make most of them also make professional colour. Loreal & schwarzkopf being the 2 worst offenders. Why would I give these companies my money and name when they are raking it in by sticking their fingers up at the consumers and the hairdressing industry by making money from us both? Its not right and its not ethical in my opinion. You're either pro or you're not. Loreal seem to love churning out new home colour "innovations" like that awful blonde dipdye kit which is 40vol bleach and a brush, or that one where the colour comes in a pump dispenser so you can reuse it.
So much for supporting our industry, people can retort by saying that hairdressers then have the chance to make loads of money by doing colour corrections but what about the clients?

There's no middle ground in colour. Theres either box dyes for under a tenner or colour for usually over £40. People who don't have much money don't have much of a choice, and if they then have to pay £100+ to have their hair fixed it defeats the point of trying to get the next best thing to having their hair done properly in the first place. Bit of a vicious cycle.

 

[AcidPerm]

The simplest answer is really the fact that a box is offering a 'one size fits all' solution. You just mix two chemicals together and paint it on. Also, how many people using a box dye even bother with the skin test?

If you randomly look at the heads of say 20 women in the street, everyone of them will be different: their natural colour, amount of grey hairs, density, hair condition etc.

When mixing tints, a colourist has to work out the correct formula to achieve the desired outcome. This includes the ratio of tint to developer but also what strength developer will be required. Many colourists use scales to mix their solutions to ensure 100% accuracy.

The other major complication is when you put a box dye onto already coloured hair. It usually turns out a disaster. Example: adding a dark brown box colour onto lightened hair will not turn the blonde a nice even chocolate shade. Even just re-doing the roots can cause problems as you will be adding more colour to already coloured hair. This is known as colour build-up.

Included within this category of DIY disasters is people trying to lighten their own hair using products bought from the local supermarket etc. Often they end up causing serious damage and some of their hair will break off when it is severely weakened.

My other bugbear is clients who have access to pro products in Sally's etc. but who aren't trained in colouring. (I also include trainee hairdressers in this category who are desperate to practise on their mates.)

They buy tubes of colour, bleach and bottles of developer to mix their own formulas. They don't carry out skin or strand tests and often buy the strongest % of peroxide thinking that will be fine. Imagine sticking off-scalp bleach & 6% on your scalp. Let alone 12%. Shudder!

Also, I once overheard a member of staff in a Wholesaler tell a customer that adding peroxide to a crazy colour semi will make it permanent. Noooooo! They're chemically incompatible.

Hope that has helped to demystify some of his issues?

 

[Lynne Baker]

I went to an awards ceremony recently where L'Oreal were on the panel of judges.
Guess who won the "Product Innovation" award...

 

[jhgiorgi]

I'm a hairdresser and I use box colours on myself when I can't get it done at work or can't get to Sally's but I have really short cropped hair and use a colour that is similar to koleston 66/0 and 77/0. Nothing fancy. Obviously I don't tell clients this cus I want them to have it done professionally but I do explain that they are harsher than salon colours cus they are made to give results and not always a great result. I do notice that my scalp feels a lot more tender after using a box colour cus of the stronger ingredients.

 

[NiCshairstudio]

My main bug bear with box dyes is they are made with cheat harsh products, high strengths and tell people to over apply the ends the last 10 mins every time they colour it!

So general joe public doesn't know that over applying with a strong developer that's designed for virgin hair on your ends yet again time after time is over processing the hair.

All hairdressers (and you see this in threads) will use different colour mixes from roots to ends with mostly Demi colours being advised for mid lengths to be as kind as possible, give better even results, and ensure the colour lasts as long as possible.

In laments terms theyre cheap because you can't expect great results. They don't care what damage it causes your hair hair as the chances are if you complained you ignored the 2 shade rule and they cannot get in trouble for you causing this damage to your own hair that wasnt designed for you! Thing is even listening to this rule over time your hair will become thin, fragile, whispy, even break off, but you will blame this on maybe a change in diet or the fact you don't have regular trims, or straighteners, or curlers, or everything but the colour you stuck on your head as its such a gradual problem. (By you I mean general public)

Years ago I used to do a ladies hair who never had salon colours, used box dyes and over applied, I advised and even showed her how weak her hair was and pleaded with her that if she really must use these things to apply roots only and not touch the already coloured hair.... About 2 months later she came in and booked for her colour.....a huge section (luckily underneath) had broke off!! Needless to say she swore never to touch them again! Lol

 

[faerififi]

I'm a hairdresser and I use box colours on myself when I can't get it done at work or can't get to Sally's but I have really short cropped hair and use a colour that is similar to koleston 66/0 and 77/0. Nothing fancy. Obviously I don't tell clients this cus I want them to have it done professionally but I do explain that they are harsher than salon colours cus they are made to give results and not always a great result. I do notice that my scalp feels a lot more tender after using a box colour cus of the stronger ingredients.

Surely you must have a build up of stock colours so you never run out completely? Or know when you need your roots done so can order/pick up the colour in advance?

 

[adamlea87]

'Box' dyes and professional dyes are usually made by the same manufacturers, I know some hairdressers don't like this, but ultimately they are chemical companies, many of them originally started by chemists (L'Oreal, Eugène Schueller, Clairol, Lawrence M. Gelb etc).

The chemistry behind the two products use the same oxidative dyes, although home products they have limitation (for example they generally use 20 vol), and as many others have mentioned, they are a one-size fits all type of product.

As hairdressers we can alter the formula and product choice depending on the natural hair and what colour is already on the hair. Ultimately we have more choice with our products and the knowledge to customise the formula to get the best results. We also have the experience to recommend and give advice, which is a big reason people go to professionals.

Allergic reactions can happen with any product and I would imagine lots of home users don't allergy test, but I know a lot of salons are guilty of this too.

As a colourist I like to think of the downsides of home colouring to make sure that I am not guilty of them myself! For example:
- Am I taking care with the application, not overlapping or leaving stains?
- Am I taking the time to correctly alter my colour depending on what the hair need or just applying the same colour all over?
- Am I using the best products for their hair, and explaining this to them so that they are aware?
- Am I giving the client something unique, that they can't replicate at home?
- Am I giving them advice and offering them different options?
- Am I giving them a great experience?

Ultimately lots of people continue to use home colours and achieve 'satisfactory' or 'ok' results. As a colourist I want to the results to look fantastic.

 

[jhgiorgi]

Surely you must have a build up of stock colours so you never run out completely? Or know when you need your roots done so can order/pick up the colour in advance?

I meant when everyone's busy and there's no time. I don't drive either and my nearest Sally's is out of town.