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While ammonia has a reputation for being harsh, “ when correctly used with the right developer, proper application, and accurate timing, there will be minimal damage, if any at all,” notes Adams. “In terms of effectiveness, hair color that contains ammonia is usually going to yield a more desirable result in terms of tone and delivering a nicer final color result,” Adams says. Should Red Dye Contain Ammonia?Īnother thing to consider: Should your hair dye contain ammonia? If you’re looking for bright, long-lasting red hues, Adams believes that a formula with ammonia is the way to go. Meanwhile, more subtle copper and auburn shades can be accomplished without bleach. If you can’t make it to a salon, you can bleach your hair at home - but it’s best to read up on the process first to ensure you do it safely. That doesn’t mean lighter, bolder reds are off the table, but in order to achieve them, Vergani says it’s necessary to lift the natural base color first. “Clients with natural dark hair look better with dark shades of red- for example, burgundy, dark burgundy, wine red, dark cherry, or reddish brown colors such as auburn,” he states. When starting out with a dark shade of hair, Vergani recommends sticking to darker red hues. Oliver Adams is a WELLA colorcharm Top Artist. Mirko Vergani is a colorist at Fabio Scalia Salon in SoHo, New York.
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The best red hair dyes for dark hair add rich color in shades of ginger, true red, and burgundy - and they’re available in permanent, semi-permanent, and temporary formulas.
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While most of us aren’t born as natural redheads ( less than 2% of the world’s population is, by the way), we can always color our hair - and there are tons of great options for those with brown or black strands.
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