Monday, September 17, 2012

None More Black: Avoid looking like an Emo High schooler.

Hi guys! Sorry I've been gone for awhile, school has been keeping me exhausted. I always get comments on my blue-black hair and how I keep it this color. Some people even ask me if it's natural, which is profoundly ridiculous, but it happens.

My obsession with black hair started as a goth teenager. Since then I've switched it around and even went back to my natural auburn, but I am most comfortable with black. And honestly I look boring as shit without black hair. I'm ashamed to admit that when I first started dying it I encountered that "permanent marker black" where it was so flat it looked like i stuck shoe polish on my head. This is not acceptable to me as an adult. I make a real effort to keep it multi-dimensional and glossy looking. Even though it's been a number of years since I exclusively wore black and fishnets, I like to keep some gothy elements in my look. I like how black hair adds some edge, even if I'm wearing a flowery sundress.

Here is what you need to keep your black classy:

1. The  right dye: I use Feria dye in either Starry Night or Midnight Moon depending on what I can find. Both add a nice blue black sheen and the after color conditioner keeps the hair in good condition. Damaged hair is the easiest way to make your black look sophmoric. Your undertone doesn't need to be blue (brown and purple work as well) but you need to have some sort of dimension.

2. Color depositing shampoo/conditioner : I use Black Malva from Aveda, because i get it for free and I'm poor. But also it's awesome! I got it at first just for the color enhancing properties, but I actually love how shiny it makes my hair. If you want to keep your black looking adult, you absolutely CANNOT have bad roots. Especially if you do not have naturally dark brown hair. If you do, good for you, you can go a little longer in between coloring. If your hair is red or blonde you really must keep on top of the root situation. If you're too poor for that use some black eye shadow on your roots until you can afford to dye again. The color depositing shampoo really will come in handy here, it turns my red roots brown and makes them a little more bearable.

3. Dye your eyebrows: If you have black hair, you need black eyebrows. You can also pencil/shadow them in but that's annoying, i prefer henna. If you cannot pull off black eyebrows, you probably cannot pull off black hair.

4. Even out your skintone: Nothing looks worse than a ruddy complexion and black hair. Use some BB cream or tinted moisturizer!

5. Use a leave in conditioner: I use Damage Remedy Leave In from Aveda because I'm Aveda's bitch, but anything works. After so much dye, you need to really take care of your hair to keep it healthy. I also suggest a treatment once a week.


Hope this was helpful!

Baby Goth Kristine