Yay, Silverfox! Thanks for being the first to post here. I think we can all learn from each other. Ya know, the John Frieda product has been on my “to try” list.  You’ve just sent me to the store! Thanks, D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 01/06 at 07:31 AM

Well, hee-haw! I’m curious, too.  I hope someone else has heard of this. Reminds me of a product that was developed for horses’ hoofs that ended up being marketed as a human nail care treatment. Lots of women swear by it. And we all know there are things that speed up metabolism (which is what influences all of the physical “goings on” in your body.) Your hair’s growth cycle is part of that. Almost 90% of the hairs on your head are in the anagen phase, the growing phase, that lasts about 3 years. Others are in catagen (resting for just a few days), and still others are in telogen (shedding, a period of about 100 days). Reduced levels of estrogen and other hormonal imbalances can shorten the anagen phase of the hair, so not only does it not grow faster, it rushes to an early death. Lots of other factors can influence what your body’s cells are supposed to do, internally. Now, there are ingredients that can speed up cellular activity. But they have to get in. The molecules have to be small enough that they actually penetrate several layers of skin. I’m skeptical that a horse shampoo uses such advanced technology. Then I’ve got to wonder how kind it is to your hair. I can’t believe they’d formulate good moisturizers and fortifiers into it. But thereby hangs the “tail.” I’d LOVE to believe. Please tell me if Mane and Tail works for you.  Or anybody else?—Chime in here, please. D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 01/15 at 09:26 PM

Hi Roe—Welcome!  Well, THAT’S an interesting idea. You know, lots of spray-on topical polishers and shiners contain oil. Jojoba seed oil, bran oil, soybean oil, and, yes, even lavender oil. So your idea of plain old baby oil isn’t far off. The only thing is, the natural organics also help to fortify, nourish and repair the hair, so that’s missing. But you could get that through shampoos and conditioners, too. And finish with just the dollop of shine your baby oil gel gives you.  I just might be headed to Walmart!  Thanks, D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 01/28 at 10:59 AM

Hi Silverfox—Ok, lets go to the color wheel. First, a clarifying shampoo is used to remove residue from the hair.  The gunk of styling products. It can help brighten tone and restore shine, but it won’t get the red out. Green gets the red out. Blue shampoos get the yellow out. It’s all about opposite sides of the color wheel. By the way, Prell, being “green,” isn’t going to deposit color on your hair or affect the red one way or the other. It’s just going to wash right out. The color of a normal, everyday shampoo has no effect on hair color.

“Blue” shampoos (also called brightening shampoos), say like White Violet by Artec or Aveda Blue Malva, ARE formulated to deposit color, to cancel out any yellowing effects caused by things that CAN effect your hair color—the sun, high mineral content in the water, alkaline chemicals. There’s no green product on the consumer market like this. You’d have to talk to a pro about using a toner if the red really bothers you. But I think you’re just going through the natural effects of transitioning. I went through the same thing—walked into a room, I was fine. Walked out—I didn’t care. I was just glad I had white in the front! Getting your hair cut was a good idea, as are layers. No, they’re not going to get rid of the problem, but they are going to make the good growth you’ve got going for you more prominent. You should have about 2 1/2 inches, right? And, look, if your sides and back continue to stay “full-strength color,” you might consider some of the blending techniques mentioned on this site or in the book. And BELIEVE the compliments!  D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 01/30 at 08:10 PM

Now I’m laughing! About your “virgin” hair. I feel the same way. I was telling a friend today about going in for “ice” highlights, and she said “Be careful, Diana, when I used bleach on my hair, I fried it.” (Of course, she’s been coloring and coloring.) I told her, no, my hair has been re-virginated! I haven’t put a drop of color or bleach on it for 4 years now. Funny about all us “virgins.”

You didn’t mention your dyed hair was suffering from dryness and wildness. You might check out the chapter on “Crazy, Wavy, Hazy Gray.” It’s for curly-heads, but there is a good explanation in there about what frizz is—and isn’t. Unmanageable, defiant hair is thirsty, hungry hair. And it can puff up and bulge, causing hair to lift. Your hair can actually look “fat,” and still be thin and limp. Why? Because there’s a disconnect of the internal hair molecules. Hair is composed of protein, needs protein. When it loses weight internally, it gets sponge-like and grabs for anything it can get. That’s when it blimps up. So you need to smooth it and nourish it and moisturize it. You’re doing the right thing. You’ve got to seal the scruffy cuticle so it doesn’t let vital proteins and amino acids out.

Aw—thanks for nice words about the book!  I’m so glad it’s helping. And I’m so sorry you had to get it from the scalpers!!  Guess I didn’t get the site up soon enough!  D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/05 at 07:12 PM

Huh?  You lost me somewhere between the saltier salt and peppery pepper! But I’m with ya! No—I haven’t seen Foxy Silver wigs.  Do they have a website? Please pass on all info you get.  I like the idea that their wigs (at least) resemble the way gray comes in. Sounds like they know what they’re doing, so I’m hoping they have some fun pieces.

You know, one-dimensional can be fun, if you get, say, pure white clip-in extension pieces.  Then you can scatter them at will, creating your own nuancing. I may go for these next.

The only problem with the pony tail I bought last summer was that it was artificial. So the shine quotient was really high.  It outshined my hair, that’s for sure. A dead giveaway. But it was just for fun, and a good after-pool thing. Next time, though, I think I’ll invest in a real hair one.

So I’m excited to hear about Foxy Silver when you get word.  Thanks, D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/08 at 01:49 PM

Hi Roe --
Euuuwww!  When you put it that way. . . I’ll actually have to find out more about the wig making process.  I used to like to think human hair wigs came from the lustrous locks of Island beauties and that color was added (or subtracted). Ok, maybe that’s partly true. I have heard Asian hair is popular for its fine quality. I’m sure the hair can come from anyone, anywhere, but I’d like to think there are some standards. The thing is—I’ve never seen a dry-looking human hair wig. They can become dry, if you don’t take proper care of them (I remember one I stuffed in a plastic baggie!), but I’ve never seen them start out that way. Usually, they have the soft luster you like.

I do have a full-head wig (very short, very blonde) that I got in my blonde days.  It’s artificial, too. I wore it once. Even without any of my natural hair showing, I felt the whole thing screamed “SHINY & FAKE.” Maybe, as you say, you can use pieces to emphasize shine here and there, but the contrast is going to be obvious. It’s not a soft sheen. Wish it were, but it’s more like patent leather! Still, why not try it?  Have you checked out http://www.hairextensions.com yet? They have some fun stuff.

Thanks for the info on the site—I went to it.  Wish they had more small pieces.  They didn’t have a store in New York, so I went to the other link they gave, and saw a little wiglet “pouf”—but it came in limited colors. I did like ALL the gray colors on the full-head wigs, though. I guess because I like all the colors gray can be. Oh, and I agree, gray is different than silver. Just like pewter’s different than charcoal. But we’re getting into a gray area, here.  (hehehehee). D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/09 at 02:07 PM

That’s the spirit! The WHOLE thing is about having fun! I don’t know why every other hair-colored woman can have fun, and we’re supposed to be so serious! Not gonna happen with our gang!

Yeah, Barbie hair it is! Have to admit that ponytail I ordered did come from hairextensions.com. And it wasn’t a good match—too warm. I sent it back, tried a second time. Still not perfect, but I could live with it. (With the same idea that this was just a fun thing to do.) That’s why I was hoping when I clicked on HUMAN hair, I’d see better colors. Not really—even their whitest white is mixed with a little blonde.  I did resolve to order their color swatch samples if I tried it again.

Next stop—I’m going to go to a really GOOD wig/piece place in NY. They do wigs for soap operas and movies, as well as for women going through chemo. I’m going to ply them with questions. (And probably give in and buy something!) But, at the moment, that’s article 862 in my looooong list of “to-do’s.”

BTW—get out of the bathroom!  You must see it in broad daylight. My blonde wig looked good in the bathroom, too!! Then I sat opposite my husband in a restaurant and just about died!  D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/11 at 12:12 PM

Hi Morningstar—I understand your concerns about PPD. Most glazes and “demi’s” do contain PPD.  Beth Minardi recommends a very good one—salon use only—Colourance by Goldwell.  No PPD she says. You’re not going to find this in the local drug store. Beth also says most people with PPD allergies choose to have color foiled into their hair. That way, nothing touches the scalp.

I can just hear your question—but what about when they shampoo? If you’ve ever done foils, you know that they unwrap the foil carefully, and get the product off the ends first. Then they shampoo. The shampoo doesn’t allow anything to remain on the scalp.

Only you know the level of your allergy, though. So always let this be your guide.

The thing about toners—yes, they do deposit color on the hair shaft. And, whether they’re semi’s or demi’s, all color fades or “washes out” eventually. Nothing is really permanent.  Even if a semipermanent product stains the hair, the color doesn’t remain the same. It oxidizes, or you’ll get color build-up. That’s why good color must be maintained—at the very least every four to six months. Does this help?  D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/22 at 07:47 PM

OK, well nobody’s jumped in here (rats). Just so you know—we ALL have dull hair days, and we’re all looking for that magic shiner. You should see how many I have on my shelves. As you know, reflectivity is the hardest thing to achieve with colorless hair.  It seems to suck up light, rather than reflect it. I like the tips scattered throughout this section (still have yet to try the baby oil gel Roe wrote about, but it’s on my list!). Also, for those of you who have the book, there are pages of treatment suggestions for different hair types—masks, serums, shine treatments.

Carol—you said you wanted something that didn’t weigh down your hair. So I’d look under products for Limp, Fine Hair.  Even if your hair isn’t fine—this kind of hair needs the weightless thing, and that would work for you. Meanwhile, I’ll look into this Goldwell Elumen Clear gloss product.

Morningstar—I know you’re “feeding” your head with all the right moisturizing products, and that’s really the best thing to do.  I stress treatment because shiny hair starts with healthy hair. Doesn’t mean you won’t have dull hair days because hair is reactive to climate, to wherever its been lately, to between-shampoo dullness.  And that’s when you can use a little topical polisher.  Just a dab, mind you. It’s a good quick fix, but you don’t want it to build up on the hair.

Now—PLEASE—jump in, people!  Tell us your favorite polisher. I’ll probably go out and buy it!  D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/27 at 08:52 PM

We have 2 “Pat’s”   But through amazing deductive skills, I determined that Beth only worked on one of them. Carol, I know from seeing your pictures (stay tuned, folks, for the full story!) that your hair was dark. There is still some dark in it. You have to be careful that the hair you highlight may not come up all the way to white. (See my Silverizing article.) Pat’s hair was VERY white, all over. So it was an easy matter to achieve subtle “snow” highlights.

Pat’s hair was pretty one-dimensional, and Beth felt it could have more interest and zing. She added steely lowlights for even more definition and body. You already have nature’s lowlights! Although you could always choose to make them stronger for contrast. But make no mistake, this will give a darker impression to your hair.

If you’re concerned about the 6-week thing with a clear gloss, imagine how you’d feel if the hair you bleached out (to maybe only pale yellow) lasted longer than that! Bleaching changes the chemical structure of the hair—once you do it, there’s no going back. You either grow it out or cut it out. The lowlights will eventually degrade. But even those may take longer than 6 weeks to disappear entirely.

However, as to more body, yes, I’ve noticed that my few bleached-and-toned strands have a bit of a different texture. They seem thicker.  If I were at your stage right now, I’d focus on volumizing and bodifying products. You’ve come beautifully through transitioning, so you don’t need to be “eased” through that with special color techniques. Keep going. Keep improving the health of your hair. One day, you may hit a stall and want to do something dramatic. That’s the time.  D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/28 at 07:12 AM

Well, I guess “decent” is better than indecent! Had a thought for you shine-seekers—are you continuing to check out the Products You Should Know About section? There are new things all the time—and recently I posted a great “find” for thicker, shinier hair.  Take a look!  D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 02/29 at 06:33 PM

Speaking of Minardi—here’s Beth’s response to the Elumen product:

“A better bet is Shades E.Q. Crystal Clear.  These DO give a BIT of shine.... like Elumen.... but, truthfully, really aren’t worth the effort unless a very pale blue-based shade is intermixed to give better shine and a cool “reflect” on silver hair.”

So there you have it from the pro’s mouth. But, you know, Beth is more than just a “pro colorist,” because she has actually worked to develop some of these professional products. She was on the teams that formulated LOGICS Color Cremes for Clairol, Color Fusion for Redken, and was instrumental in re-formulating Shades E.Q. for Redken (the product she talks about above.) So she knows the inside, outside, and chemistry of these products better than anyone I know, and I feel very fortunate that we can tap into her expertise here.

Hope you guys like the Ojon as much as I do.  D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 03/01 at 06:46 AM

Hi Keri—Oh, sounds AWFUL!! I’m wondering about the henna “neutralizing” your sensitivity, and not causing it. You didn’t use “black henna” did you—because that does have PPD in it. Anyway, let me investigate this further.  I have an idea about a product line, but as it’s the weekend, can’t reach anybody there. I’ll get back to you early next week. D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 03/29 at 07:06 AM

Arrrghhh—maybe the doc likes redheads! Don’t you hate it when they just don’t listen? I’m also a little surprised he recommends henna carte blanche. True, natural henna may not have the PPD’s of dyes, but people can still be allergic.  Ever hear of plant allergies? (I’m SURE he has!) That’s why a patch test is always recommended.  I’m still going to look into this on Monday, but in the meantime, you don’t always have to use products designed specifically for gray hair. A good moisture treatment helps to fortify any kind of hair.  And that may be all you need—something to tame that frizz and help you hair hold together more. But let me scout around. . . D.

Posted by Diana Jewell on 03/29 at 12:08 PM

Hi Christine --
Got this right from the president/founder of ColorMark: “Conditioner and Leave-In Conditioner will not affect ColorMark.  All styling products are fine prior to using ColorMark and hair spray can be used after.”

Now—I don’t know the specifics on Tween Time, but I do know any formulations containing wax adhere to the hair shaft, so you shouldn’t have any problems there, either.  Just try ‘em! 

Posted by Diana Jewell on 04/03 at 09:45 AM