Your Hair Colour Questions Answered by The Experts At Inecto

We interviewed the hair colour experts at Inecto, a premium hair colour brand. This is what they told us:

1. When colouring hair, can one mix different shades? Or is that a recipe for disaster?

INECTO:  No this is not recommended. We advise to never mix shades. Follow instructions on the box per shade for a guaranteed end result.

2. Does hair type (curly or straight, dry or oily, coarse or fine) affect colour timing?

INECTO: The hair type and condition may impact final colour delivery & post feel hence a strand test is mandatory to ensure the desirable results are achieved.

3. They say you can’t relax and colour hair the same day. Is this true?

INECTO: Correct, you can relax and colour on the day with temporary colours (Colour Sprays, Colour Clays) and the Inecto semi-permanent ranges (Unlimited & Unwait). It is advisable to relax your hair before dyeing with a semi-permanent dye. For permanent Hair Dyes (Ie. Inecto Super Black and Colours crème ranges) consumers will need to conduct a hair strand test to understand the effect of the dye. It is recommended to wait a minimum of 2 weeks after relaxing in order to dye hair with a permanent dye.

4. Is it safe to colour hair when pregnant?

INECTO:  There is no scientific evidence that colouring during pregnancies is unsafe however we do advise against it as a precaution – especially permanent colours. It is best for consumers to refer to a medical practitioner.

5. How do I keep my hair colour looking vibrant and beautiful—and prevent fading?

INECTO: It is best to use a colour safe shampoo and conditioner when washing colour treated hair; especially for vibrant, light shades and for hair that is over processed and very porous. It is also important to not over process hair when colouring (i.e leave in formulation longer than recommended time) & ensure hair is conditioned and moisturised to ensure its in a good condition.

6. I want to go from my natural dark colour to a much lighter colour. What’s the best way to do that?

INECTO: To maintain the integrity & condition of hair & to ensure predictable results, it is recommended to stick within 2-3 shades of the current hair colour.

The best way to ensure that there is no over-processing is to always lighten in stages – this will take a bit longer but prevents excessive damage to their hair. For example, If the starting colour is black – then start with a dark brown then move on to a lighter brown and so on – until the desired colour is reached. This is also a fun way to experiment with the tones of one’s hair!

We do not suggest stripping hair of colours as chemical processing (ie – bleaching, pre-lightening ) dark hair can be quite damaging due to over processing, we recommend that if you want to go from a darker shade to a much lighter shade, consult a professional stylist where hair can be treated accordingly. It also ensures that unpredictable colour results are avoided.

7. In general, which colour fades the fastest and could you explain why?

INECTO: It depends on the formulation but the lighter colours with multiple, brighter reflects tones will generally fade faster. Your darker base shades with less reflects will generally fade the least. Most colours that contain red pigment fade faster than others.

8. What is the difference between hair dye and Henna?

INECTO:  Hair dye – generally permanent hair colour/dye consists of oxidizing agents like hydrogen peroxide & alkaline agents like ammonia, & colour process occurs within the cortex or deeper layers of the hair. There are some semi perm hair dyes that don’t contain oxidising/alkaline agents and deposit colours on the various cuticle levels.

Henna is a more natural hair dye that generally only produces a reddish orange colour on hair if it’s not mixed with other dyes. When natural henna is mixed with other synthetic dyes, you can get a variety of other colours including black.

Do you have any questions about hair colour? Send them to us on our social media: @blackhairhub and we will get them answered by Inecto!