Perms and color

Does anyone with fine hair perm or color? I have highlights which are OK but frustrate me due to the short time before I need a touch up and the expense. I have been advised not to ever try an all over color but I have also heard that those give more body.

As far as perms go, I have had a few and they were all disasters. Now no one will even give me one, even when I ask.

What are your experiences?

Hi Demodoll,

While it is true that the right color can actually cause the hair cuticle to swell and thus feel fuller and thicker, a perm (which is also a chemical process) may or may not have the same effect. I get tons of email from people with fine hair who have had great luck with color as a hair plumper but have had disaster with perms. I guess everyone needs to find their own way on this one. A lot of stylists are aware of the risks with perming people w/ fine hair so maybe that is why they are unwilling to give it a shot with you. Which is ultimately probably a very good thing for your cuticles. :-)

Best wishes,
Karen

I have never done an all over color, just always highlights. I was wondering if it would be better since I have heard that it does thicken, maybe just from slightly damaging the hair. I also don't know if you can color over highlights. Every hairdresser I have ever had said I should stick to highlights but they are so very expensive. If I have to have touch ups every month to six weeks, wouldn't all over color be cheaper?

I think the perm issue is made worse by the fact that I color my hair. The two together are rough on even the strongest hair. Mostly perms either fried my hair completely or just "didn't take" and the grow outs are hell.

Coloring mine does help to plump it up. I've had good results with Redken's Shades EQ. I tried Clairol Natural Instinct last time and I like it, Cinnamon Stick, nice color.

I too have very fine hair and I have used Open by L'Oreal and Natural Instincts by Clairol. The Open is gentle, low ammonia formula so the color will fade some but you won't have the harsh line of demarcation like with other brands. I like that and the color looks natural.

Presently I am using Natural Instincts Sahara and Navajo Bronze. I first apply Sahara all over and when that is done I part the bottom portion of my hair and apply the Navajo Bronze. I love the results. I probably will stay with the semi for awhile.

I have always heard or read that if you choose to use a semi-permanent it should be close to the highlights that you have. My hair is a natural light light brown or dark blonde, but I have highlights too. Usually they are natural, but lo and behold just a month ago I highlighted my hair with Colour Experte... that is a long long story. And tho it came out okay in the end, that is one product that really made my hair feel full and spongy. Too much damage in my book.

I have been told by stylists that permanents are far more damaging than dyes.

Also whether you highlight or dye your hair you will have the upkeep of every month or 6 weeks that you mentioned. Unless you give your hair a rest... which is great therapy for the hair.

I too have fine hair. I spent years growing my hair to one long length, and then went for a perm to give my hair more life. I luckily have never had a problem and my hair did look and feel fuller. People have asked me if my hair is naturally curly but it is just the opposite. Poker Straight! The secret is in the stylist! You may pay a little more but it has been well worth it for me.
Good Luck!
Heather

My experiences with perms have been really bad for the most part but I do have some friends with really long, fine hair who perm two to three times a year just so they won't seem so limp and scraggly. I guess it depends on your hair. Mine either gets fried or the perm just seems to never have happened. And when they start to grow out the flat part on the top looks really bad.

I think with the return of big hair that seems to be gaining momentum, we are going to see a lot more perming going on. It was especially frustrating for me during the big hair '80s not to be able to have big hair and I resorted to perms a couple of times (to my regret). I hope the process has been improved.

In my opionion, I think color does wonders for fine hair. I think bleach is the worst thing for fine hair, tends to be too drying. If you can use color for highlights and not bleach, that''''s ok. If your hair is so dark that you have to use bleach then I would do it sparingly. I have fine hair that is naturally wavy. It used to be bleach blonde, but is now a pretty shade of auburn. Coloring hair using permanent color and is a single process can add a huge amount of volume. I also perm with a wave perm that is safe for colored hair, even if done on the same day as color. Don''''t bleach and perm hair, it will turn into a nightmare.

Just my opinions:

I like highlights because they not only rough up the cuticle to add volume, but they add visual depth, which creates the illusion of more hair. If you have to retouch highlights sooner than 8 to 10 weeks, they're too light for your hair.

All-over color adds "thickness" if you lighten your color. Fine hair usually looks thinner the darker it gets, in my experience. Dark color also accentuates the contrast between hair and scalp, which is bad if your hair is thin also.

I think perming fine hair can actually make it look skimpier. It's like trying to look thinner by wearing your jeans a size too tight. Perms can add volume, often in the form of frizz, but they don't lend thickness.

I have seen one or two really pretty exceptions to this rule, but whatever you do, don't color /and/ perm fine hair.

I have very straight fine hair. I just got a body wave a couple of weeks ago, and I LOVE IT!!! She used rods that were about 2 inches around, my hair is shoulder length, layered, and highlighted. the perm came out wonderful! i style my hair straight, and by 9am my hair was so flat and needed volume, so i decided to get a perm, and what a difference!! my hair is full, straight, and shiny!! but i also have a great stylist. she works out of her home, and knows my hair. i also have had great luck with the Matrix amplify system. i use the shampoo, conditioner, sleek look creme for the styling aid, and then finish with amplify hairspray. it really makes my hair look great.

I have been getting Lo-lights in my natural brown hair. Two years ago my husband and I spent New Years in Vegas. I had a spa package that included hair services. The stylist told me about this process. (He too was blesses with fine limp hair)He said it would give the illusion of fuller, thicker hair. I tired it and loved the effect. It also allows me to go longer in between root touch ups since the root line grows in close to my natural color. At first it was tough explaining what I wanted to local salons, but now I just refer to the look of mahagony furniture. Brown with streaks of dark in it.

Hello everyone,

I have very fine hair as well. It is about shoulder length and very hard to do anything with. Yesterday, I got a perm, and a cut with a few layers. I told the stylist that my idea of what I wanted was big, natural, flowing, pretty curls and a few ideas on how to style my new haircut. She suggested a perm and so I went for it. When it came to how to style it, she told me I could pull it up and put the top portion in a clip. I just didn't like it. I feel like a poodle and since her idea of a "style" was to basically blow-dry and leave it I was really bummed! I could have done that myself. My whole point of going to her in the first place was to get a new hairstyle that compliments me.

I've tried fixing my hair today to see what can be done with it. I have attached a photo of me and my hair. I would really appreciate anyone's ideas on how to style my hair. My boyfriend doesn't like it either. He says it looks from the 80's. It just seems all "stringy" and not like the soft, flowing, pretty curls I wanted. I feel like just blow drying it straight and finding a way to style it that way but I NEED HELP! If anyone has any pictures they can send or direct me to for ideas that would be awesome!!

I've never really been able to style my hair in the first place and my boyfriend is used to being with girls that have always dressed nice, nice makeup, nails and HAIR. I pretty much fit all that I think, except for the hair part. I've always struggled with my hair and have never been able to "fix" it like everyone else's beautiful hair.

I try to use good products from salons, instead of the local Wal-Mart. My hair is really soft and shiny when it is straight. The main problem with styling my hair is that the front part of my hair (where my bangs would be if I had them) just grows straight down my face. It seem impossible to get them to go over my head instead of right in my eyes.

Well, sorry this was so long, but I sure hope someone can help. Thanks again!

Jennifer

Click here to see my hair style:
http://hometown.aol.com/jennykaden/myhomepage/index.html

Jennifer,
Actually I think your hair is nice, and it looks so full. What type of perm was it, and what size rods all over the head. It will loosen up some, but it looks great on you.