I dont like colorzap myself,but maybe it will work out for you.I would do a strand test and see how it does with that first.And yes you have the right idea about the filler.But,dont rinse it out.Put it on for at least twenty minutes before dying then go right ahead and dye it.

Its a fairly simple process,but just make sure you do a strand test with each step before doing anything.Good luck.

igogoin wrote: Hi! My name is Donna, I am 41 (almost 42..will be next month) I have been colofing my hair for several years now to cover grey..well it is really white not grey.  I live in Alabama and am so glad to have found this board!! Ok, heres the dilema and hopefully I will get some advise!! my hair color washes out FAST. like in a week or so.  I have been using permanent and my natural color is a light brown.  My hair is currently a strawberry blonde that I hate!  But no matter what I put on my hair it washes out and goes to this color. SO, I was reading the posts here and I see that I should use something to remove the old dye, then use a filler and then try semi perm like natural instincts. Ok, I bought color zap (couldnt find color fix) bought filler that is brown and a light brown shade of natural instincts.  I need advice on using the color zap.  I know i do that first, then use the filler...I think I put the filler on wet hair like shampoo, then rinse and dry, then color is that right? I guess I mainly need the steps to follow in using the color zap, filler and then color. THANKS IN ADVANCE!! Donna

Haircolor should NEVER wash out in a weeks time especially if it's permanent like you mentioned above. My only guess is your hair is severely overprocessed and some of the cuticle layer of your hair that's the outter most layer is either damaged or raised and the water, chemicals, etc that is going into the cortex layer of your hair is washing the color you've put in right out of your hair and it's fading rapidly because of it.

When it washes out it goes to what color? Light Brown or white? Using a semi-permanent haircolor after a filler might not work and could leave a red tint to the hair. It's deposit only and more gentle on hair but I'd recommend permanent color which causes the cuticle layer to raise on the hair strand and the color to penetrate the cortex of the hair altering the color that way. If you want brown or dark brown you need to fill with a RED. Fillers typically come Yellow, Orange and Red. For brown you would fill in with red. Essentially you are putting the underlying pigment for brown hair back into the hair shaft then covering it with the permanent brown color.

After you do that I'd suggest going over your newly colored hair with a Clear Coat such as Goldwell Colorance Clear to seal up that cuticle layer of the hair strands to preserve that color from bleeding out too quickly and also to add shine to the newly colored hair.

Also when you shampoo your hair you need to use a shampoo for color treated hair that is more gentle on chemically processed hair.

I don't know anything about color zap or that stuff I've never had a need to use it on clients.

G'luck

Semi permanent color would be ok. If your cuticle layer is damaged it could actually stain the cortex of the hair strand so it would be almost like permanent color and last about as long. As for that line of filler I've never used it personally. As a stylist I only use Goldwell Color and they have 3 tint back colors Yellow, Orange and Red. If you we're going brown you'd fill with Red. I'm not sure about those fillers that you mention. I'd definately recommend a clear coat color over the haircolor to seal up the cuticle and add shine to the color and help preserve that color you've just spent good money on in your hair to help prevent fading and bleeding of the color from the hair.

The filler is basically the underlying pigment in the cortex of someone's haircolor. Your hair is blonde so you've bleached that out and before you can go back and tint to a darker shade you need to fill that pigment back into the hairshaft with a Filler so the darker color takes to the hair otherwise you could end up with a hideous orange pigment to the hair that is very uneven and looks terrible.

Filler should work with any oxidative haircolor including semi-permanent, demi-permanent and permanent haircolor. So you can go ahead with a semi-permanent color and you should be fine as long as you used the filler correctly and the right color. I know with Goldwell products if your going to Brown you need to pre-pigment or fill the hair with Red Filler. I'm not sure about the color line you have selevted but hopefully the people at Sally's know the product line.

Sounds like your good to go...let us know the results.

Cheers

I second claude on all that.A red filler is what you need.And colorful's protein fillers work very well.The clear color coat is a great idea.Not only should it help seal in the color,but it will also leave your hair looking and feeling better than before you did anything.

And I'm glad you changed your mind on the colorzap.I hate to razz on products,but I personally hate it as it works with bleach.Where as colorfix is much gentler on hair.I have used both products,and I think colorfix is definitely worth the extra money.

I think it should be okay to forgo the colorfix if thats what your planning.But i would highly reccomend it if you ever decide to go lighter.Good luck.

Thank ya'll so much for taking the time to help me with this!!  I am going to take the colorzap back to sallys today and get the clear coat.  Do I just ask the clerk at sallys for a clear coat?  Or is there something in particular I need to ask for?

Now, with the filler, will I need to fill each time I color?  As to the red base, my hair pulls red so easily that anything red scares me as I do not want to be red.  that is one of the reasons I do not like the color my hair is now! 

One more thing....what do you recommend me to use to get my cuticle back in shape, I know it is damaged from all the coloring, I hope doing the semi perm will help my cuticle repair.

Thank you again! Ya'll are so helpful and wonderful!!

Donna

igogoin wrote: Thank ya'll so much for taking the time to help me with this!!  I am going to take the colorzap back to sallys today and get the clear coat.  Do I just ask the clerk at sallys for a clear coat?  Or is there something in particular I need to ask for? Now, with the filler, will I need to fill each time I color?  As to the red base, my hair pulls red so easily that anything red scares me as I do not want to be red.  that is one of the reasons I do not like the color my hair is now!  One more thing....what do you recommend me to use to get my cuticle back in shape, I know it is damaged from all the coloring, I hope doing the semi perm will help my cuticle repair.   Thank you again! Ya'll are so helpful and wonderful!! Donna

The cuticle layer on the hair can't be repaired it is part of overprocessed hair. All you can do in deep condition damaged hair until the hair grows out and can be cut off. The Clear Coat is to add shine and preserve color and can help to seal up the cuticle layer of the hair to preserve the color longer so it fades slower. Like I said I've never filled with that line of filler you made mention of. Goto Sallys and ask them and tell them your goal is to be brown what should you fill in with. The problem with Sally's is that those people are not professional stylists with color experience....consumers need to remember that. Professional Goldwell Filler comes in 3 colors....yellow, orange and red. I've never seen filler in so many different colors. A filler fills in the underlying pigment of brown it's like bleaching in the reverse instead of lifting levels you are adding levels or color back into the hair.

Go with your gut instincts when you tint back your hair and talk to the people at Sallys or someone who is knowlegable about that filler product you will be using. I know nothing of it and I've had no experience with it.

G'luck keep us posted.

Hey there,

for the update on my color adventure! LOL

The brown filler is a red base just as you said I needed...the girl at sallys said that this brand labels what color you are wanting instead of the base color.

So I used the filler, worked great, colored with the light golden brown from natural instincts and it is more red than I wanted.  I know my hair pulls red but this is so frustrating!!
Can I color over it with another semi perm or should I just go with the red for a while and then go to another shade the next color time?  Could the filler have added red?  Should I use a clear protein filler next time?  Thanks so much!!

Donna

igogoin wrote: Hey there, for the update on my color adventure! LOL The brown filler is a red base just as you said I needed...the girl at sallys said that this brand labels what color you are wanting instead of the base color. So I used the filler, worked great, colored with the light golden brown from natural instincts and it is more red than I wanted.  I know my hair pulls red but this is so frustrating!! Can I color over it with another semi perm or should I just go with the red for a while and then go to another shade the next color time?  Could the filler have added red?  Should I use a clear protein filler next time?  Thanks so much!! Donna

was the light brown a semi-permanent color? Does the hair have a red tint to it? If it does it could be because the semi-permanent color is deposit only and doesn't penetrate the cuticle of the hair. This is why I think it would have been best to go with a brown permanent hair color then go over it with a Clear Coat to seal in the color and add shine and sleekness to your hair.

It's hard to tell the condition of your hair without actually seeing it. Typically between chemical services they recommend 2 weeks minimum. You could try it but my best advice would be to wait 2 weeks then try the permanent brown. I'm not sure if you should fill again or not best to probably wait till you get ready to color and see the condition of the filler and if it's faded, etc.

I know Goldwell has a filler spray that allows the color to be evenly colored thru the hair which is kinda like a light version of their normal filler but it's a misting spray that you spray on the hair instead of using the actual filler. If I was doing your hair I'd probably do that instead of applying the filler again unless your hair absolutely needed the filler again.

G'luck

Claude wrote: igogoin wrote: Hey there, for the update on my color adventure! LOL The brown filler is a red base just as you said I needed...the girl at sallys said that this brand labels what color you are wanting instead of the base color. So I used the filler, worked great, colored with the light golden brown from natural instincts and it is more red than I wanted.  I know my hair pulls red but this is so frustrating!! Can I color over it with another semi perm or should I just go with the red for a while and then go to another shade the next color time?  Could the filler have added red?  Should I use a clear protein filler next time?  Thanks so much!! Donna was the light brown a semi-permanent color? Does the hair have a red tint to it? If it does it could be because the semi-permanent color is deposit only and doesn't penetrate the cuticle of the hair. This is why I think it would have been best to go with a brown permanent hair color then go over it with a Clear Coat to seal in the color and add shine and sleekness to your hair. It's hard to tell the condition of your hair without actually seeing it. Typically between chemical services they recommend 2 weeks minimum. You could try it but my best advice would be to wait 2 weeks then try the permanent brown. I'm not sure if you should fill again or not best to probably wait till you get ready to color and see the condition of the filler and if it's faded, etc. I know Goldwell has a filler spray that allows the color to be evenly colored thru the hair which is kinda like a light version of their normal filler but it's a misting spray that you spray on the hair instead of using the actual filler. If I was doing your hair I'd probably do that instead of applying the filler again unless your hair absolutely needed the filler again. G'luck

Thanks Claude, My hair has a red tint to it after coloring it with the semi perm (Natural Instincts light golden brown).  The color itself is very pretty, I just didnt want red. My hair is very soft, shiny and silky looking and feeling so as far as that goes I am happy.  My hair ALWAYS pulls red and I hate it.  So I am used to having  red to my hair all the time.  I just wish it was more brown than red and a light brown at that...I know I know...picky picky picky! LOL

  I think what I am going to do is just hang with this color, see how long it lasts (didnt use the clear coat this time cause I want to time the color).  I want to see how long it lasts so I will know how well or not the filler worked.  Then when I color again go with a more neutral brown instead of the golden shade. THen I will use the clear coat to see if it extends the time of color for me so I will know whether to use that each time or not...which by the way...can I use clear coat each time ( i bought the clairol radiance color gloss http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/1420/320619 - http://www.sallybeauty.com/shop/1420/320619 ) I will look for that spray filler you are talking about.  Do you happen to know where I can find it at and the approx cost?  I assume it is better than the color gloss? 
I am using semi perm cause my hair is over processed and the cuticle is blown ( i am sure of this because of the washed out tone it had before and the fact that it would not hold color at all)  So, I was told the semi perm was easier on my hair...and I dont want to do more to it than I have to!

Thanks again for ALL of your help and you taking the time to share your knowledge!!
Donna

Hey again!
Wanted to let ya'll know the color is still hanging in there, I am very happy with the color and how it has very very slowly lightened up!  Thank  you again for ALL of your help!!

Question tho...since I am now using semi perm and a filler...do I need to use a filler each time I color (every 4 weeks)..should I just use a clear filler every other time?

Question 2...would the brown(red based) filler I used have caused my hair to pull more red?

Thanks again!!
Donna :)