Hey babes! Have you ever heard your hairstylist talk about how evil box color is and wonder why is it so bad? I'll explain why in a minute. Dirty secret of mine, I loved at home haircolor before I went to beauty school. My colorist would get so mad at me. Now I understand why. I want to share this information with you so that you know your stylist isn't being snobby or mad that you didn't pay him or her to do it. We get so worked up about box color because we care about your hair and want to make your hair dreams come true!
Why hairstylists despise box color.
1. It is difficult to remove. It often requires multiple sessions to correct. Box dye is usually made with different color molecules than professional color which makes it difficult to lift. You can see in the picture above the different results of a full lightening process on natural hair vs. box dyed hair. If this lady wanted highlights, it would be almost impossible to get them even from top to bottom. Balayage would be even more difficult.
2. It can cause damage. Hairstylists are trained to analyze the hair and determine what strength of product will be needed to produce the desired results. Box color doesn't have a way to do this, therefore it is usually harsher than what your hair needs. It typically has a higher ammonia content and uses a higher level of developer. This can lead to the cuticle (outside layer of your hair) being blown open. Which causes more damage than necessary, and the hair becomes more porous which inhibits it from absorbing other color properly. This means if you are unhappy with the shade you get at home and you visit a salon to correct it, the professional color may fade out faster.
3. It can leave you with unwanted tones. There are certain undertones at each level that have to be considered when formulating a color. This is why some at home color results in orange or green hair.
4. Some box colors, especially the ones marketed as natural or organic contain henna or other metallic salts. Those are natural ingredients, but when paired with lightener the results can be disastrous. It causes a chemical reaction to occur where the hair literally starts boiling and will melt off if not rinsed immediately. This is why most stylists require a test strand before a color correction.
I am not saying all of these things will happen from using box color. I have seen people with pretty color from a box. But if you like to change colors often or like dimensional colors, it is best to visit a professional.