How to Color Asian Hair

Asian hair is naturally beautiful, but many women of Asian descent choose to color their hair. This poses a special problem since Asian hair is very thick and course, and thus, hard to lighten. With a little practice, you can dye Asian hair with ease.

Instructions

1. Lighten the hair first. You'll need to lift from a level one to a level 10 or 11 to achieve your desired results. Use a bleach cream or powder along with 20 or 30 volume developer under a dryer. You may have to do this twice. Remember that the longer bleach sits on the hair, the higher the chances for breakage, so use the heat to decrease processing time.

2. Choose the proper color to apply over the lightened hair. Take into consideration which base colors go well with Asian skin tones. Reds, oranges and golden blonds work nicely.

3. Apply a semi-permanent color to the hair after rinsing out the bleach. This is not a permanent dye but rather a color wash that will last about a month. It is beneficial to the hair since it doesn't contain ammonia, which can further damage the hair.

4. Use protein filler on the hair before applying the color, if needed. If you wash out the dye and discover that it didn't take, use the protein filler and then reapply the color.

5. Instruct your client on how to maintain her new color. She should use a color-enhancing shampoo and/or conditioner, rinse her hair in cold water and limit her use of heat tools.

Tips & Warnings

• Try to find products specially made for Asian hair to avoid guessing games.