Hair colour post chemo - New Zealand based

[Pokypuppy]

Hi experts,


I hope you are all keeping well in the UK and beyond. I’m a UK ex-pat in New Zealand. Our New Zealand lockdown started last night at midnight and my parents are stranded here with me after a visit from the UK. As we say in New Zealand, kia kaha (“keep strong“).


I’m hoping for some colour guidance I can pass onto my NZ hairdresser. We don’t seem to have expert colourists like in the UK. Our hairdressers have access to Wella, Matrix and Goldwell colours (and possibly others). My hairdresser tends to use Matrix but can use other brands.


I know you don’t usually help non-hairdressers but I’m hoping that given my situation, you find it in your hearts to help me out.


Anyway, my hair PRE chemo was often admired - a natural level 7, but lifted to a level 10 with a high lift tint (box colour), beautifully thick and fairly long. My childhood colour was light yellow blonde and, as an adult, my hair always seemed to end up golden even when lifted with an ash tint (maybe not straightaway but after a while) so blue shampoos were my friend...


POST chemo, I have same level 7, now grey at temples and small smattering throughout ( 10% or less). Very thick again but now pretty coarse (feel like I am growing a toilet brush on my head ). I wear a wig as I don’t want pitying looks from people who are used to seeing me with lovely hair. However, I am keen to get my hair on a good colour and conditioning plan so when I feel I can reveal it to the world it will look great. Also, I don’t wear my wig at home and it’s good for me to see the progress.



I went to the hairdresser who used to cut my hair about 8months post chemo. My treat for myself post cancer was to have salon-coloured and treated hair like I used to in the UK (I was earning more then). My NZ hairdresser tried fine bleach highlights throughout ( 30 vol ) but I went home and cried as it looked like a nasty ‘80s salt and pepper colour. I didn’t cry when I lost all my hair, this somehow felt worse, especially as it was in public at the salon where I used to leave with a great “long” haircut. When I went back, my hairdresser put on a Matrix high lift tint 10N (not sure if 30 or 40 vol). This improved the situation considerably but over time it has started to turn brassy.




What I want is my real hair colour to be just like the colour of my favourite wig (which continually gets me compliments - people can’t believe it’s not my bio hair). This wig makes me feel as beautiful as I used to feel before cancer. The wig manufacturer (Jon Renau) describes the colour as light natural blonde with light ash blonde highlights. It is a very neutral but light blonde and it goes well with my skin tone. The photos don’t do justice to the highlights which are quite marked.


Please can I get suggestions for how to get my level 7 to a colour like my wig bearing in mind how my hairdresser has started off with Matrix 10N with bleach highlights. I am likely to change to a mobile hairdresser (lots here and one is the mother of my daughter’s friend ) until my hair gets longer just so I don’t have to sit looking at myself in a mirror or be pitied. My hairdresser left me for ages with my wig off and on the shelf, next to a long haired client and I found it way harder than I expected, hence the tears.



Please assume my hairdresser can use any of Matrix, Wella or Goldwell.



I’m attaching photos to help - my wig ones are me trying on glasses!


Much aroha (“love”) to you all from NZ,


Jo

 

[james28]

I don’t think you are too far off your goal. You just need MORE highlights in my opinion. First round of highlighting natural hair doesn’t always give you enough blonde and it almost needs to sort of be “built up” if you will. As for brassy tones it’s unfortunately inevitable. Good purple shampoos will help as will toners from your hairdresser. I’m not going to suggest formulas or particular products because that really does need to be down to the stylist that does your hair as achieving that colour will be different for everyone depending on the starting point. I think just show whoever does your hair next a photo of exactly what you want. I think most hairdressers should be able to achieve this.

 

[ronray]

I don’t think you are too far off your goal. You just need MORE highlights in my opinion. First round of highlighting natural hair doesn’t always give you enough blonde and it almost needs to sort of be “built up” if you will. As for brassy tones it’s unfortunately inevitable. Good purple shampoos will help as will toners from your hairdresser. I’m not going to suggest formulas or particular products because that really does need to be down to the stylist that does your hair as achieving that colour will be different for everyone depending on the starting point. I think just show whoever does your hair next a photo of exactly what you want. I think most hairdressers should be able to achieve this.

I second @james28 reply. Definitely need more highlights, a lot finer and closer together with a nice cool toner would do the trick.

 

[Pokypuppy]

Thank you so much! I appreciate you both taking a look and will pass on your thoughts to my next hairdresser.

As I’ve had to start from scratch, I want to do it right and I have seen how passionate you all are on this site. We just don’t have the population or demand here to nurture the number of great colourists I was used to even 15 years ago in the UK. From reading various posts, it seems it is a mix of science and art and lots of practice.

I do hope you are all getting good financial support and help from the government and that you come through this strange period stronger and healthier (and ready to put right some interesting home efforts when you are back working!).

Kia kaha and Kia Ora (thank you)

Jo