# Hair coloring



## MJ Preston (Oct 19, 2017)

At the risk of sounding like a chauvinist, I believe this question would be best answered by the female members of Writing Forums. I am working on my new novel and am at a part where a fugitive wants to change his hair color from dark brown to rusty red. Also, would said hair color also work on facial hair?

So, my question is. Can you actually buy a box of this stuff and make it happen and how long will it take?


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## sas (Oct 19, 2017)

Men use hair and beard dye. I am with THAT GUY. He uses "Touch of Gray" (Product: Just For Men) for beard. He got sick of sparse head hair (aka: bald), so shaved it all off. Looks great like that. He wants a touch of grey, but can totally dye one color. Men are fakers, too. And, that other F word, sometimes. (It is done at home, quickly. Half hour, probably)


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## Kevin (Oct 19, 2017)

You can. You have to strip out the dark color first, and then you re-color with whatever. So that means bleach, rinse, and then color. Just a color - red over dark will be a dark, dark with some red tone, maybe. It's all chemistry and alchemy so he should go to a pro. Otherwise he may melt his own hair off, especially if he learns the hard way, and does a double process. Yeah...wife's a hairdresser.


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## sas (Oct 19, 2017)

I went from brown to blond without all that. Did not bleach out. But, my hair started looking like straw after a few months. Stopped.


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## Kevin (Oct 20, 2017)

The product you used had to have bleach in it. . Take "sun-in" -it's a spray peroxide -bleach. You end up with orange hair , a nice orangutan G orange lol. A "high-lift blonde" ( only on natural hair-not pre-colored)  contains peroxide. You can buy that off the shelf. I guess if the characters a criminal he won't care too much what his hair looks like as long as it is not his original color. 
Likewise, yes, you can buy an off the shelf, brown to red do it yourself product. Short answer.


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## Jack of all trades (Oct 20, 2017)

Do men have to use a product that is labeled for men? Isn't hair hair?


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## aj47 (Oct 20, 2017)

I think if he's dying his beard, there might be tools involved that are included in the beard kit that wouldn't be in a kit intended for scalp hair.  I think the chemicals would be the same, though.   It's easier to go darker than lighter. 

When I was in my twenties, I colored my hair the reddest red I could find at my drugstore with a capful of the darkest brown mixed in.  Without bleach, so I had dark reddish hair.  I have naturally pale skin to the point I can't wear gold jewelry to good effect and I tend to freckle if I get sun, rather than tan, so it worked well.


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## sas (Oct 20, 2017)

Well, my guy used made for men products. It probably is more psychological. But, astro is right about beard dye coming with special application tool. Go to a drugstore and buy a box. It is cheap.


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## ppsage (Oct 20, 2017)

Well MJ, I'm with sas. This is your big chance to actually live what you write about!


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## MJ Preston (Oct 21, 2017)

ppsage said:


> Well MJ, I'm with sas. This is your big chance to actually live what you write about!



Haha, I don't think that's what sas was suggesting. Thanks to everyone for all the comebacks. I watched a couple videos on hair dye as well and I'm going to employ a bit of artistic freedom to meet my needs. 

Thank you to everyone who came back on this.


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