Red Hair for African American Women

So You Want to Dye Your Hair Red? 

When I think of red hair on black girls, my mind automatically flashes back to Kelly Rowland's red and black bob when Destiny's Child was the hot girl group back in the day.

Kelly's hair here is what I call a literal red (or rooster red) but the tones of red hair color span across a wide spectrum of different colors.  Some African American women are born with it. When black people describe red hair, I usually think of a coppery or brownish hue like the following:

But red hair can look like an orange tinted Viola Davis up to blatant fire truck red like Rihanna used to rock.

Whatever your preferred flavor, choosing red hair can be a great choice. Just choose the hue that will complement your skin tone best.


Dyeing African American Hair Red

If you an African American woman, then more than likely your hair is black.  This means that the hair must be lightened and THEN colored to get the desired results. 

Determine the color you want your hair and figure out about how much lighter than black (or dark brown) the dye is.

 

 The next thing you would consider is the developer you need to use.  Developers lighten the hair and facilitate the dye to deposit its color.  10 volume developer lightens the hair the least (if at all).  20 volume developer is for when you want to go 2-3 shades lighter.  For achieving red hair 20 volume is the strongest developer you should need.   There is also 30 volume and 40 volume developers, but if you go this high, the hair will lose too much pigment and the red hair dye will fade fast and leave your hair with an unsightly brassy look.   Also, 30-50 volume developers are best left in the hands of professionals.  The higher you go, the more damage is done to your hair.

Steps to Dyeing the Hair Red

So now that you have your dye and your developer chosen, here's how you dye your hair red.

Always remember to do a skin test and hair patch test to make sure you don't have any allergies to the products. 

Mix equal parts powder hair bleach and developer in a plastic bowl.  Once this is mixed nice and smooth, apply evenly to the hair and allow it to sit 20 minutes until the hair is a brownish yellow color.  Wash, condition and towel dry the hair, leaving it a little damp.

Now mix equal parts developer and the hair color you've chosen.  Mix thoroughly and apply evenly to the hair, making sure that the mixture coats every strand.  Leave on the hair for 20 minutes. Shampoo, Condition, Dry and Style.  

Remember that your hair has undergone a chemical process so extra care must be taken to maintain your hair's health.  Make sure to stay up on your protein treatments and moisturizing products so that your hair does  not deteriorate.