Help me work with the hair I have!

[amberskyfire]

This isn't exactly "body care," but there wasn't a "beauty" section, so I thought this was the best area to ask.

I don't want to dye my hair. I want to keep the natural color which I don't mind it at all and I'd rather not have to get into constantly coloring it. Not my idea of fun. Can anyone here help me with what color clothing I can wear that will make my hair look nicer and less sickly? I like to wear brown, but browns make my hair look greenish. (I don't swim in chlorinated pools or have chlorine in our water).

I have very bronzy/brassy light brown hair that used to be blond but changed its mind last year when I turned 30. The color is very dull with  no variation - no sun streaks or highlights or anything. It's just vague mousy gray/brown (not actually from gray hairs, just dull colored). I don't have a current photo of myself, but the color is like these photos:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_ERGrznxTIwo/SUP5LbVqzAI/AAAAAAAAV20/kK3zn8Qax14/childhood%20Britney%20Spears%20%20pic%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800

http://photos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs157.snc1/5853_569173889199_39800650_33832339_4874184_n.jpg

What colors can I wear to make it look less green and more attractive? I should also probably mention that I have greenish brown eyes and very pale skin that has a yellow-gold undertone, not a pinkish Irish undertone.

Edited by amberskyfire - 10/7/11 at 2:17am

[Lovesong]

First of all, please consider how a description like "not at all pretty to say the least" might make those of us who have very similar hair colours to yours (mine does have a bit more gold and red in it, but indoors pretty much that colour). Personally, I am actually offended. With that said...

I do have grey/blue eyes, and porcelain skin that is truly neutral. Leaning towards warm golden during summer, but pretty much just white during winter. Not your exact colouring but not that far from.

Colours I find flattering come from the autumn palette. That is the blue and greys of the sky, all the colours of the leaves on the trees from the dark green of pines to the golden leaves of the oaks. By the forest edge, I find the colours of chanterell yellow and the purplish grey of heather. The dark blue and green hues of the autumn lakes, and the pink colours of a salmon both smoked and cooked are very nice too. The dark red of raspberry jam, and the wheat colour of freshly cut bread on an autumn morning isn't all bad either.

When I think about colours, it is the earthy colours of early autumn that I find the most flattering.

Shades I do avoid close to my face are brown, jewel tones (clear tones like clear red, clear blue etc.) and cold toned reds and pinks because they just clash with my colouring.

For you, since you have green eyes, I would suggest trying a warm toned plum colour or wine red.

[amberskyfire]

Sorry, I see what you  mean. The way I saw it, it's how I feel about my OWN hair color. If I don't like the color, I don't really see it as insulting anyone. It's how I feel about myself. I'm fine with it, just not dazzled by it. But I totally understand now. I'll change that and I apologize. To be honest, I've never in my life met a single person with hair my color. I had to look a very long time to find these pictures online, too. Maybe I just don't notice things.

I have brown eyes, just with a greenish tint - like my hair. My hair has no shine at all. It's very dull. Not like the second photo which is shiny, more like the first. It's very flat in tone. I'll try those colors. Thanks so much!
 

Edit: actually, maybe not the plum. I wear plum colored eye makeup because it makes my eyes look more vividly green. Don't want that happening with my hair! :)

Originally Posted by Lovesong 

First of all, please consider how a description like "not at all pretty to say the least" might make those of us who have very similar hair colours to yours (mine does have a bit more gold and red in it, but indoors pretty much that colour). Personally, I am actually offended. With that said...

I do have grey/blue eyes, and porcelain skin that is truly neutral. Leaning towards warm golden during summer, but pretty much just white during winter. Not your exact colouring but not that far from.

Colours I find flattering come from the autumn palette. That is the blue and greys of the sky, all the colours of the leaves on the trees from the dark green of pines to the golden leaves of the oaks. By the forest edge, I find the colours of chanterell yellow and the purplish grey of heather. The dark blue and green hues of the autumn lakes, and the pink colours of a salmon both smoked and cooked are very nice too. The dark red of raspberry jam, and the wheat colour of freshly cut bread on an autumn morning isn't all bad either.

When I think about colours, it is the earthy colours of early autumn that I find the most flattering.

Shades I do avoid close to my face are brown, jewel tones (clear tones like clear red, clear blue etc.) and cold toned reds and pinks because they just clash with my colouring.

For you, since you have green eyes, I would suggest trying a warm toned plum colour or wine red.

[Lovesong]

I've actually never met someone with green tints to their hair, to be fair (since mine is definitely leaning towards golden red in sunshine). It must be rather discouraging, looking into a mirror, and seeing not brown (as I do indoors) but green. Though my sister, lover of all things green, would be thrilled.

How about perhaps just adding a few blonde high-lights into your hair? I know you don't want to colour and maintain, but if you just add highlights, you can let them naturally grow out again (and add new ones in every now and again) without it looking strange or requiring a lot of maintenance. Just a thought...

As for plum, I don't think it would be a problem since I really don't think your hair is going green, so much as it is darkening into an ash brown. That is the brown, ashy colour of dry earth. A colour that definitely can be perceived as almost a dusty brown/green in some lights. Especially when paired with similar colours like brown.

You see, a brown shirt will reveal that your hair is not brown but another colour. Tricking the eye to pick up on the difference in colour, making your hair appear green/grey in comparison. Thus, since your hair is not truly green (unlike your eyes) a plum shirt should not make the green in your hair stronger, since you do not have green hair. I might be wrong, of course, but go to a store and try on different colours. Especially now in the autumn season, with soft muddled colours that tend to suit soft muddled complexions the best.

Originally Posted by amberskyfire 

Sorry, I see what you  mean. The way I saw it, it's how I feel about my OWN hair color. If I don't like the color, I don't really see it as insulting anyone. It's how I feel about myself. I'm fine with it, just not dazzled by it. But I totally understand now. I'll change that and I apologize. To be honest, I've never in my life met a single person with hair my color. I had to look a very long time to find these pictures online, too. Maybe I just don't notice things.

I have brown eyes, just with a greenish tint - like my hair. My hair has no shine at all. It's very dull. Not like the second photo which is shiny, more like the first. It's very flat in tone. I'll try those colors. Thanks so much! 

Edit: actually, maybe not the plum. I wear plum colored eye makeup because it makes my eyes look more vividly green. Don't want that happening with my hair! :)

[amberskyfire]

I'll give the plum a try and see how it looks. It's so hard because just trying the clothes out in the store doesn't work because the dressing rooms always have awful fluorescent lighting.

I think the easiest and closest way to describe my hair color would be to compare it to a really old penny. That same very dull flat brown with a kind of oxidized copper green hue to it. Just like an old dull penny. It used to have a pretty golden red highlight. I don't know what happened to it.

Is there a really safe and natural way to get the highlights or do it myself? I'm pregnant and don't want to use anything that might smell bad or hurt the baby. I've heard of using hydrogen peroxide, but I've also heard that some women can't use it because it causes greenish streaks.

Thanks so much for the help!

[amberskyfire]

And if everyone is having the same sort of problem, there are a couple of things I've done to dress up my hair otherwise to make it look fancier without coloring. I grow it out for one. It was to my thighs last week, but I had a friend cut it off a bit and now it's to mid-back. It gets a lot of comments. Definitely another way to pretty hair up a little more. Also, I've learned all kinds of fancy braids and updos. I think braids can fancy up any kind of hair. And when you let it down, it's so wavy and pretty. Lots of fun, but it takes a lot of time to do.

[Lovesong]

Right now, while you are pregnant, I would not risk using any chemicals at all on your hair. If the weather still allows (here we are getting frost in the mornings now) I would go out into the sun with my hair wet. It usually gently bleaches my hair slowly during the summer (in my case causing me to turn golden blonde). Though, it does take time and well...we all know sun is not the friendliest thing for healthy hair since it can dry it out.

I've got nearly tailbone length hair myself, so I am always concerned with being gentle with my hair.

So, after you've been in the sun, be sure to apply a few drops of your favourite hair care oil (personally I use Night Blooming's Panacea Hair Salve before going to bed each night and braiding my waist long hair. Just a tiny amount, focused on the ends, really does help a lot to prevent split ends and keep the hair soft and supple. It does disappear overnight, if you just use a little. Though, the scent might be something you can't take while you are pregnant. It smells like incense, with a hint of tea).

Anyhow, do you know if you can wear ivory colours? I'm thinking that would be nice with the colour of a brassy penny. Though, since you do have yellow undertones to your skin, ivory might make you look beige, I suppose. So perhaps not the most flattering colour. Just trying to think what can be done...

I really do not envy you, not liking your hair colour.

[amberskyfire]

Thanks for the tip! I'll see if I can find the oil for sale here anywhere. I live in Hawaii, so I can definitely sit out in the sun and see if that will help. I do wear ivory and it looks great on me. I never thought about it looking good, though.

I don't hate my hair, I just don't love it anymore. I don't have a negative body image at all, I just have things that I really love and other things that I don't hate, but don't love either. I just don't really think about them. My nose, for example. It's big and beaky and when I say that, people think I don't like it and tell me "that's not true!" which it totally is and frustrates me because I DON'T hate it. I'm just honest about it. I like my nose fine. :)

If I really didn't like my hair, I'd color it.

[Lovesong]

Originally Posted by amberskyfire 

Thanks for the tip! I'll see if I can find the oil for sale here anywhere. I live in Hawaii, so I can definitely sit out in the sun and see if that will help. I do wear ivory and it looks great on me. I never thought about it looking good, though.

I don't hate my hair, I just don't love it anymore. I don't have a negative body image at all, I just have things that I really love and other things that I don't hate, but don't love either. I just don't really think about them. My nose, for example. It's big and beaky and when I say that, people think I don't like it and tell me "that's not true!" which it totally is and frustrates me because I DON'T hate it. I'm just honest about it. I like my nose fine. :)

If I really didn't like my hair, I'd color it.

The oil is sold on etsy. But really, just a little bit of olive oil or something does wonders for the hair when one has been out all day long in the sun.

And I can totally understand about the loving certain parts and being okay with others. I think it is a healthy way of viewing oneself. 

Good luck, I do hope you will find a way to come to like your hair again, rather than just being okay with it. :)

[BubbleMa]

I know you said you don't want to color your hair, but would you consider Henna?  It's all natural.  Lush makes a henna hair dye that gets really good reviews.  http://www.lushusa.com/shop/products/haircare/henna-hair-dyes/

[hildare]

Originally Posted by amberskyfire 

Is there a really safe and natural way to get the highlights or do it myself? I'm pregnant and don't want to use anything that might smell bad or hurt the baby. I've heard of using hydrogen peroxide, but I've also heard that some women can't use it because it causes greenish streaks.

Thanks so much for the help!

what happens if you put lemon on it, the way people did it in the 70's?  that was a safe way to highlight in the sun....

[amberskyfire]

I've thought of henna (my midwife colors her hair with it and it's BEAUTIFUL!) and while I do love the color, I don't love the idea of having to keep up with it basically forever. I would probably do it when I'm older if I don't like my gray for some reason. My mother and grandmother gray well, so maybe I'll love it gray. Otherwise, the henna really gives it pizazz.

I love the lemon juice idea! I never even thought of that. I read about it years ago, about how women in Rome used to bleach their hair using lemon juice and sunlight. Maybe I can put some faint streaks in to break up the color a bit.

[BubbleMa]

Originally Posted by amberskyfire 

I've thought of henna (my midwife colors her hair with it and it's BEAUTIFUL!) and while I do love the color, I don't love the idea of having to keep up with it basically forever. I would probably do it when I'm older if I don't like my gray for some reason. My mother and grandmother gray well, so maybe I'll love it gray. Otherwise, the henna really gives it pizazz.

I love the lemon juice idea! I never even thought of that. I read about it years ago, about how women in Rome used to bleach their hair using lemon juice and sunlight. Maybe I can put some faint streaks in to break up the color a bit.

You won't have to keep up with it forever.  Henna doesn't always have to be red.  I've seen many different colors.  I'm sure you could find a shade close to your own.  It would just make your hair shiny and give it a little pop.  Of course, you could do a different color all together too. The color will fade out gradually, so you won't have roots showing if you decide to skip it for a while.  :)

[amberskyfire]

Okay, I'll check it out. Thanks!