To Dye Or Not To Dye?

WHEN YOU’RE NOT READY YET FOR GREY HAIR

…BUT YOU’RE DONE WITH TOXIC, CHEMICAL DYES

We all have to face it at some point: grey(ing) hair. For some no issue at all, for others a non-negotiable “no-no.”

Since I moved to New York 3 months ago, I’ve heard the topic come up in about every conversation I had with ambitious women: some even apologized for their greying hair. “But…” they said, “Im done with dyeing, so that’s it.”

Nevertheless I see how their confidence is under attack, how they tend to hide more while transitioning, how they are even being judged; grey hair in New York seems to be not done, unless you’re a fashionista who is making a rebelling statement. While no issue is made about greying men, women do feel the pressure of keeping up with their colour. Looking at it from a distance with my Belgian mentality, it’s funny to see how it somehow is becoming a “movement” to resist and going grey. Anyways: it is a hot burning topic amongst women entrepreneurs.

“Will I let it grow out? Or will I keep dyeing it? How will I transition? By dyeing it grey? What are you doing?”

To dye or not to dye, that’s the question that keeps popping up.

Many are just fed up with how much time of their busy schedule it consumes. I mean: we’re talking about half a day every 6 weeks. You can write a book with that time! Others don’t want to deal with the chemicals anymore and let it grey out but don’t feel good about that either. They are pretty much convinced that it’s one way or the other. So I thought it may be helpful to share a lovely resource that I have been using since a little while and that I absolutely love:

HAIRPRINT

Before I share my experience with you, let me tell you that I’m NOT affiliated in any way with this brand. But I AM in love with this product because it gives me the opportunity to have my natural hair colour for a bit longer.

On another note: I’m keeping it real here! I’ll show you the back scene of this lovely product that will return you your natural hair color, too. But I won’t lie; it is a hot mess! No way that you can keep your white spa towel spotless clean as in the lovely tutorial video they made. Just sayin’! Other than that: it’s totally worth your precious 60 to 90 minutes and you will love having your very own colour back without throwing off your hormonal balance every 6 weeks.

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What’s so special about Hairprint?

✗ It’s not a dye, but imitates your body’s natural biological process

✗ It returns your very own natural hair color in a gentle way and it has a very natural look

✗ There are no toxic chemicals involved whatsoever

✗ Only food-grade ingredients are used so it’s completely harmless to the body

✗ No harsh toxic fumes or smell to deal with

✗ Hairprint restores your colour, strengthens your grey hair, adds body and a silky shine

✗ Once applied, you’re good for about 3 to 4 months, depending how often you wash your hair

✗ You can subscribe to a new box straight to your door every few months: no more hassle!

Hairprint Box

CLEAN INGREDIENTS

WATER

BAKING SODA

MUCUNA PRURIENS

SODIUM CARBONATE

FERROUS, MANGANESE

HYDROGEN PEROXIDE

CARBOMER

DIATOMACEOUS EARTH

CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS

CHECK OUT THEIR TUTORIAL VIDEO AT HAIRPRINT, MIND MY TIPS, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE BOX AND YOU’LL BE FINE.

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HOW DOES IT MAKE YOUR OWN COLOUR RETURN?

✗ Hair color is created by pigment made inside the hair follicle

✗ Hairprint creates the same pigment and infuses it into the cortex of your hair

✗ Working with a vegetable extract from velvet beans (Mucuna Pruriens Extract), it restores grey hair to its natural colour (it really does!)

✗ As you are changing your grey hair back into your natural colour, you are also adding protein to the hair

INGREDIENTS RESTORE POWDER

INGREDIENTS RESTORE LIQUID

INGREDIENTS COMPLETE POWDER

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WHAT YOU NEED to get ready before you start

✗ Get some old towels (one to cover up your shirt, one to cover up your hair while waiting, one to dry your hair)

✗ Only use a glass bowl to mix the product, no metal! Metal will react with the product

✗ You’ll find it handy to have paper towel within hand reach to wipe off your face and surfaces

✗ Coconut oil helps to remove black stains from your face and hands (but do it right away, don’t wait)

✗ Scissors to open the packages

✗ Choose a surface that won’t stain (no wood, white porous ceramic or delicate marble stone)

✗ When you only have a white ceramic sink, clean in between rounds or the stains will be hard to remove

✗ Cover up the surface with paper towel

✗ Open the box and make your “mise en place”, unpack the gloves, a brush is delivered too

It sounds like “a lot” but it isn’t really. I want to give you the full setup to work as smoothly as possible.

THE CONTENT OF YOUR BOX

ALL SET NEXT TO MY SINK

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FIRST, SOME MUST-KNOW NOTES FOR YOU

If your hair was recently dyed or you have been outgrowing chemical dye, carefully follow the instructions that come with the package to make the transition from dyed hair to restoring your natural colour. If you skip that step, your damaged hair will pick up much more pigment than it needs and turn out way too dark. I made the transition after my one and only balayage and it worked very well.

Before you apply this formula, they recommend that you leave a minimum of 4 days between your last application of synthetic products (shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, …) and a hairprint.

Note: The formula only works for black, dark brown, brown and light brown hair. So far there is no formula yet for naturally blonde or red hair.

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CAUTION NOTES from experience, JUST SO YOU KNOW…

⤞ The first week your hair will be quite darker than normally! There are no nuances in natural pigmentations of this kind as you are used to at your hairdresser. Your hair will restore to its own colour after about a week (I usually wash it every day that week to speed up the process).

⤞ When your natural colour is anything less than dark brown, I recommend not doing this right before you have to be at a networking event or a party where people know you. Personally I don’t feel confident with my first “gothic girl look” as I call it. So I like planning this a week before any event or social activity I attend.

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THE FIRST TIME YOU ORDER YOUR BOX

First you need to define what (once) was your natural hair colour to know which colour to order: dark brown, brown or light brown.

Simply lift up the back of your hair and make a photo of the hair that’s in the root of your neck: this is the part that is -when not dyed- the closest to your original colour. It’s also the spot that takes longer to go grey.

Now have a closer look: is it dark, mid brown or rather light? That’s the box you will order.

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THE PROCESS

(detailed instructions are on your purchased box)

Preparing your hair takes about 10 minutes. Every next round you need about 5 minutes to apply the product, 15 minutes waiting time and 5 minutes to rinse out and prepare the next round.

✗ Scheduling 90 minutes of time is a realistic timeframe, certainly the first time

✗ PREPARE your hair with their special pre-treat shampoo, leave on 5 minutes, rinse

✗ ROUND 1: Restore your hair by applying their mix of a powder and gel, leave on 15 minutes, rinse

✗ ROUND 2: Restore second time same way as round 2

✗ ROUND 3: Complete the pigmentation with the last powder and gel mix, leave on 15 minutes, rinse

✗ Wash your hair with an organic, chemical-free shampoo to remove the last pigment residue

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WASH YOUR HAIR

USE THE PRE-TREATMENT SHAMPO TO TAKE OUT ALL RESIDUE FROM YOUR HAIR

SCHEDULE 90 MINUTES

NO STRESS! ALLOW YOURSELF THE TIME TO DO THIS IN A RELAXED WAY.

BEFORE PROCESS

SOME OF MY PEPPER AND SALT STRINGS (DARKER HERE BECAUSE MY HAIR IS WET)

RESTORE POWDER 1

First place the powder into your glass bowl.

ADD LIQUID & STIR

STIR WELL UNTIL IT’S ALL MIXED WELL AND TURNS INTO A BRIQUE COLOUR

(AFTER SEVERAL SECONDS)

READY TO APPLY

NOW YOU HAVE 5 MINUTES TO APPLY THE FOAMY MOUSSE. I PLACE THE BOWL IN THE SINK AND HOLD MY HEAD ABOVE IT WHILE APPLYING.

YEP, IT’S A MESS!

WHILE YOU WAIT 15 MINUTES, CLEAN EVERYTHING FOR THE NEXT ROUND

RESTORE ROUND 2

SAME PROCESS AS ABOVE

THE MOUSSE TURNS BLACK

AFTER A FEW MINUTES THE REDDISH MOUSSE WILL TURN BLACK. THAT’S NORMAL! KEEP GOING TILL YOU FINISH THE BOWL.

AND MORE MESS!

IN BETWEEN WAITING, WASH OFF YOUR GLOVES EACH TIME, CLEAN YOUR FACE WITH PAPER TOWEL AND SOME COCONUT OIL

COMPLETE ROUND

LESS POWDER AND FOAM TO APPLY. THIS IS THE PIGMENT THAT COMPLETES THE PROCESS.

WASH WITH AN ORGANIC SHAMPO

I LOVE MY NOURISHING AESOP SHAMPO THAT’S FREE OF CHEMICALS. BUT HAIRPRINT ALSO HAS THEIR OWN LINE OF ORGANIC SHAMPOOS.

DRY END RESULT

YEP, MY GOTHIC LOOK IS ON FOR ABOUT A WEEK :-) BUT AFTER THAT, MY NATURAL TONE IS BACK!

TIP: WHEN YOU CURL YOUR HAIR, IT SOFTENS THE DARK TONE AROUND YOUR FACE.

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Now I want to hear from you. Have you been wondering how to deal with your greying hair? Are you experiencing pressure to keep dyeing?

How do you like my recommendation? How was your experience with this lovely alternative for harsh hair dyes and how is it helping you keep up your confidence to be visible in your business?

Comment below or send me a note!

Anything else you would like me to help you move forward with? I’m only one click away!

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