There’s no denying that ombre hair color is back in (it never really went away, it was replaced with variations of it like sombre and lived-in highlights), especially ever since Kim Kardashian semi-resurrected the trend with her lighter dipped ends.
But not everyone is as fortunate as Kim K. when it comes to coloring their hair. Plenty of times, adventures in coloring go completely awry and the end result is breakage, damage and completely ruined hair.
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That’s what happened to 16-year-old Courtney Andrews according to an article in the U.K.’s The Sun. Andrews reportedly had clumps of hair fall out after she tried a DIY ombre job using Superdrug Blonde Permanent High Strength Bonding Kit.
Even though Andrews first performed a patch test to make sure she wasn’t allergic to the color, she didn’t do a strand test, too, to see how her hair would hold up to the color. “Doing a test strand will show you the exact shade the hair will be. Often we purchase a color that is not necessarily what we expect a color to be,” says Marris Ambrose, Color Director at Julien Farel Restore Salon and Spa.
Andrews’ mother, Claire Coles-Morton, helped her color her hair, checking the color every five to 10 minutes. After 30 minutes of processing, Coles-Morton said the hair felt hot to the touch. And, once the two started to comb out Andrews’ hair, it started breaking off before their eyes. The only way to rectify the situation was to chop Andrews’ hair to her shoulders.
Anytime that you’re considering a major color makeover, especially if it is technique dependent like ombre, you’re better off seeking the expertise of an expert. “At-home ombre hair color is difficult to determine the placement of the color. Incorrect application can result in a blotchy, uneven look,” says Ambrose. “Also, the product consistency must be correct.”
