Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

*updated September 2017 I began using bright colors in my hair when I was twelve, and in the last twenty two years I have tried just about every brand there is. Pravana is by far the most long lasting color option out there. (I do use Joico, Arctic Fox, and Sparks sometimes, but they don't stay in my hair as long). Ion colors are not worth using, and are by far the worst I have tried. If you want excellent results, use excellent products. Morrocanoil is a favorite of mine to rehydrate hair after bleaching, as is Olaplex 1, and 2. My favorite shampoos are Oribe, Kerastase, and Caviar. I use Batiste dry shampoo (it doesn't strip much color, is low priced, and works so well that I only wash my hair once a week). I have my routine and products down solid, and as a result am able to strip my hair again and again, but it still remains shiny and healthy looking. I usually only touch up colors once a month, and this is only to rehydrate and add shine, not because the colors have faded. Pastels are higher maintenance, and I touch them up every week/ every other week depending on shade. Dark colors don't require your hair to be lightened to a nine or ten, but I prefer to have my hair pre lightened to the color of the inside of a banana peel anyway. Platinum hair as a foundation equals beautiful fade when your colors do start to go. Instead of having ugly brassy colors, you will have nice looking pastels. I slather my hair in coconut oil the night before bleaching (I like Schwartzkopf developer and use forty), and apply bleach directly onto oiled hair the next day. I don't find that adding Olaplex 1 to developer does much. However, after rinsing out the bleach in cold water, I apply Olaplex 1 (don't shampoo the bleach out, just rinse). I squeeze out excess water and Olaplex mix, and then work Olaplex 2 in as well. This is left in overnight. In the morning I dampen my hair and work Morrocanoil into it. It seems like a lot of product, but through trial and error I've found a great way to keep my super processed hair strong and awesome. I leave all this in for at least a few hours or overnight again. (I wear hats and put my hair up to leave the house during this process- no shame in my game). I rinse and wash in cold over the sink, and don't bother using conditioner since I will either be bleaching again or adding in Pravana. I have to strip my color twice as my hair is dark, a level 3, so this whole process gets repeated again. Dilute Pravana colors with regular conditioner to make your own shades and pastels. Don't shampoo after the rinse, just rinse with cold water to minimize color bleeding. Leave hair unwashed for about a week to keep your color longer. Pravana' green isn't green. It is teal. If you want green you can mix your own shades using yellow (regular or neon depending on how bright you want to go) for your base and adding tiny amounts of blue. Arctic Fox has some nice shades of green, but they don't stay in my hair as long. Pravan's silver makes an awesome toner that lasts indefinitely if you want an ash blonde look, but you have to cut it with conditioner a bit over half the total mix. (The super blonde pic I added I used the silver as toner mixed one part Pravana and two and a half parts conditioner) Happy coloring! I'm happy to answer questions as well if you have any.