TAJ Hair Studio

Buildup of permanent hair dye on frizzy and dry hair.‼️

This is one of the most common issues we encounter: dry and frizzy hair, often with 70-90% grey, old-fashioned highlights, and regular root touch-ups every 4 weeks with dark permanent hair dye.
The only difference here is that a lighter colour was used previously, which can make things more challenging.

Why should you avoid using permanent hair dye or any type of box dye on your roots?
1. Harsh chemicals
Most permanent dyes contain ammonia and PPD, which help the color pe*****te but can irritate the scalp, cause allergies, or weaken hair over time.

2. Increased allergy risk
Darker shades like black and deep brown have higher PPD levels, increasing reactions such as itching, swelling, or dermatitis in sensitive people.

3. Hair damage and dryness
Permanent dyes open the hair cuticle and alter its structure. Repeated use, especially with dark shades, can make hair brittle, dry, and prone to breakage.

4. Difficult to remove or lighten
Dark dye is hard to lighten without bleaching, which can damage hair. Correcting dark hair color is costly and challenging.

5. Visible regrowth
Lighter natural hair shows a stark contrast with dark dye as it grows, requiring frequent touch-ups.

6. Can look flat or unnatural over time
Dark dyes can lack dimension and fade unevenly into dull or brassy tones, damaging overall hair color.

When you touch up your roots, the dye should only be used on new growth. However, a common mistake (even in some salons) is dragging the same dye through the lengths with a brush or combing the colour through.

Repeated applications add pigment over hair, darkening it and causing a muddy, flat, or nearly black look, even if unintended. This overload results in loss of dimension, uneven colour, dullness, and more damage later. Instead, root colour should be applied delicately on roots, and lengths refreshed carefully with glosses or toners only when needed, not with repeated permanent dyes.

Think twice before colouring your own hair✨

Many people make this mistake and opt to do their hair at home. This can lead to uneven colour, and the final shade may never match the box or the picture on the packaging.

What box dye contains
Most box dyes utilise the same core chemicals:
• Ammonia – opens the hair cuticle so the colour can pe*****te
• Hydrogen peroxide (developer) – lightens your natural colour
• Colour pigments – the actual dye molecules

They tend to be stronger, more “generic” formulas designed to work on any hair type.

Differences compared to professional hair dye

Box dye

* One formula for all
* Stronger developer + intense pigments
* Can be harsher (more ammonia, sometimes metallic salts)
* No control over tone or strength

Professional dye

* Customised for your hair
* Developer strength is carefully selected (softer + more precise)
* Higher-quality, more controlled pigments
* Ability to adjust tone (warm, cool, neutral)

Please seek a professional opinion before you decide to use any hair dye. Most of the time, it’s impossible to correct mistakes, which limits us as professionals.

Transitioning into Grey Intentionally✨

Many people reach a stage where they’re ready to embrace their natural colour and accept their grey hair. At the same time, they want the transition to feel intentional, polished, and confident, not as though they’ve stopped caring.

Going grey is a journey. It doesn’t happen overnight, and in many cases, it’s not possible to achieve in one step, especially after years of permanent or box-dye.

How do we begin?

1• Remove artificial pigment
Years of permanent colour need to be lifted. This requires professional lightening (bleach or lightening powder).
2• Soften the regrowth line
Breaking up harsh lines ensures new grey growth blends seamlessly.
3• Protect hair health
Maintaining strength, moisture, and shine throughout the process is essential.

What is “Grey Softening”?
For those who still want subtle refinement with low maintenance, grey softening is ideal. A semi-permanent colour is used to blend tones gently. It sits mainly on the cuticle and slightly into the outer cortex, meaning it gradually fades with washing, with no harsh regrowth lines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this damage my hair?
Lightening can cause dryness, especially without proper aftercare. Professional treatments and the right home routine are key to maintaining healthy hair.

Do I need bleach? If permanent dye has been used in the past, lightening is necessary to remove artificial pigment and achieve a clean transition.

Can I do this with curly or frizzy hair? In many cases, this process is not recommended for highly curly or frizzy hair. Exceptions may be considered after consultation and strand testing.

How long does it last? Hair continues to grow, so the transition evolves. Expect noticeable regrowth within a few months.

What’s the maintenance?• Toner or semi-permanent refresh every 8–10 weeks• Weekly deep conditioning or hair masks at home

How much does it cost?
This type of treatment is time-intensive and highly specialised so that it can be a significant investment depending on the starting point, hair history, and desired result.

Non-Bleach Blend ✨

This technique is designed for those with virgin hair and certain types of grey if you don’t use permanent hair dye or any other dye to cover the grey. If you are willing to approach your grey differently and are not obsessed with fully covering the white, this method may be ideal for you.

What are we actually doing here?
Every small section, no more than half a centimetre thick, is split into two parts. The lower section is coloured to add depth and minimise grey, while the upper section is lifted with a special high-lift product, allowing the hair to lighten naturally without pushing or forcing.
This process ensures there are no harsh lines as the hair grows, creating a very natural look. Any remaining grey hair blends seamlessly into the style, making it part of the overall appearance.
There is no damage caused to the hair, and it requires very low maintenance. You will probably need to repeat this twice a year, with no toner or other touch-ups necessary.
Please kindly do not ask for this treatment if you have colour-treated your roots at the salon or at home. It is only suitable for people with natural roots and certain grey tones, like in the video above.

Don’t cover them, enhance them.💫

All the way from the States😊

There’s a special feeling when someone makes a long trip to see us, even for a small change like a toner and haircut.
Thank you for coming all that way. Hair done by with his red colour speciality, using deep and vibrant gloss of red to brighten the hair and add more shine and dimension. Finished with a layers face-framing haircut to add volume, movement, and bounce.

If you'd like to book with Alex, please get in touch. We still have a few appointments available with him at 07944662264.

How to approach white hair.✨

Before deciding to proceed with the blending process, we need to analyse the percentage of grey hair, especially where it grows the most. Is it Snow White or silver? The less neutral colour in the grey, the more complicated the process becomes, because whatever we do, there will always be a slight difference between natural roots and the rest of the hair, particularly when there is a buildup of permanent and box dye.
This was a great start, and we were surprised at how beautiful and healthy the hair looked, even after hours of bleaching. Her smile was worth every second of the work, which took around 8 hours.
She would probably need to come back after 8 weeks for a gloss to keep the colour fresh and healthy.
Remember, with grey blending, options are limited since each hair lifts differently and can absorb colour in unique ways. What works for certain people doesn’t necessarily work for everyone.
Before starting, a face-to-face consultation is essential. During this, we will learn about your hair, understand your goals, and determine whether they are achievable.
This treatment can be quite costly, so make sure you understand everything beforehand. Take as much time as you need to decide.

‼️We aren’t taking any new clients for this treatment at the moment, but you can book a consultation in June or July so you can get your appointment in August or September.

Grey Blending Follow-up ✨

This is the hair after two months since our first session of removing all the black box dye from the hair.
As expected, the hair has faded to a more blondie, yellowish tone. The hair remained healthy and strong despite her having frizzy and curly hair.
After a full consultation and assessing how the client feels, we decided to soften the grey and go slightly darker with a toner. This will allow the hair to last longer before it lightens again.
In the meantime, we are focusing on treating the hair and allowing the grey to grow.
Many people get confused when they expect that if we use semi-permanent dye on grey hair, the grey will grow back with a harsh line.
For example, if you have 4 inches of grey roots and it takes up to 6 months to grow them out, using a semi-permanent means you won’t need another six months to grow the grey properly. After 8 weeks, you will start to see the grey, as semi-permanent dyes don’t pe*****te deeply into the hair; they only work on the surface.

Colour makeover✨

When you have the right base colour that matches your skin tone, anything you add on top will look beautiful. Make sure that when you decide to change your look, you take as much time as needed to consult with a specialist. Your hair colour will influence how your overall look appears—your skin, your makeup, and even your clothes will be affected.

In this case, we felt her base colour was quite warm for her skin tone. In some lighting, she looked a bit orangey, but at the same time, too cool tones would wash her out. So, we had to naturalise her base to minimise warmth in the skin, and the second colour was mixed between warm and cool tones to add depth and contrast.

If you wish to book your colour, please get in touch with us at least 2 months before our first availability, which is now mid-June 00447944662264

The subtle change is the most noticeable 💫

You can always alter your look, but always remember to base your eyebrows, colour, skin tone, and how you present yourself on your natural base.
When we decide on a colour, we rely on many factors; hair colour can completely transform your appearance and significantly impact your personality.