Beauty with Mi, hosted by Refinery29's beauty writer Mi-Anne Chan, explores the coolest new trends, treatments, products, and subcultures in the beauty world. Follow along on her wild beauty adventures here.
Last fall, I started daydreaming about dyeing my raven-black hair a shade of bright, bubblegum pink. It was a process I'd been entertaining for a while, and nearly everyone I knew told me not to do it. "It'll fry your hair," my co-worker warned. "It fades so quickly," another one piped in. "Your hair might fall out!" someone added. Clearly, I ignored all their advice and decided to just go with it. Yolo, right?
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It's been three months since I took the plunge and, no, my hair hasn't fallen out. But two of my naysayers were correct in that the bleach did damage my strands and the colour is definitely prone to fading. But that doesn't make it impossible to maintain. "All hair is healthy enough for bleaching, it’s just a matter of treating it correctly and making sure the right products are used," says trichologist Dr. David Kingsley. After weeks of testing shampoos, serums, and masks designed to maintain the health and color of my newly pink head, I think I've finally landed on a routine that works — at least between touch-ups.
Press play to learn about the products I use, and my exact tips for making them work for my length and texture.