alt.gothic.fashion.faq [part 11/13]

[Trystan L. Bass]

Archive-name: gothic-fashion-faq [part 11/13]
Posting-Frequency: monthly
Last Modified: February 5, 1998
Version: 4.1
URL: http://www.toreadors.com/gothfash/

Oriental Trading Company
P.O. Box 3407
Omaha, NE 68103-0407, US
(800) 327-9678
Free catalog
Sells novelties and junk toys at wholesale prices.
Of gothic interest are the votive candles (dozen
for $2) and Halloween decorations like plastic
skulls ($4), plastic skeletons ($10-$20), plastic
bats (two dozen for $14), strings of skeleton lights
($7), plastic 3D wall art ghosts/demons (looks like
it's emerging from the wall; $6), and plastic
glow-in-the-dark bead curtains ($8). Does
mail-order. [Trystan L. Bass]

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern
P.O. Box 150
Milford, NH 03055, US
Phone: (800) 354-4708
Fax: (603) 673-4576
http://rosencrantz.com/
Gothic and fine-art bank checks (200 for
$18-$20), plus stationary and nightlights. Does
mail-order (online catalog only). [crimson heart]

Skullduggery, Inc.
624 South B St.
Tustin, CA 92680, US
This catalog is a gold mine. They sell
museum-quality replica skulls and claws.
Everything from a dire wolf skull to a saber tooth
lion skull. They also sell human skulls as well as
many other types of hominids, bears, cats,
canines, cattle, and dinosaurs. If you are into
bones, skulls, or paleontology, check them out.
They are pretty expensive ($50-$500), but it is
worth it. Does mail-order. [Chad Redmon]

Snapdragon Gifts
http://www.snapdragongifts.com/
wit...@snapdragongifts.com
A cyberstore offering bat jewelry, bat boxes,
gargoyles and other gothic and horror inspired
gift items. Does mail-order (online catalog only).
[Denise Connell]

Strange Brew
2826 Elmwood Ave.
Kenmore, NY 14217, US
Phone: (800) 898-6476
Fax: (716) 876-4930
http://www.thecauldron.com/
stran...@thecauldron.com
Occult supplies such as jewelry, candles, goblets,
herbs, books, etc. Does mail-order (online catalog
only).

Vampyrates
(213) 856-4784
http://www.legend5.com/sjd/vampyrates.html
Gothically decorated coffins, wall hangings,
bookends, and jewelry ($15-$290). Does
mail-order (online catalog only).

Virtual Merchant - Gargoyles
12291 Charloma Dr.
Tustin, CA 92780, US
Customer Service: (714) 544-0136
Orders: (888) 905-8825
Fax: (714) 544-0421
http://www.virtualmerchant.com/gargoyles/
Custome...@virtualmerchant.com
Gargoyle picture frames, figurines, candle
holders, etc. ($9-$30). Does mail-order (online
catalog only).

Victorian Papers
P.O. Box 411332
Kansas City, MO 64141, US
(800) 800-6647
They specialize in Victorian-inspired paper
products, but they also carry lots of fancy
accessories like Battenburg lace parasols and
reproduction jewelry, as well as framed prints and
trinkets like picture frames, tea cups, candle
holders, linens, and such ($12-$300). Does
mail-order. [Trystan L. Bass]

Vomitus Maximus Museum Gift Shoppe
679 Harrison St.
San Francisco, CA 94107, US
http://www.vomitus.com/necromance/
Gothic and exotic jewelry, skulls, gargoyles,
preserved insects, and collectibles ($15-$1000+).
Does mail-order (online catalog only).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.7a how can i make stuff so my house/room looks more gothic?

From: Margaret Rhodes
Some cheap ways to goth up your room: You can
buy really cool fabric for cheap on the remnant
tables at fabric stores. The upholstery fabric
in a lot of these stores is velveteen and very sturdy
and comes in huge pieces. Some of it is brocade,
which lends that regal aura... Anyway, hang the
brocade on your walls, add tassels... instant
tapestry. Staple the velveteen to your walls...
instant change, better than wallpaper. Some of
these fabrics can be used for area rugs, too.

Get cheap candle holders in thrift stores... get
*a lot* of them, add candles... put them all on one
table. Of course, empty wine bottles of various
shapes and sizes look cool too. (Esp. red wine, ;-)

Mosquito netting (available in import shops)
draped around your bed from ceiling to floor
adds that "webby" look...

Get old picture frames in thrift shops... big
ones. The more distressed, the better. Hang them
on your wall. Put smaller pictures inside, in a
grouping -- or hang them over a cool poster.

Dried flowers or even fresh flowers in the
process of drying... hang them upside down in a
section of your room. Looks nice that way, or put
them in a glass, vase, or whatever suits you.

Tarot cards look cool framed. Frame them in a
reading, by themselves, or just randomly under
glass. Put a piece of velvet underneath them in the
frame.

Find old (unwearable) velvet or "cool" types of
fabric clothing in a thrift store. Cut the velvet into
squares and sew cushions for your bed out of
them. Add tassels, fringe, sew cool buttons on
them... whatever!

Hang your favorite jewelry from nails in the
wall... makes it accessible and looks decorative at
the same time.

Hang black lace over your windows with
tacks. Add a long scarf over the top, as a sort of
valance (scarves with fringe on the ends look
especially nice). The black lace especially stands
out in the daytime.

Any kind of ornate border along the perimeter
of your room will lend a more "rich" feeling to
the room and draw the eye upward at the same
time. (I have one in black that is very thick with
ornate scrolls and fleur-de-lis.)

Draping sheets (dyed black or crimson) with
staples on your wall lends a nice effect. The more
billowy you drape them, the more interesting the
effect. This looks especially cool on the wall
behind your bed, as sort of a canopy or
headboard.

Draping fabric over lamps will dim them and
make the room more dramatic. Drape beads and
necklaces over the shade also! But make sure the
fabric is at least 3" from the bulb, or it could be a
fire hazard.

From: Ethereal
Me, I like to dry roses and stick them in big
mason jars. I also think that christmas lights
strung up like crazy all over the place give my
room a nice effect when I turn them on: not quite
direct light and not quite darkness. Candles
always add to the mystery of a room. I love to
drape velvet pieces and satin on all of my free
furniture with the edges all tattered up. I also like
to string up old vinyl records and cds I didn't
like from the ceiling... with the air conditioner on
it creates a slight breeze and when they get a
spinning the effect is just priceless (may not be
'gothic' per se, but I think it looks pretty d*mn
cool). Another thing is to cover up all your
lamps with scarves. As for bed covers... I always
like black coverlets but found black sheets
uncomfortable (yes, I sleep in semi-pink felt
sheets, but d*mmit, I need my comfort)...
Gargoyles, of course, but they can be expensive.
I'm focusing on the cheap goff tricks here... my
room is such a riot of _things_ anyway. Make
your own posters out of watercolor on paper
(be creative), or you can draw on a white
sheet (or a black sheet with white) with fabric
paints or acrylics.

From: Magda Bathory
Black sheets can become a multitude of things...
drapes, furniture throws, even wallpaper with
judicious use of a staple gun. Check your local
discount linens place for sales or buy a bunch of
plain light-colored sheets at thrift stores and dye
them in the washer (be sure to run it with soap
afterwards to de-stain it!). Add some fancy cord
swags with tassels from a craft store x-mas decor
section in red and gold. You can even tie the
sheets around chair legs with them. Use red
pillowcases to cover throw pillows or bed
pillows, roll them up and tie with more cords for
the look of cylindrical bolsters. Buy unpainted
plaster gargoyles, dragons, or 'Greek'
vases at a crafts store and paint them yourself in
whatever color scheme you fancy... be sure to
spray them with several coats of clear acrylic to
protect them from dust or dampness. If you
actually want to put water in them, line them with
the two-part epoxy stuff known as Enviro-tex to
be sure of a good non-toxic seal!

From: Christabel La Motte
Curtains are one of those areas where you can
save SERIOUS money sewing -- so much of
what's available on the market is overpriced
*CRAP*.

Make your own, and you can use the same fabric
that you've used for other accessories. Or if
you're really lazy, sheets can often make nice
curtains that are easily washable and a perfect
match for your bedding... and they'll require
minimal hemming. Slap some pleating tape on
one end, and you can have spectacular-looking
curtains in an evening with no effort or thought
beyond sewing a few straight lines.

A few other ideas: scout hardware stores or
frame shops for odds and ends that can be used
as non-traditional curtain rods. Drape long swags
of fabric over said rods dramatically, rather than
fussing with hooks and tape and such, or get swag
hooks and do the same. Improvise!

From: Trystan L. Bass
Not all curtains require sewing. Get long, long
lengths of cheap fabric -- muslin looks nice and
is frequently 99 cents a yard (don't overlook
sheets and thrift-shop fabrics too). Wind it around
your old curtain rods, leaving long lengths at each
end. Allow the fabric to 'puddle' on the floor (no
hemming necessary). This is admittedly a
decorative look, not functional. But you could add
mini-blinds or shades (which, if you have average
size windows, can be cheap) or second-hand
sheers.

Tab-top style curtains don't require much
sewing (could even be done by hand or use that
iron-on no-sew tape). Can either drape fabric
over the top or make a valance out of cardboard
and hot-glue fabric over it (I've seen this done on
lots of how-to home decorating tv shows ;-).

Another fun thing or around the house is
gothically decorated candles. This is an idea
from Rubberstampmadness magazine that is
pretty cool, IMHO (and makes nice gifts!). Get
cheap pillar candles. Stamp designs onto tissue
paper -- color and emboss, as desired. Cut out the
designs and place on the candle (wet the edges of
the paper a little to make it stick, but do not glue).
With an embossing tool or heat gun (often sold as
paint strippers), warm the candle area over the
tissue paper design. Do this carefully, until the
wax slowly melts and absorbs the tissue paper,
then turn off the heat. The design will then appear
to blend into the candle.

This project is easiest if you've already collected a
bunch of goth-ish rubber stamps, like I have. I've
got tons o' skulls, skeletons, bats, cats, celtic
knots, demons, fairies, and the like. I did white
candles, but if you get colored candles and have
tissue paper that matches, it should work too.

From: Tom Mary Dobrowolsky
Hang anything and everything you want to...
whether it is something you use or whether it is
Completely Useless Cool Stuff. Some of the things
on my walls include a tri-cornered hat, sabre,
various chains and little tools, postcards, travel
memorabilia, hanging candle holders. I also found
some old Soviet geologic maps and stratigraphic
charts with typed Cyrillic text. I hung up a few of
those and hung a magnifying glass over a section
of one -- pointing at some random text.

Personally, I suppose I have a fetish for hanging
things and displaying small items. Populate your
walls and ceilings, I say! Conversely, the actual
floorspace decor is quite minimal...only a dresser,
a mattress, and a coffee table with piles of clothes
on it (which the cat has claimed as a bed).

From: SmokeSerpent
Take one of those cheesy country craft wooden
shelves (preferably one without hearts and teddy
bears) with pegs to hang things on and paint it all
black and any design of your choice over that. It
looks really great with candles burning on the top,
and I hung all of my assorted necklaces and
chokers on the pegs.

From: Thessaly
I don't have the most "goth" room in the world,
mainly because I'm always on the verge of
moving and I don't want to put too much into this
room, but a few things that I have done are:
I have these curtain rods that were about $10
each at Wal-Mart. They're made to look like
wrought iron with gold veining and spear ends
and are very light- weight. I've wound black
tulle around them, left the ends hanging down to
the windowsill (this is a short, wide window over
my bed), and shredded the ends.

Hang weird things. A friend who works in
ceramics made me a small "green man" shelf that
is lightweight enough to hang with 2 small nails; I
have a little brass communion-type cup sitting on
it. I have small velvet bags hanging from the
walls. I have a shelf with a lot of candleholders
and my dresser is covered with candles and
doilies. I have several masks (some handpainted
by me) hanging, and a lot of medieval and
pre-raphaelite art in between music, film, and
comic book posters. I also stick posters to the
sides of shelves, have postcards everywhere, etc.,
etc. I have a small ceramic box with my cat's
ashes in it. It's all in the mood of artistic
clutter.

You can do things to modify the light in your
room, but I wouldn't recommend it if you're an
irregular sleeper: I can't have blankets or heavy
curtains over the windows because I would never
wake up on time if I did. However, in the
"overhead" light, I have a blue lightbulb, and my
other main light source is a halogen floor lamp
with a dimmer switch, so I have a great deal of
control over what kind of light comes into the
room.

From: Sean Hexed
In some craft stores (like Michael's) they have
scroll-bodied, flat topped plaster wall sconces.
Many of them have a hole running side to side
through them. They are perfect for mounting on
either side of your windows and putting an iron
curtain rod through the holes. I've done this with
dark almost burgundy velvet curtains and a bunch
of white Mexican jar candles atop them. It'll look
bitchin' with the "longer than the floor" curtains.

From: Sarah
when redecorating i use two of my favorite
things, halloween decorations and a ton of
glow in the dark things. decorations are on
sale cheap about four months before halloween
and almost free around thanksgiving. glow in the
dark things are always pretty cheap.

From: Elaine Ho
Make your own crinkled velvet curtains: Buy
enough velvet to reach from curtain rod to the
floor and then some (2 inches). Unfold the fabric
and store as a crumpled heap in a small plastic bag
for a few weeks. Take the two pieces out and
(optional) hem all four sides. Take scissors and
cut SMALL holes at the top of each side of the
curtains. Use curtain rings or metal rings of any
type with a cut in them (use heavy duty wire
cutters) and thread them through the holes in the
curtains. Mine are deep fuschia/crimson, and look
GREAT!

Make your own oversized velvet beadspread:
Buy enough velvet to cover your bed from the
floor of one side to the floor of the other x2. Cut
the long piece of fabric in half. Sew the two pieces
together lengthwise. Hem the final huge rectangle.
This should drape nicely over your bed and look
gorgeous. Use the widest fabric possible (over 105
cm wide).

related web links:

http://www.toreadors.com/martha/
Gothic Martha Stewart -- Do it yourself home
decor for the morbidly inclined.

http://www.bit-net.com/~soulsong/crafts/
alt.gothic.arts-and-crafts -- Archived tips and
suggestions from a.g.f. for making pretty little
goth things for around the house.

http://www.novaproj.org/~gabriel/roomgothic.html
is your room spooky enough? -- A collection of
a.g.f. posts on the subject of how to make your
room more gothic.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.8 i'm visiting city x soon. are there any goth stores there?

Below is a list of goth city/country guides. Also
check out Gothic City Info,
http://www.interlog.com/~silentq/travel.html
a *long* list of tips, suggestions, and links
perfect for gothic visitors to a great many cities
around the world.

For goth nightclubs, try the International Gothic
Club List.
http://www.vamp.org/Gothic/clublist.html

Atlanta, Georgia, US:
Atlanta Gothic/Industrial Scene
http://www.avana.net/~elenni7/atlanta.html
Georgia Gothic Central
http://members.aol.com/Veneficium/georgia.html

Australia:
The Aus.Culture.Gothic FAQ
http://www.omen.com.au/~synic/goth/auscg.htm

Baltimore, Maryland, US:
ShadowScene Nightclubs
http://www.shadowscene.org/

Boston, Massachusetts, US:
Boston After Midnight
http://sinister.com/~purp/netgoth/
Hourglass Online Calendar
http://www.apocalypse.org/pub/u/hilda/hgol.html
Newbury's Underground Guide to Boston
http://www.newbury.com/guide.htm

Charleston, South Carolina, US:
Charleston Gothic
http://members.aol.com/chasgoth/

Charlotte, North Carolina, US:
Chapel of Sorrows
http://angst.webserve.net/~eldritch/chapel.html

Chicago, Illinois, US:
Gothic Chicago
http://www.yourplanb.com/gothchgo/
Chicago Gothic Page
http://www.tezcat.com/~exile/chindex.html
Chicago After Dark
http://www.suba.com/~scifi/goth2.html

Cincinnati, Ohio, US:
Cincinnati -- What's a Goth to Do?
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Alley/4888/cincy_guide.html

Colorado, US:
Colorado Net.Goths
http://waynesworld.ucsd.edu/~sbowman/co-goths.html

Dallas, Texas, US:
Dallas Gothics Email List
http://www.necronom.com/dallasgothics/

Devner, Colorado US:
Darkness Over Devner
http://www.darkdenver.com/

Germany:
Datenfriedhof: Where to Go in Germany
http://members.aol.com/soul2323/Friedhof/dgerman.htm

Greece:
The Dying Age: The First Gothic Site in Greece
http://users.forthnet.gr/ath/vel/

Jacksonville, Florida, US:
Gothic Guide to Jacksonville
http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~wmg47005/jax.html

Los Angeles, California, US:
Gothic Guide to Hollywood
http://www.batbones.com/belfry/westwing.html
The Switchboard Calendar
http://www.subnation.com/switchboard/
LA-Goth-L Email List
http://www.necronomi.com/elists/lagoth-l/
Dark Angels 'Zine
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palms/1746/

Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota, US:
Goth Twin Cities
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/1059/gothtwincities.html

Montreal, Canada:
Black Page for a Blue Boy Montreal Gothic
Resources
http://www.odyssee.net/~apathy/gothic/gothic2.html

Nashville, Tennessee, US:
Gothic Scene in Nashville
http://www.geocities.com/Nashville/1663/

New Orleans, Louisiana, US:
New Orleans Gothic Tourism Guide
http://www.geocities.com/BourbonStreet/6966/

New York City, New York, US:
Ph0ebus' Guide to Gotham City Shopping
http://www.necronomi.com/elists/nycgoth-l/locations.html
NYCgoth-L Email List
http://www.necronomi.com/elists/nycgoth-l/
NY Gothic Events Email List
http://anon.razorwire.com/events/

Oregon and Washington, US:
Industrial Gothick Northwest
http://www.oz.net/~czone/ign/

Orlando, Florida, US:
A Murder of Ravens Email List
http://members.tripod.com/~a_murder_of_ravens/

Ohio, US:
Horrors in the Heartland Email List
http://www.ratsnest.ghj.com/ogoth/ogoth.html

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US:
Philadelphia Goth Scene
http://www.lacemaker.com/phillygoth/

Pittsburgh, Ohio, US:
Pittsburgh Goth/Industrial Events
http://pgh-goth.pair.com/

San Diego, California, US:
San Diego Gothic/Industrial Community
http://www.sdgoth.org/

San Francisco, California, US:
S.F. Goth
http://www.sfgoth.com/
Rue Morgue Calendar
http://www.gothic.net/RueMorgue/
Convergence SF Shopping Guide
http://www.mills.edu/PEOPLE/ug.pages/tamerat.public.html/c3.html
Convergence San Francisco Guide
http://www.grin.net/~mirthless/web/sffornetgoths.html
Vein - Coffee in SF
http://www.sirius.com/~calyn/Coffee.html

Santa Barbara, California, US:
The Darkside of Santa Barbara
http://www.rain.org/~carcajou/sbdark.html

Seattle, Washington, US:
Caustic Seattle Compendium
http://www.oz.net/~evad/
Seattle After Dark
http://www.eskimo.com/~prote/seattle/
Seattle.Gothic Email List
http://www.speakeasy.org/~hardrock/seattle.gothic.html

South Florida, US:
Gothic Guide to South Florida
http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~wmg47005/sofla.html

Southern Ontario, Canada:
Monk's Abbey of the Blade Gothic Events and
Resources
http://www.goth.org/events/

Southwestern US:
S.W.Goths Email List
http://www.swgoths.org/

Switzerland:
Sanctuary: The Swiss Gothic Association
http://www.sanctuary.ch/

United Kingdom:
UK Goth Scene
http://www.darkwave.org.uk/~dok/Helix/

Utah, US:
Nightshift: The Guide to Gothic Utah
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palladium/4035/

Other US cities:
Check out Boulevards.
http://www.boulevards.com/cities/
It's not explicitly gothic, but it's got lots of
nightclub, shopping, dining, vegetarian, gay and
lesbian, and other off-the-beaten-path travel info.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2.1 how can i dye my hair an unnatural color like purple,
green, blue, etc.?

General info.: If you have naturally dark hair,
you will have to bleach your hair to some extent if
you want to get truly bright, unnatural colors.
Putting purple dye on dark hair, especially
untreated hair, will result in pale highlights or
tints at the most. If you have never bleached or
lightened your hair before, you might want to
have a professional do it for you at first. After
you bleach, then you can apply the purple hair dye
and it should show up. Most unusual color hair
dyes are temporary, though some may
permanently stain very pale hair.

Hint: If your hair is naturally dark and you want
to get some color without bleaching and damaging
your hair, bleach small streaks all over your head.
A professional can do this, or you can do it at
home by using a frosting cap -- it's a rubber cap
with tiny holes all over and it comes with a
crochet-hook type tool. You put the cap over all
your hair and pull small strands out through the
holes. This is the only hair that will get bleached.
After the strands are bleached out, you can dye
them your favourite color.

From: Sande
Manic Panic and Directions are pretty much
the same thing. The color that Manic Panic has on
its guides is what you would get if you had White
Hair. So don't even bother thinking you can get
that color with your ultra-dark hair. Manic Panic
will also lovingly dye everything else but your
hair. To help Manic Panic take, don't rinse it out
for a long while, and then when you do, use
conditioner afterwards.

From: Gnat Hammerstrom
With Directions and Manic Panic stuff, the
darker colors have a better chance of showing up
on dark, natural, or otherwise healthy hair. Just
be sure to layer the stuff on thick and leave it in as
long as possible. Normally, this stuff is supposed
to work for weeks at a time, but on healthy hair,
you're lucky to survive two washes.

From: Trystan L. Bass
Another interesting dye is the Clairol Torrids
series. They're permanent dyes that you mix with
peroxide, tho' the colors don't veer *too* far
away from natural hues. Their Bodacious
Burgundy is pretty cool, and the blue-black has a
lot more blue than any I've seen. The rest of the
Torrids are variations on bright reds and blondes.

From: Christabel La Motte
I've been dying my hair with semi-permanent
(Natural Instincts) red shades for about two
years now. Reds are particularly notorious for
fading quickly. However, I've had noticeably good
luck in keeping the color brighter longer by using
hair products, like L'Oreals Colorvive
conditioner, that contain a UV block. If you're
tired of having to do touch-ups before your roots
have even grown in, look into using a conditioner
or styling product with a similar UV blocking
effect.

From: insijma
I have got relatively boring darkish brown hair
and have been trying to dye it purple for years. I
have found the solution Stargazer 'magenta' (2
bottles) stayed purple for 2 washes then faded to a
pinkish red color that lasted a month. There was
no need to bleach it. I did however be a tad
naughty and leave it on for and hour and a half. I
can get in Glasgow and Edinburgh only.

From: Julia
I just tried Punky Colors hair dye which is a US
brand but you can buy it in England too I think.
Anyway, my medium->dark brown hair usually
laughs hysterically at hair dye and ignores it.
However, one container of tulip red and half a
plum have dyed my hair dark reddish pink and
purple. Mind you, the dye is still bleeding when I
wash my hair (3rd wash) but the color is staying
in and looking better. I left it on my head for
14hrs which may explain why it's in my hair so
well. Put a plastic bag on my head and slept on it,
which I highly recommend doing. Also, for
people in the US, use Apple brand pectin
conditioning pack. Makes your hair happy after
making it sad by chemically abusing it.

From: Otterley
My hairdresser uses Farmesi hair coloring... it
comes in primary colors (i.e. red, green, blue)
and you mix them together to get whatever color
you desire! It's also supposed to be at least
semi-permanent. She used it to dye her son's hair
a nice shade of blue. Her son is 7! :) She says they
import it from Italy, and that it's virtually
impossible to get unless you run a salon.

From: blue girl
i have another method for dying hair. it lasts
longer than anything i have tried before, stays in
darker and dyes over darker colors of hair. (all
except black)

it might seem a little odd and strange that someone
might even try this. but i have been using
biological and chemical indicators intended
on testing the pH or to staining cartilage, tissue
and bones. i know it doesn't sound safe, but so far
i have found that the methylene indicators
including methyl green and methylene blue have
worked wonders. of course, this is only available
to people who have a way into biology and
chemistry labs. the best way is to get the
concentrated powder form, mix it with a little bit
of water and brush in. leave it in for an hour and
you have vibrant hair. i kept it dark dark purple
for a month before stripping it and doing it
another color, while things like manic panic only
last a few days.

From: Darren Grant
To all the people who have questions on how to
dye their hair a funky color and have it last, I, as
a hair artist, would recommend: generally, having
a professional do it because we have access to
excellent color lines like Farmesi, who does have
outstanding permanent colors. Another way to go
is to use the Punky Colors and overlay them
with Sebastian's Colourshines or one could
have Sebastian's Colourshines straight because it is
pure color that will only deposit color and
condition and it does not fade as fast as Punky
Color, Manic Panic and Kool-Aid. One concern
that I have for those people out there who are
coloring on their own, is keeping the integrity of
the hair because bleaching is needed to achieve the
maximum results, I couldn't STRESS any more to
use professional products to keep the hair healthy.
When doing so you will probably find that your
color will stay in a lot longer.

From: Corinne
I use Punky Colours, and it stays in for months
after a little initial fading. Before dying, wash
hair with shampoo once or twice, and dishwashing
soap or hand soap afterward to get it really clean.
It helps the dye take, but isn't really good for
your hair. The drier your hair when applying
dye, the better. For long hair (actually anything
over about four inches), do sections, put them into
pin curls, and let it stay in overnight. When you
go to take the pincurls out, you'll end up with
interesting "dreads" that wash out. I usually leave
mine in for a few days, and once the dye is dry it
doesn't much come off. Just be careful about
rainstorms and sweating. If the dye does happen to
drip, I've had some luck with cold cream, but
GOOP hand cleaner (get it at hardware stores)
works the best, and it is really gentle, smells OK,
and works on just about everything, even clothing
stains.

Some more brand names that have been suggested
on a.g.f. (particularly in reference to burgundy
and red hair dyes) include:

Castings, Cellophanes, Clairol Naturalistics,
Colorations by L'Oreal, Directions, Jazzing,
Natural Instincts, and Prisms. Many of these are
available in either drug stores or beauty supply
stores.