Home Hair Coloring

[DixieGirl]

I've never colored my hair & have noticed a few little grays popping up in my hair so thought I'd give home coloring a try. Anyone dye at home? I picked up a demi-perm dye (that lasts around 28 shampoos) since I thought this would be good to ease me into coloring. It said to do a strand test and when I did, it turned out waaayyyy darker than I thought it would. I'm going to have to start over searching for the right color. It also instructed on the package directions to skin test for allergies each time. I'm wondering if this is necessary if I do it the first time & keep the coloring up every 4-6 weeks or so. Any advice on this new & (kind of) terrifying adventure would be great.

 

[tralaiven]

I used to color my hair at home and I never did the allergy test every time. I just colored my hair and I was fine.

I did not do the semi-permanent, I did the permanent. However, now I go to a hair person, just because I found a good one that does not cost an arm and a leg!

 

[Cafelattee]

I color at home. When I first started covering my gray. I was 27 (way to young for gray hair) I started with the drug store stuff. I only did a allergy test the first time. I've never retested and that been way to many years. (43 now)

I would suggest you go to a Sally beauty supply if they are in your area. The ladies working their have been trained in cosmetology. They have always given me great advise. I switch to them some time ago. I use Wella which is the same coloring that I use to pay a profession 100 a month to keep touch up and pretty. I now spend less than $10.

If you are a brunette don't match your natural hair color it always seem to dark IMO. I'm a dark brunette that when I first started hair coloring I did an exact color match. It really made me look old for my age KWIM. I went down to a med. brown, then in my late 30's a light brown and now in my 40 I do a dark ash blond (no it doesn't look blond but makes my hair look brown with blond highlights (those grays now look like expensive highlights )

 

[jakartablues]

I've been colouring my hair various shades of red at home for years. One trick I've done a few times is to go to a fantastic (albeit expensive) colourist, ask about what they're using on my hair, watch their technique carefully and then replicate it at home.

Whatever you do, use professional rather than drugstore colour. Schwarzkopf is a high quality line and they have a demi-colour (Igora Viviance). Do you want to go lighter at all? That's a bit more tricky as it will require peroxide developer; if you do go that route be conservative (start with level 10) and do strand tests.

Buy a tint brush, bowl, apron-cover, and boxes of gloves/shower caps. If the colour requires heat one of those hair dryer bonnet attachments is useful.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[DixieGirl]

Thanks for your advice ladies. I called Clairol (the brand I bought) after posting my question and talked to a rep who after asking me all sorts of questions about my hair and natural color suggested I go w/ a blonde color since the natural highlights in my hair are a golden blonde (although my roots are a bit darker). I bit the bullet and tried what she suggested and surprisingly the color was spot on. No one has noticed I colored my hair! But...none of the grays colored Although I only left the color on for the minimum amount of time because I didn't want to risk frying my hair. Thankfully (for now) I have few enough that I can hide them depending on where I part my hair. For next time I think I will investigate a more professional DIY dye and probably bite the bullet sometime in the future and pay my stylist to do it and give me advice, if she will.

 

[flinderrose]

Well everyone has some hair color experience.. Some people try different hair colors for the fashion and style purpose.. I have my very fine experience with Loreal hair color.. I think that is my fine experience..

 

[LizC7]

Hair coloring at home

I just tried esalon.com and was very happy with it! Very affordable, easy and the packaging was awesome - felt like a pampering session. The colorist can also speak to you to help you get what you're looking for.
Best,
Liz

 

[2121]

If I use a shade one too light, my gray will not cover. I always have to go darker than what I would think.