boxed store-bought hair color: Recommendations?

[shh]

Hi all: was browsing the recent "avg price for hair cut and dye at salon" thread and didn't want to derail it with an off-topic question. So here I am! I like coloring at home to save money and time. For those of you who do as well and are happy with your results and/or get compliments from others, could you share your favorite brands? Particularly anyone who has a darker hair color like med to dark brown or brown/black. As I get older, seems like the ones I've used don't look as soft/natural as they used to. They seem harsher.

 

[ronandannette]

My favourite colours are in the cheapie Nice ‘n Easy line, but I don’t love the way they fade out and leave a dull texture after a few weeks. I’ve switched to Schwarzkopf Keratin Colour which gives a lovely, shiny finish that lasts but the colour range isn’t very wide and every colour I’ve tried comes out way, way darker than it should, even on my very dark hair. If you try it, beware of that.

 

[lynxstch]

I only use John Frieda. The colors come out like they say they will, and the no mess foam is much easier than the liquid stuff is

 

[mommasita]

As I had mentioned there. I home dyed, and still may. I use Garnier #30. I have dark brown hair. I find that it keeps a nice shine, aNd I also use their hair gloss in a tube in between.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Hi all: was browsing the recent "avg price for hair cut and dye at salon" thread and didn't want to derail it with an off-topic question. So here I am! I like coloring at home to save money and time. For those of you who do as well and are happy with your results and/or get compliments from others, could you share your favorite brands? Particularly anyone who has a darker hair color like med to dark brown or brown/black. As I get older, seems like the ones I've used don't look as soft/natural as they used to. They seem harsher.

I do color touch up in between going to salon. My hairdresser wants me to come in every four weeks. That is just too expensive. I've been using Loreal root touch up for years. I've gotten compliments on my hair after doing it myself. My hair is a dark blond.

 

[disney212]

I have brown hair and use semi-permanent color, gradually fades over a month. It doesn't cause roots and covers my grays. I use a golden blond as it makes my grays look like highlights. Been doing it for years. Sometimes I use an auburn for red highlights, I like to mix things up. I use Clairol Natural Instincts semi-permanent 7G.

 

[Meriweather]

As I had mentioned there. I home dyed, and still may. I use Garner #30. I have dark brown hair. I find that it keeps a nice shine, aNd I also use their hair gloss in a tube in between.

I use garnier nutrisse.......#20. soft black. Been using it for years

 

[Kae]

I like garnier nutrisse also I was a colorist and my sister changes her color a little every time we do so she buys and brings her own color & this is what she likes & I think it does a great job. A tip to get the color off your skin before shampooing it out, take shampoo on your finger rub it around your hairline, and wipe it off with a dry tissue. Water sets color so do this before you get it wet.

 

[shh]

Thanks- really appreciate all the specific suggestions. As the grays grow, I'm noticing it's a lot trickier than it used to be to find the right color, when you want to stay medium brown/dark brownish - those grays end up a weird color with darker dye. lol. But I'm too lazy to do the foil thing to balance all that out and create those gorgeous highlights. I guess that's why the pro's charge what they do! ☺

 

[starry_solo]

I use an Asian brand. Let me see if I can find the name again. Bigen is the name

 

[loves to dive]

I stopped dying mine last year but before that I mostly used Garnier Nutrisse. I have very dark hair (or I did before it all turned gray) with red highlights. No matter what color of brown/red I used, it usually came out some shade of red. Mostly I used either Medium Brown or Medium Golden Brown. Just as an aside, this also happened the few times I got it professionally dyed. Now it is mostly gray with dark brown almost black under highlights.

 

[unrequited23]

I suggest you use a root touch up kit on the new growth then apply a gloss on the previously colored hair. The layers of dye will build up and make it hard for the ends to reflect light and have any depth. So, clariol root touch up and Kristin Ess gloss (target $14). I also had luck with Madison Reed but that is $30 and they didn't have the shade of light ashy brown/blond I wanted, but the performance was very nice.

 

[JediBonas]

I just started dying mine myself after getting it done at the salon for 20+ years. I mix two different colors of madison reed (two different shades of red), so far so good it seems.

 

[HeatherC]

I’m a blonde and use Nice and Easy #9. My hairdresser even tells me that the color just works for me and that even she wouldn’t recommend me paying her to color it.. So I guess it looks ok.

 

[antmaril]

I have been using Preference by Loreal (NB 9.5) for decades. Less than ten bucks. I get a lot of compliments on my hair, so it must look ok. Even my hairdresser likes it.

 

[shh]

I like garnier nutrisse also I was a colorist and my sister changes her color a little every time we do so she buys and brings her own color & this is what she likes & I think it does a great job. A tip to get the color off your skin before shampooing it out, take shampoo on your finger rub it around your hairline, and wipe it off with a dry tissue. Water sets color so do this before you get it wet.

I got lucky to have a pro colorist reading this thread! Thanks for chiming in.

 

[Pink Partridge]

A serious question: How are you all so brave? I am terrified to color my own hair.

Believe me, I would absolutely love to save the money, as I have to go to the salon every 3 to 4 weeks. But how do I take that leap?

 

[NYCgrrl]

L’Oréal Feria. Excellent coverage and more colorways than other similar price point products. Want the job to look more professional? Buy two shades that are close to each other, for instance 5A and 5B, or 501 and 502, and use the lighter color to dye some of your perimeter hairs; it’ll look less like a helmet of freshly dyed hair.

 

[ronandannette]

A serious question: How are you all so brave? I am terrified to color my own hair.

Believe me, I would absolutely love to save the money, as I have to go to the salon every 3 to 4 weeks. But how do I take that leap?

No way, of course, except to just try it. Try with a semi-permanent dye one shade lighter than your natural colour - major lightening or going red or some unnatural colour isn't what you want to do at home. Follow the instructions on the box exactly to the letter, including the allergy test. You won't go too far wrong with doing it and if you really don't like the results, your stylist will be able to fix it up if you want.

 

[starry_solo]

A serious question: How are you all so brave? I am terrified to color my own hair.

Believe me, I would absolutely love to save the money, as I have to go to the salon every 3 to 4 weeks. But how do I take that leap?

One of my family members actually applies the dye