Coloring your own hair??

[vanyel]

I've been coloring my own hair for at least 20 years. I've used various kinds and have always ended up with clariol. Now I'm using perfect 10. i do have grey in my hair and my hair looks like it has highlights in it after using the perfect 10. It's easy and I get so many compliments. I've never had to have a "real" hairdresser fix it and the woman I see now to cut my hair always compliments me on my hair color.

If you're nervous, get a friend to help you, and I second the advice to use vaseline around your hairline!

 

[fakereadhed]

Don't do it yourself! I usuallu get a shad or two lighter base with foil highlights. $$$$$$$ Because of $$$$- I've tried every kind- Revlon with highlights, nutrisse, clairol, you name it. Can you say BRASSY? Only the salon dyes are capable of suppressing the red. On my own, I end up with pink, auburn, strawberry, you name it. This is even if I try to go light brown or blonde. Beware the Brass.

Maybe that's my problem. The I tried a dark auburn which turned out magenta. It looked ok after about a week though. This time I tried a so called temporary color in a medium brown, because i thought that would solve the pink problem. Now my hair is jet black with reddish undertones! Great for Halloween.I think i am done with coloring my own hair for good!!!

Glad the rest of you are saving some money, but I'm not up for trying it again.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I agree with the "get a friend to help you" advice. I've colored my own hair for over thirty years, until just this last time when I went with a professional. I'll go once more, but for money reasons may switch back to doing it myself after that - but this is just plain color, NOT highlights/lowlights. It's been many different shades of red, depending on my whim and what's been on sale, with only one interesting fuschia period

Respectfully, I don't believe your hairdresser when she says if you do it yourself your hair will be all one flat color. Nowadays, in modern times with modern formulations the color affects each strand differently, depending on its existing color. Just as your natural color - even the gray mine is now - actually consists of many different shades, so will dyed hair.

It's just that highlighting/lowlighting is more complicated than straight color, so help is good.

 

[Kallista]

I can't believe no one has listed Loreal Colour Experte yet! I love it! It sounds like what you need because I don't think you can recreate the light on top, dark on bottom look that is popular right now. First you put on an all over color. I have to do this because I have so much gray. The second step (in the same box) is the highlights. It shows and tells exactly how to do it. I will say I used to

I have very fine, dry hair and Colour Experte dries it out really badly. I love the two tone look, but I can't use it much.

I get good results from Loreal Excellence or Feria. I've been using one or the other since I was 14. I've never had a problem. I've never had a color accident with either one of them.

 

[Suz D]

My baby sis JUST moved to Indiana two mos ago...bloomington...miss her SO MUCH...she LOVES it there!!!!

We moved from Bloomington last year after living there 6 years. We loved it too!

 

[Suz D]

I've colored my own hair for years. If you have hair that has a tendancy towards red highlights and you don't want them to be orange, be sure to get a color that does not have amonia (or anything that sounds like amonia) in the list of ingredients. My hair color is $2.97/box and I do it every six weeks. I do notice that it is much softer when I first color it and don't know why I didn't think about using a conditioner once or twice a week to make it softer all the time.

 

[yrdlyprincess]

If you ask me -- I would also be careful if you have blonde hair...the ONLY reason I color my hair is because I have gray (hello Im only 37--shoudn't have gray!!) I would love it if I could just have my natural back. That said I only use the 28 or so wash outs-- I have to watch about "orangeness-or brass" in my hair. My neighbor- who is licensed does my highlights and color but for the winter I wanted it darker again so just did the underneath. If anything go with a semi before you go with a permanent. Good luck!

 

[pampam]

I've colored my own hair for years. If you have hair that has a tendancy towards red highlights and you don't want them to be orange, be sure to get a color that does not have amonia (or anything that sounds like amonia) in the list of ingredients. My hair color is $2.97/box and I do it every six weeks. I do notice that it is much softer when I first color it and don't know why I didn't think about using a conditioner once or twice a week to make it softer all the time.

Which kind of hair colour is only $2.97? Where can i get it?

 

[crisi]

I've colored my own, I've had it done, I've put in my own highlights. I've also had it done professionally. I've done my own color, put in my own highlights and had the stylist say "who does your color, they do a great job!" I have "good" hair though. Its a dark brown that colors easily and I wear it short, so damage grows out quickly.

My mother was a hairdresser when I was a kid, so I'm convinced that you can do anything at home - except cut the back of your own head.

I do like a GOOD professional color - I've had not great ones. And even the good ones are not worth the difference between $80 of color and foil and the $14 Loreal kit that does highlights.

 

[Suz D]

Which kind of hair colour is only $2.97? Where can i get it?

I use Revlon Color Silk #33 or #43 (depending on how dark I want my hair). It's one of the few that I've found w/o amonia so my hair turns out w/o the orange streaks in it. I buy it at Walmart and it's under $3.00/box.

I have used it for years. I've switched to other brands a few times but always come back to the Revlon.

 

[JamesMom]

I have naturally medium auburn hair that was almost carrot-top red as a child, but as I have aged and stayed out of the sun, it grew into a mousy brown. So much so that strangers ask where my son gets his red hair from - duh, his mom! LOL.
So about three years I started dying my hair. Can't afford a salon job so I went to Sally Beauty Supply and got light auburn. Well, after a year or so it made my red highlights maroonish or purple red. Not what I was looking for.
Last year I grabbed a box of Nice and Easy Natural Lightest golden brown, recalling that a hair dresser I got a quote from for a color job (too much $$) said many mistake red for gold. I was very happy with the results from the Nice and Easy. After 1 or 2 shampoos my natural blond highlights come through and I LOVE the color in sunshine. And nobody asks about my son's parantage anymore
Last week the strawberry blonde color stuck out to me, but I'll refrain... for now.
I would like to add more highlights but at my last cut the hairdresser quoted me $60!! That's a years supply of root touchups! LOL. I guess I'll live with the mininal highlights my hair color provides me with now.

 

[runwad]

Ok all you experts I'm 43 and have a little gray in my naturally curly hair. I'd like to try the shampoo in kind. But I have no clue what it's called? I thought I remembered commercials "wash that gray right out of my hair" brand...but didn't see anything like that in the isles. No way I could handle anymore then just regular washing it so can anyone give me a name of a coloring shampoo to buy that works like shampooing your hair. Thanks

 

[Leigha]

I have very fine, dry hair and Colour Experte dries it out really badly. I love the two tone look, but I can't use it much.

I get good results from Loreal Excellence or Feria. I've been using one or the other since I was 14. I've never had a problem. I've never had a color accident with either one of them.

I only need/use about a quarter size conditioner when it says use half a tube right after coloring. I then use about a pea size each time I was my hair. It's that good! It keeps the condition and color nicer longer. Maybe that would help!