If you dye your hair...

[bunny213]

and you have semi gray hair to start with....do the white hairs and gray hairs take on the lighter color of the shade or the darker???
Does that make any sense to anyone but me? Anyhow...I have a mixture of brown, white and gray hair....my temples are white...I do not want all my hair to be the same...(I did that once and it looked like I had a beaver sitting on my head).....I really can't afford to have it done professionally..and I've been looking at what's available to do on myself. I want (and need - VERY EASY)....so....can anyone help?? Barb

 

[dalt01]

use blonde first and then do the darker color otherwise the grey will be purple under the right light.

 

[bunny213]

I am so glad I asked.. good grief...
I thought it was altogether in one box.....and you just shampoo'ed it in....
I may have to rethink this....or just stay like I am.....
Purple ???? My grandchildren would probably think I was the coolest thing ever!!!! Barb

 

[disney1990]

I've been dying my hair for years and it is mostly gray. I have never had a problem with purple hair.

 

[familyS]

I use any of the "multifaceted" permanent haircolors that indicate they cover gray. I end up with very natural looking color since all the strands are not the same exact color.

 

[Amy]

I've been using Natural Instincts for years, dye my hair every 5-6 weeks. My hair is a mixture of light/med brown and gray. My hair comes out very natural-looking with lots of highlights, just using the one box. Haircolor nowadays had so many "facets" like a PP said that your hair doesn't end up one solid color - the light hits it and it really looks natural. (And I've never had any problems with purple hair, either.)

 

[dalt01]

admitting that most of the purple haired ladies were quite old and it was many years ago that i got the advise.

 

[Buckalew11]

OMG! This made me LOL!

 

[okeydokey]

I use a permanent dye and it always comes out looking like a nice mix, especially after the first week or so. I get mine done in a salon though. They use Paul Mitchell colors and usually mix a couple of colors together.

 

[Handbag Lady]

I use any of the "multifaceted" permanent haircolors that indicate they cover gray. I end up with very natural looking color since all the strands are not the same exact color.

Bingo.

I have a crown of grey and white hairs. Well, that is I *WOULD* if I didn't dye my own hair regularly.

I prefer reddish-brown as it blends all of my hair colors into what seems to look like natural coloring. Only me, my box, and now the Disboards know!

 

[Aisling]

I'm glad to see this thread.

I never dyed my hair, but since last year I've started getting white hairs at the temples. I'm a natural blonde, and at first it blended in, but now it's obvious and I hate it. I tried plucking out the white hairs, but it's too much to do now. So it's time to dye. The advice here has been helpful.

 

[BLTtinkerbell]

Great thread!
I have been going to a salon to have my hair colored but I am now thinking maybe I can do it at home for a lot less money. My roots are showing & I need to know if I can buy something, maybe Natural Instincts, or something else & color it at home.

 

[Sandy321]

My grandmother was a hair stylist - (she passed away 30 years ago!) anyway - I got the idea once to dye my hair for a class reunion - only I had JUST gotten my hair permed 1 week prior - the dern hair turned ORANGE I called the hotline - they had me go to Sally's Beauty Supply and by an Ash brown - and mix 2 ounces of developer with the bottle of Ash...

and I have been mixing my own ever since!! I spend $5 every 6 weeks!! I buy different colors, but the favorite is Ion's - just buy the 20 developer, a bottle to mix it with the color you pick, and gloves - from then on, I reuse the gloves and the bottle, and that developer lasts 6 months or more...

 

[pipersmom]

I've been using Natural Instincts for years, dye my hair every 5-6 weeks. My hair is a mixture of light/med brown and gray. My hair comes out very natural-looking with lots of highlights, just using the one box. Haircolor nowadays had so many "facets" like a PP said that your hair doesn't end up one solid color - the light hits it and it really looks natural. (And I've never had any problems with purple hair, either.)

I use natural instincts as well, I love it, very easy to use

From the 37 yo going grey waaaay too quickly

 

[Mrs.Milo]

My hair was brown w/lots of red hi-lites. Then I got lots of grey at temples plus all my "hi-lite" hairs seemed to go grey also. Now I use Nice N Easy, and like the other posters said, after a few days you start noticing that there are different colors just like your own natural color. I wanted to go a little lighter, so use a dark blond which covers nicely for about 5-6 wks. When I used the lighter blonds it didn't cover the greys quite so well.

 

[dakcp2001]

I use FERIA and the grey strands do come out the "lighter" shade on the box and the rest of my hair coems out a little darker, but it looks good.

 

[Jeanne B]

I use natural instincts as well, I love it, very easy to use

Very easy to use is what I like to hear, I'm going to buy the Natural Instincts today and try it...DD16 thinks I'm crazy not to have it done at the salon and I must admit, I've never colored my hair before and I'm one that typically always has the same hairstyle forever, I don't like noticeable change, lol, so I'm a little nervous!!

I'm 40, I started getting a few grey hairs shortly after turning 35 but I've had a few people comment lately about them so I'm thinking it's time to color!! I have light/medium brown hair and I didn't think the grey hairs were really noticable but apparently they are.

 

[pipersmom]

Very easy to use is what I like to hear, I'm going to buy the Natural Instincts today and try it...DD16 thinks I'm crazy not to have it done at the salon and I must admit, I've never colored my hair before and I'm one that typically always has the same hairstyle forever, I don't like noticeable change, lol, so I'm a little nervous!!

I'm 40, I started getting a few grey hairs shortly after turning 35 but I've had a few people comment lately about them so I'm thinking it's time to color!! I have light/medium brown hair and I didn't think the grey hairs were really noticable but apparently they are.

You'll have to let us know how it comes out I do usually leave it in longer than ten minutes, maybe 15..just keep an eye on it as the time goes by

 

[MushyMushy]

I mostly get mine done at the salon because store colors just don't last long enough for me. I have to re-do it every weeks. My hair is turning white at the temples (right above the ears) and gray/white at the bangs and crown. Bleh.

Anyway, I just recently tried Perfect 10 (maybe by Clairol) and it is fantastic. I love the color and highlights. It lasts just a bit longer than other store brands, but still not quite as long as salon color.

 

[Inigo]

I mostly get mine done at the salon because store colors just don't last long enough for me. I have to re-do it every weeks. My hair is turning white at the temples (right above the ears) and gray/white at the bangs and crown. Bleh.
.

My hairdresser friend told me to "presoften" the extra gray areas at the temple prior to coloring my hair to help those hairs get the color into them. I guess gray hair is coarser than non-gray hair, and is more resistant to color. Here's her advice: Before mixing the color, take a little bit of the developer (the stuff already in the applicator bottle) and dab it onto the gray areas. Leave it on there for a few (3-5) minutes while mixing the color. Then go ahead and apply the color as the directions state. I did this, and the gray (not that I have any) stayed colored for longer before needing to be recolored.

I was using Natural Instincts Brass-Free Brunettes, and I absolutely loved it. My hair felt so good. It's a semi-permanent though, so it washes out over the coarse of 28 or so shampoos. I just switched to Color Match by L'Oreal a couple dye-jobs ago, and so far, I like it a lot, although not as much as the Natural Instincts.