Haircolor

[catnapper]

I color my hair to hide the fact that I'm 50% gray and not yet 40 years old. I have tried hairdressers and bottled color and nothing really does the job --- too dark, too light. Too ashy, too red. Fades too fast. You name it.

So I read online that people like me are best witha demi permanent. Which is a fancy way of saying temporary. I found the BEST solution for me this past week. Now, if only it doesn't wash out in 10 days like the rest (they all promise "last through 28 washes")

Anyhow, the way I found it was that I had tried everything from the aisles of Target, Walmart, etc. So I figured I'd go to a beauty supply store. I found something but the salesgirl gave me major attitude. She said salon hair is best. Oooh la-la-la. Maybe SHE has the money to spend $100 on haircolor at her store, but I certainly don't. I had issue with $12 for a box of temporary hair color.

Why is covering grey hair so difficult?

So whats your hair color?

[caseysmom]

I feel for you, I use to be able to lighten my hair myself and now I spend 125 dollars a pop...

[kittycats_delight]

My natural hair color is quite dark. A 'lovely' :rolleyes: dark dingy brown. I used to dye it on occasion with a light natural auburn but when I started taking insulin my entire complexion changed and became very pale...death-like is the best way to describe it and all dark colors made me look worse still. My mom's friend is a hair stylist and suggested I try going with a medium golden blonde. She did it for me the first time and it cost me $20 plus the cost of the dye. My massage therapist thought it was natural. She had thought the natural brown was the dyed color. I dye my hair myself. Store bought dye. I use TestaNera Natural & Easy. It has 3 color tones in one. And it gives a really nice natural look. They also have one called Natural & Easy Grey Expert (http://www.testanera.com/colorazione/testanera-natural-and-easy-grey-expert.php) and it works amazingly well. My hubby's aunt is almost completely white on top but the back is a silvery grey and it takes to her hair perfectly. It is the first one out of countless we have tried that works. Don't know if you can get testanera there but check it out and give it a go. It has worked extremely well for us.

[Randi]

In my twenties/thirties I used Henna. It looked quite good, but I got fed up with it. I'm a natural blond, but going grey. What I like the best, is to get thin stripes put in, leaving a bit of your own color. I like to get three different color stripes. That way, you can let your hair grow out without getting that awful edge you will get with a full color. Nothing looks more horrible! It's expensive, but it will last for at least 6 months.

Another option is to get a "shampoo color" that you leave in for 4-5 min. It washes out after 7-8 washes, depending of which shampoo you use, but it doesn't leave that awful edge. Unfortunately, I can't get it in Copenhagen, but when I'm in England I buy it. Superdrug has it. Get one close to your own color, though.

[pomtzu]

Funny you should start this thread - I just re-did mine this morning.

I never used to color my hair - except for frosting or highlights - but over the past few years, I have gone totally silver from my natural medium brown. It really is very pretty - not yellowish at all like some gray gets - and it would look lovely on an 80 year old. But I still have time to go before I get there, and the beautiful glistening silver made me look at least 10 years older than I am. :mad: :eek:

My ex-DIL is a beautician and cuts and styles my hair, but I can't afford the salon coloring, so I asked her what to use - a temporary color since I don't want to deal with touching up just the growing out roots. She recommended Clairol Nice N Easy in a medium ash blonde (color 8A), and that works great for me, and actually looks like a dark ash blonde with highlights. It gives me a really nice color, lasts 6-8 weeks, and costs less than $8 for the kit at Walmart. I know it's time to re-do when it starts to get a little brassy looking and gray roots start to show. I get the foam formula, just apply it all over and massage like a shampoo, and after 20 minutes, wash it out. Pretty simple and pretty cheap to do too!

[kuhio98]

Kim ~ My father was completely grey by the time he was 25. I found my first grey hair at 18.

In my 20's, I did the henna thing.
In my 30's, I did the over the counter stuff.
Now, I pay $100 a bucks to have it professionally done with permanent color.

The lady who does my hair says that there are very good products on the market if you want to do your hair yourself. She also said that if you want to extend your color, mix a little of the hair color into your shampoo bottle. Then, each time you wash your hair, you're adding a little color.

She also said that if I decide not to color my hair anymore and let it go grey, to let her know and she'll start using semi-permanent color. That way it will wash out a little at a time. My hair is long, and I think I want to keep it tha way, so I don't want 6 inches of grey/white at the roots and the rest of it to be brown. I'm not ready to commit to that yet.

[Freckles]

I will never color, but I do have "highlights".
Check out my profile picture.

[jennielynn1970]

I used to go with a color to match my brown, which is a medium reddish brown. Then this summer I got bored. I decided I wanted to see how the blondes live. Never thought I would ever go blonde or look good blonde. I tried boxed color for it, but I couldn't get close to blonde with my dark hair. It was fine for my browns, but not for the blonde.

I go to a girl who lives up the street from my mom and dad, and for $60, I get a cut and a color from her. That is a steal!!! Granted it's a root touch up, for the original color it was $80 with the cut. But still, it wasn't nearly what they would have charged me at the salon I was going to. She does a good job too. I'll have to post a pic of it when she does my roots next Saturday. You'd never picture me as a blonde, I know I didn't, but I'm enjoying it, lol. It's REALLY blonde too, like a vanilla blonde. It seems to get blonder every time she does my roots, but I like it that way. Not sure when, or if, I'll go back to brown.

Forgot to add that I started getting grays when I was about 16. Was not a happy camper about it at all. I've got a lot of gray at this point. A lot behind the ears, and at the top of my head. Not sure what I'd look like if I let my "natural" color grow in. Don't think I want to know!!

[Freedom]

From my Mum's side of the family, we are all gray by the mid - 20's. Thanks, Mum. ;)

I was working initially, and went to a salon. Once I stopped working to care for Dad, couldn't really afford that. I like Clairol's Natural Instinct and use that. It comes with a tube of conditioner which leaves the hair so soft!

With both the salon and on my own I tried to stick to my natural color for many years, a dark brown with some auburn. Then earlier this year the receptionist at the vet suggested I try Egyptian Plum. What a great color for those of us with olive skin tones! :p I buy it at CVS for $6.99, and don't have to spend 2 hours plus at a salon.

[Grace]

I'm a few years older than pomtzu, and I have very little gray - scattered through my hair - which is medium brown. Once upon a time I had highlights, done at a salon, and really liked the effect.

I used to envy my brother - he got the blond hair that got lighter every summer when he was out on Narragansett Bay. Now I don't envy him - he's got more gray than I do, and lots less hair :)

[Queen of Poop]

Grey hair is less porous, thus won't grab and hold any color for any length of time.

I've gone a few shades lighter with some much lighter hilights and I can't see the grey at all. But my hair grows really fast and I have roots showing around 3 weeks so I see my stylist every 5 weeks.

A good shampoo that won't strip the color will help extend your color. There are many out there made specifically for colored red, brown, blonde, etc. hair. Condition the heck out of it too so it doesn't get dryed out.

I found my first greys at 17 and have been coloring ever since. I did have the good fortune of working in a hair salon many years ago and learned some good tricks as well as all the fabulous things they can do with color.

[Taz_Zoee]

I do not have grey hair......at least that's my story. My hair is so many colors of blonde and brown that you wouldn't see one or two grey strands anyway.
But I go to the salon for my hair color (had a horrible home experience and swore I'd never do it myself again...I looked like Tony the Tiger). I have not figured out the correct way to state exactly what I want to my stylist. But I think I have it now. So next time hopefully I will get the color how I want it.

My mom has super thick dark brown hair. When she finally started going grey (in her late 40's early 50's) she started using box color (what ever brand is cheapest at the time, usually Clariol I think). So with her natural dark color and then the reddish/auburn color she adds it just looks like she has natural red highlights in her hair. She didn't go mostly grey in the front like most people do. She had speckles throughout her hair so it looks nice. I'm hoping to take after her in the grey hair department. My dad is basically all grey now and he is in his mid 60's.

[neko1]

I go to a salon, it's expensive but I love the results.

My hair color is the brightest, reddest red they have at the salon. I'm the only client that uses it!

My red used to fade very fast, but now that I've been coloring red for awhile, it lasts a little longer.

[chocolatepuppy]

I'm a natural blonde, but my hair is getting darker and darker. So a few years ago I started using Sun In spray and my blow dryer. Just enough to still look blonde and have highlights. I haven't went gray 'yet' at 54. :D

[sparks19]

My color comes from a box lol

It's permanent color but it's red so it fades badly. Now that I've been doing the same color for a year now it doesn't fade as badly as it used to and it doesn't stain the towels like it used to when I first started.

[sasvermont]

I worked at Sally Beauty Supply for a little over a year - and about a year ago. I saw every kind of disaster possible when it comes to someone coloring their own hair. Here's some food for thought.

1.) You have to have good luck if you want to color your own hair.

2.) I swear by having someone who knows their stuff, do the coloring. The person I go to is terrific.

3.) If you elect to do your own, stick with one manufacturing line, don't keep changing them. You will never get the same color again if you do. Many people buy their products at the grocery store or Walmart and don't remember or care to remember what they bought the last time. You can go to Sally's and buy exactly the same product the hair salons use. You have to know how to mix the color (instructions are included) and you have to know what to buy.

4.) Places like Sally's don't require their sales people to be hairdressers. I know. They can usually help you correct your errors but will be hard pressed to suggest what is good for you and the color you want. Back to the hair salon with you.

5.) If you do have enough nerve to ask you salon person for the colors and numbers of your color (assuming you like what he/she has been using on you) then you can buy the color at a place like Sally's and do it yourself. Oh and just do the roots after the first color, not the entire head each time!

6.) My salon person uses a glaze on my hair and lets the gray pickup some color and it actually looks like my hair is highlighted. When she first colors it, I am not wild about it but within a couple of washings, I like it and it lasts for 8 weeks. Then back to her. I don't have my hair cut all that often and it would be cheaper if I didn't have her blow it out and style it. It is my only true splurge in life.

7.) You can remove any color you put in your hair by mistake. BUT you are left with no color (icky yellowish grayish awful color) and then must wait a day or so until you try again.

8.) I recommend going to a good salon if you want to look professional and or have a hair color that stands out in a positive way.

Hair can really make or break a person's appearance. I had stopped coloring my hair for several years and I just wasn't happy with how old it made me look, so I went back and agreed to do the glazing thing rather than a solid color. My hair looks very natural and I love it!

[pomtzu]

Good advise Sas, and I would never have put anything on my hair without first asking the advise of my beautician, since she has been the only one I have trusted my hair to, for over 20 years. I've seen some of the disastrous results that people have achieved by just winging it, and buying what they thought would work. By all means, if you are going to do it yourself, then consult with someone who knows their stuff before you end up with a disaster on your head. :eek:

[sasvermont]

When working at Sally's Beauty I saw people arrive with towels on their heads and tears in their eyes.

And.... I have a friend and a sister in law who do their own hair and they do a great job. Both are cheapskates (not a bad thing at all) and yet manage to buy the same product, follow the directions and have their hair cuts done professionally. There is nothing wrong with doing your color yourself. Just get some expert advice with what color and what looks good on you.

I have seen some horrible horrible color jobs. Highlighting can be tricky too. Some folks look like they had their kids do it!

I hated working at Sally's for a few different reasons but a big one was how many people came in thinking we could fix the problems they created when even experienced hair salon people would have problems correcting the disasters they created. The customers often got nasty and were not fun to work with...... I would usually tell them to find a salon to fix their problem, but they often just put color on color = bigger disaster.

Oh well.

:rolleyes:

[sparks19]

I have always been extremely lucky with my home hair coloring adventures. How does someone mess up a home dye job so badly? It's so easy. I don't have the time for salon dye jobs... heck I go a year or more without a haircut a lot of times lol. I just don't think to go get it done. not to mention the cost of salon dye jobs. But my hair is pretty easy. it doesn't go funny colors and doesn't do anything crazy when I dye it (thank goodness). So if I wanted something other than that ugly mousey color it was before I had to do it myself lol. I've been dying my hair every 6-8 weeks for at least a year now and *knock on wood* it's always gone well lol.

I'm tempted to try Henna but I hear you have to let it sit for like two hours and I just don't have that kind of time to sit with a shower cap on my head and wait for hair dye lol and I'm seriously lacking the patience for that haha

[Roxyluvsme13]

Okay, I don't really count for this because I don't have gray hair yet, but I have dyed my hair before, and I could start showing gray any time as early graying runs in my family.

Anyway, my mom uses the stuff in a box. She tried changing her hair color once, but the dye faded too fast, so she went back to her natural hair color, which is black.

When I've dyed my hair, I've always used the store bought stuff in a box too. I had a bad highlight job in the 6th grade though, so I do not trust home highlight kits anymore at all.

Never done mine professionally, so no opinion on that, but I think the store stuff does pretty well.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I have some white hairs and I'm getting more all of the time. I've been coloring my hair since my late twenties. I've had it done both professionally and at home. People have told me that I do a better job of coloring it myself and it also seems to look healthier. I stopped having it done professionally because it was costing me too much, my hair was becoming dry and brittle, and sometimes the color didn't seem right either.

I've been using Nice'N'Easy Color Belnd Technology in Natural Medium Golden Blonde. My natural hair color is a medium to light brown but since I have quite a few white hairs now, I like to go lighter. I've been different shades of red and blonde before. If I go too red my hair color really fades fast. I've also had my hair highlighted. I color my hair usually about every 6-7 weeks or so. I haven't tried the foam yet because I haven't seen my shade in that.

[dab_20]

I don't color, but very soon I will need to. My dad had premature gray. I have a lot of gray hairs around my face... I'm only 19! I found my first gray hairs at 14 years old! I just don't want to because I have very course/curly hair and I don't need something to make it more frizzy than it already is.

[pomtzu]

Another VERY important issue to be considered before you do anything to your hair, whether it be in a salon or at home ~~ medications and health issues. I'm not an expert on the subject, but my beautician is, therefore I listen to what she says.

If you have had recent surgery with anesthesia, certain medications that you might be taking, and even certain health conditions, can all effect the way your hair reacts to any chemical treatment, be it coloring, a perm, straightening, etc. This should be brought up with the salon, or asked of someone in the know if you are doing it yourself at home.

If in doubt - check it out - and don't assume that just because you haven't had a problem in the past - that you won't ever have any.

Just sayin'.........:)

[finn's mom]

I saw my first grey at 15, my mother was 100% silver by the time she was 40. I waited til I was nearly 30 and then couldn't put it off any longer. ;) I'm 35 and spent the first few years getting my hair done by an amazing colorist friend of mine. I haven't been able to afford him since Clara was born, so I just rely on box color, which I have to apply every 3-4 weeks, because my greys are really resistant!

[lizbud]

[FONT=Comic Sans MS]I will never color, but I do have "highlights".



I've had the same lady do my hair (cuts) for the last 15 years, but I never
have colored it. My natural color is as close to black as you can get, without
actually being black. First gray hairs in my late thirties, but still have as much
dark as gray right now. It's sprinkled throughout. I wear my hair short & I like
the way it looks & it's so easy to take care of. I consider the gray as my highlights.:)

[Taz_Zoee]

How does someone mess up a home dye job so badly?

I messed mine up so badly because I was attempting highlights. It was a box kit with the cap you're supposed to pull your hair through. Well I couldn't pull my hair through (my hair is very long and I was doing it myself) so I just applied the dye directly on my hair thinking it would be fine. Boy was I wrong! :eek: Like I said.....I looked like Tony the Tiger, only it wasn't greeeaaaat.
When I was younger I used sun-in and then did the bleach process on all my hair. But then I wanted highlights. Silly me thinking I could do it myself. Now that I use the professional I can do all kinds of things. I've gone super dark and then change it up with highlights. My stylist is one of my boyfriends highschool friends, so he gives me a break on cost. Plus I only see him about twice a year. Once for a perm and once for color. He obviously does a great job because people always think my hair is natural.

[Suki Wingy]

I do it myself. I used to do it quite frequently as I used semi permanent colors that I had to keep touching up. Lately though my job has not allowed me to have any colors at all so I've been stuck going between an almost red auburn brown and a darker, closer to my natural color brown.

The unfortunate thing is I feel like my creativity has been drained greatly ever since I've been forced to stay with shades naturally occurring.

[Karen]

The unfortunate thing is I feel like my creativity has been drained greatly ever since I've been forced to stay with shades naturally occurring.

You could always clip in colorful bits when you leave work!

I once thought of just coloring the "underneath" hair - I guess level with the middle of the ears and down - a nice green, so it'd be there when I move my head, but could also be stealthy - unless I stuck my hair in a ponytail!

I never did it mainly because I have such sensitive skin, I'd probably have a violent reaction to the dye, so it's not worth taking the chance. And green would be a hard color to get and maintain, I know, particularly since my hair is a dark brown with reddish streaks naturally, the opposite side of the color spectrum. I went to college with a girl who changed her name to Tineuvial and colored her hair green, but she stopped the green when she realized it was staining her pillowcase!

[catnapper]

Honestly, the color I got at the beauty supply store is exactly the color I've been searching for :love: I couldn't be happier. Now I intend to keep it that color and as soon as I get my paycheck next week, I'm buying the sulphate free shampoo that supposedly saves color.

My coworker was off the past two days and saw my new color for the first time this morning, and I also happened to have on a new sweater (an $80 sweater for $12 steal from Ross next to the beauty store) Her reaction? "wow, Kim you look different. you look Lovely!" Ummmm.... as opposed to looking haggard and yucky every other day? :rolleyes: I took it as the compliment it was intended - I still had lots of fun teasing her about the compliment all day :p

[sparks19]

If it ever comes to the point where box color stops working for me , i will stop dying my hair lol. I dont mind grey hair. I went with my natural color for years but this red just makes all the difference.... But for me its not worth the cost of a salon job, not to mention the time it takes up. Just not for me at this point

For the record i have never tried highlights and, on my own... I dont think i ever will lol

[Suki Wingy]

You could always clip in colorful bits when you leave work!

It's just not the same, really. (And I am one of the most lazy people I know, so I'd barely ever probably actually put them in!)

And I've done several shades of green, and it's one of the more difficult colors to keep looking the way you want it. It tends to fade. But I think my favorite color was when I was all over a sort of teal or blueish green back in 2007. It was called Enchanted Forest green, and then in 2009 I redid the color but I used a brand that tends to last longer and their closest to that shade was called Sonic green.
The first time around:
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m94/Oslobunn/100_0190-1.jpg

and then December 2009:
http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m94/Oslobunn/100_7599.jpg

[Roxyluvsme13]

I've been wondering why you haven't had your hair in any funky colors lately... sucks that your job won't let you. I always thought your hair looked awesome :D

[Suki Wingy]

Thanks. :) It was actually the barn owner at the first place I was a working student/intern, then I was allowed to at the second barn, but now Petco has strict policies about what employees are allowed to look like. :(

[Karen]

That first green one is the kind of shade I would consider, if it weren't for the fact that the dye would probably make my skin completely freak out! That was such a cool color!

[sasvermont]

Everyone's hair is different. Some hair accepts coloring nicely and survives the process with no problems. BUT other's have hair that is difficult at best.

As one ages (sorry but it DOES happen) one's skin color changes and thus your hair may look like it doesn't fit anymore!

I think everyone is fine with their natural color except if you don't like it. As I said in an earlier post, I let my hair go natural for about four years (salt and pepper/mousey brown mix) and then one day I decided to go and have it colored again. Time had passed and their was so much gray hat I didn't need to have highlighting done. The gray accepted the color much differently than the mounsey brown hair, and most of the gray was around my face, thus, highlighting for free!

Some people have an appetite for attention and like the shock it brings to folks when they do something outrageous with their hair. That's ok. I get it. The greens, blues and purples do not leave your hair completely in most cases. All color with peroxide leaves some residue. But, you can get rid of it with the proper application of another product.

It is such an individual thing. I give everyone their choice to do what they want. They have to live with it. I don't. They may look at me and thnk "how boring"..... and mousey! Hehehehehehehehe! I like it.

I do feel sorry for the folks who do something to their hair that they end up hating. It can takes months to correct the problem completely.

Sooooo, life is short. Color your hair the color you want. You only go around once in life. Live it to it's fullest!

[ramanth]

My mom's a licensed beautician and gets her supplies from the local Sally Beauty Supply.

When I was younger and playing with hair colors, I'd typically buy the box stuff from super market shelves. It didn't matter if it faded or grew out because I didn't want blue or red hair permanently. :)

I'm a natural brunette and started to get gray hairs at 21 years. Now when I want my hair colored, I pick up Clairol Professional Gray Busters from Sally Beauty and my mom does my hair. It's only about $6 a bottle and lasts quite awhile. My roots start to show long before it fades.

Good luck!

[redbird]

I am all gray and have been for many years. It's not a silver gray but a platinum gray and I like it. It's all natural since I do nothing to color it at all.

[Suki Wingy]

Some people have an appetite for attention and like the shock it brings to folks when they do something outrageous with their hair. That's ok. I get it.

Not me. I've never done it for shock value or attention, and I don't even see it as outrageous. From my view, it shouldn't be seen as shocking or outrageous. It's just hair.

[pomtzu]

JMO - but I would consider "vibrant" hair color as being done for shock value or the comments and looks it attracts. Blue, green, purple, pink, etc, are not natural colors, and this is what I base my opinion on. But to each his own. If that's what you like, then go for it. It's what inside that counts anyway, and I sure wouldn't judge anyone by the color of their hair! :p:D

[happylabs]

"Only her hairdresser knows for sure...does she or doesn't she?"

So, who is old enough to remember that line? I think it was Clairol way back when I was young. :D

Here is a funny hair coloring story for you all. First of all, my mom is now 88 years old and is still not completely gray. She didn't really start to get gray until she was close to her 70's.

When we were kids way back in the late 60's, my two sisters told the women at church that my mother colored her hair. The funny thing is, mom didn't and never has colored her hair. Boy did they ever get in trouble. :D

As for me...only my hairdresser knows for sure. :cool:

[pomtzu]

"Only her hairdresser knows for sure...does she or doesn't she?"

So, who is old enough to remember that line? I think it was Clairol way back when I was young. :D




Yes, I remember it - it was Clairol and I WASN'T young (a kid) at the time! :eek: Just like I remember the Breck Girl commercials and the ones for Ipana toothpaste (that's a real oldie!)

[happylabs]

Yes, I remember it - it was Clairol and I WASN'T young (a kid) at the time! :eek: Just like I remember the Breck Girl commercials and the ones for Ipana toothpaste (that's a real oldie!)

Ahhhh...the Breck girl always had beautiful hair. I remember wanting hair like that.

[Suki Wingy]

JMO - but I would consider "vibrant" hair color as being done for shock value or the comments and looks it attracts. Blue, green, purple, pink, etc, are not natural colors, and this is what I base my opinion on. But to each his own. If that's what you like, then go for it. It's what inside that counts anyway, and I sure wouldn't judge anyone by the color of their hair! :p:D


Just because you perceive something some way does not mean you should assume someone else does the same. I also rarely got comments and didn't notice any looks. I am a very introverted person and don't like people I don't know coming up and talking to me. Maybe it's just the area I grew up in, but hair color is trivial and was pretty common among students at the school I went to.

[pomtzu]

Just because you perceive something some way does not mean you should assume someone else does the same.

I was not making any derogatory comment - simply stating that it was my personal opinion. As I said - I do not judge people on the color of their hair, and if you took offense to my comment, then please accept my apology.

[Suki Wingy]

I was not making any derogatory comment - simply stating that it was my personal opinion. As I said - I do not judge people on the color of their hair, and if you took offense to my comment, then please accept my apology.

I realize you didn't mean anything by it, but it definitely looks like you are saying it is my opinion that all people who dye their hair a color not found in hair naturally are looking for attention. Which is of course an absurd statement to call someone else's intentions or feelings part of your opinion.

I'm not trying to take anything out on you and I'm not angry but I've seen quite a lot of people lately trying to ride off prejudice as a difference in opinion.

[pomtzu]

Some days around here, it's damned if you do/damned if you don't. I am not prejudice against people who care to use unusual colors in their hair - my 19 yr old granddaughter sometimes puts pink in her blonde hair. To prevent anyone else from being offended, I will just drop out of this thread and keep my personal opinions to myself, and not make any more "absurd statements".

[sallyandsnowx]

I've boxed dyed my hair with Fructis Garnier for about two years now, up until over the summer. This is actually a pretty funny story. I always dyed my hair a light blonde. I've been doing that for years, never had a problem. One day I decided I wanted a change, went to the store, and bought a box of medium blonde hair dye. Went home, dyed my hair, took a shower. Same old, same old. I dried my hair and looked in the mirror... I never screamed so loud in my life (my neighbors probably hated me for it lol :p) My hair was nowhere near blonde! I don't even know how to describe the color. It was a mixture of gray, brown, and black. :eek: Thankfully, my hair dresser was able to put in highlights and lighten up the color.

After that, I can now say I will NEVER box dye my hair again. ;)

[Asiel]

I've never coloured my hair and still don't. Probably never will, the grey mixes in well with my colour and doesn't show. With my allergies I would probably wake up bald if I ever put colour in my hair.

[krazyaboutkatz]

I've boxed dyed my hair with Fructis Garnier for about two years now, up until over the summer. This is actually a pretty funny story. I always dyed my hair a light blonde. I've been doing that for years, never had a problem. One day I decided I wanted a change, went to the store, and bought a box of medium blonde hair dye. Went home, dyed my hair, took a shower. Same old, same old. I dried my hair and looked in the mirror... I never screamed so loud in my life (my neighbors probably hated me for it lol :p) My hair was nowhere near blonde! I don't even know how to describe the color. It was a mixture of gray, brown, and black. :eek: Thankfully, my hair dresser was able to put in highlights and lighten up the color.

After that, I can now say I will NEVER box dye my hair again. ;)

I can kind of relate to this as well. I had been blonde for quite a while and I also wanted a change. I bought a light brown box color or so I thought. I used it and my hair looked very dark and some what purple.:eek: I went to a beauty school to have it fixed and it was quite a while before I did my own hair color myself again. I learned that if you have light hair and you want to go darker, you have to do it more gradually. I think if you do from blonde to red to brown then that's okay but if you go from blonde to brown then you run into problems. Now I just stick with the same shade and if for some reason I ever wanted to change my color to a much darker shade, I'd have it done professionally first to avoid any problems.

[sparks19]

As a teen I abused my hair so badly with hair dye lol. for a time I bleached it blonde and then I went from bleach blonde to suede brown and then in a panick (even though the brown looked nice... I just figured my dad was gonna FREAK out lol even though he probably wouldn't have) I tried to dye it a lighter color TWICE and of course that failed so then my mom took me to the hairdresser to have it stripped and colored. I don't know how I wasn't a giant ball of frizz after that abuse lol all within a month or less lol.

As I've gotten older my hair has gotten darker and darker and the color it was was just so lackluster. so I went drastic and went RED. the color is garnier nutrisse Rich Bright Auburn. VERY red. I LOOOOOVE it. I should have gone this color a long time ago. I've gotten more compliments on my haircolor in the past year than I probably ever have in my life lol.

[sallyandsnowx]

I can kind of relate to this as well. I had been blonde for quite a while and I also wanted a change. I bought a light brown box color or so I thought. I used it and my hair looked very dark and some what purple.:eek: I went to a beauty school to have it fixed and it was quite a while before I did my own hair color myself again. I learned that if you have light hair and you want to go darker, you have to do it more gradually. I think if you do from blonde to red to brown then that's okay but if you go from blonde to brown then you run into problems. Now I just stick with the same shade and if for some reason I ever wanted to change my color to a much darker shade, I'd have it done professionally first to avoid any problems.

That's what my hair dresser told me as well. The pigments in your hair contrasts with the pigments in the dye resulting in a darker color. Now, I usually keep my hair the same shade too. If I go for a change, I go to a professional so I don't have to go through that again.

[mrspunkysmom]

I'm a natural blonde, but my hair is getting darker and darker. So a few years ago I started using Sun In spray and my blow dryer. Just enough to still look blonde and have highlights. I haven't went gray 'yet' at 54. :D

Same here. Natural Blonde for most of my life. The last 10 years or so it started getting much darker and didn't lighten as easy. My skin tones are those of a natural redhead and I have always worn clothing to reflect this.

About 4 years ago, I decided to clean up the now dishwater blonde. I had a choice of using Summer Blonde or dyeing it another color. I decided a change was needed.

In the past, bottled color didn't stick and left me a nice golden blonde. So I found a stylist that colored (not all do) and now it stays red. We start with something akin to Malaysian Cherry and let a fade over several weeks. She mixes the color herself, the color comes from a tube, not the bottle, and she uses additives to strengthen it and modify the tones.

It's worth the 60 bucks every 9 to 12 weeks.

I do have greys but I have a STRESSFUL job and I am sure that has added to them. :p to my bosses

You gotta do what you gotta do. :D

[happylabs]

If I were younger I would go blonde with pink highlights! Maybe when I go gray I'll put in light pink highlights. :)

[Suki Wingy]

happylabs the grandma at the house I live in (I rent part out) had some hot pink highlights a few years ago.