Haircolor

[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! 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.

[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.

[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.

[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!

[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.

[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.

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. to my bosses

You gotta do what you gotta do.

[happylabs]

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

[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.