Hair Color suggestions needed

Jellylou · **Hair Color suggestions needed**

I just turned the big 3-0.
I have some random grey hairs. I used to pull them out, but now, there are too many to do that.

At what point did you decide it was time to color your hair?
Do you have it done at the salon?
--or do you buy color at the store and do it yourself at home?

If you purchase and do it yourself, which products of hair color do you recommend?
I have very dark hair (not black) but very dark brown. Which products are safe to use and don't cost a fortune?

moree · **great question**

good question,
I am in the same boat. Turned 31 in July and have had an incredibly stressful year.(new job, big move to a diffent state, and loss of my mother) Going gray as I type this. I will definatly be looking back to see what kind of suggestions you get as I desperatly need them to. Thanks for submitting a great question.

Moree

Cookie2 · 01-21-2007, 12:14 AM

I started coloring my hair when we acquired the little one. I'm older and had intended to let my hair go grey naturally. However, I'm her mommy and didn't want to be mistaken for her grandmother so I color my hair to cover the grey.

I have tried various brands and I have the best luck with Clairol. It is cheaper than most other products but it seems to last longest. You need a level 3 hair color (permanent) to cover grey. It will most likely have ammonia in it which is unfortunate, but that's how it goes - hard to avoid. I've had the worst luck with L'Oreal. The color didn't stick to the grey very well so the color only last a couple of weeks and everytime I washed my hair I could smell the ammonia again. I ended up waiting 2 months before coloring my hair after using L'Oreal because I didn't want to damage my hair any further.

When you color your hair the individual hair shafts will get 'puffy'. That's the effect of the ammonia. If you color too frequently, that puffiness can get out of control. To keep your color longer, switch to a shampoo and conditioner formulated for colored hair. It really does help.

All hair dyes have either an orange or a purple base. In the color descriptions you'll notice the terms 'golden' or 'ash'. Golden is orange base and ash is purple base. Our natural hair color isn't one color so when you dye your hair you don't want the end result to be one color. And you certainly don't want to end up with 'blue hair' or get orange or purple highlights in the sun! So, everytime you color your hair, change the shade slightly. It is a good idea to alternate between orange and purple based dyes. I also recommend going with a shade that is slightly lighter than your natural hair color. You're not looking for a dramatic difference (too hard to maintain) but our hair gets darker and mousier as we age so a lighter shade has a tendancy to make us look younger. It is also less 'fake' looking.

If you can't stand the thought of using a permanent hair color with ammonia in it, you can try henna. Henna comes in all sorts of colors now. It isn't just red. You can find it in some drug stores and many natural food stores that sell toiletry items. Henna isn't a hair dye. It coats the outside of the hair. It is definately a temporary color but a nice alternative for someone who is looking for a more natural product. Unfortunately, you need to use it more often and it is more expensive than hair dye. Sometimes I'll give my hair a rest from the hair dye and I'll use henna to tied me over. It is easier to do touch-ups with henna, too, as it is easier to mix a little bit at a time.

My best hint is when I'm coloring my hair, I cover the entire sink area with newspapers and I wear a shower cap when I'm waiting for the timer to go off. Permanent hair color really is permanent. It does awful things to clothing, flooring, countertops, and painted walls. Unfortunately, hair dye starts out somewhat clear and darkens after several minutes. You may not notice a little drop on the linoleum floor (or your best bath towel) until too late but you will definately notice it forever after! The shower cap helps keep the dye on my head and not dripping places where I don't want it. Also, remember to wear a shirt that unbuttons. You don't want to try pulling a T-shirt over your head just so you can get into the shower to rinse off the hair dye.

Lastly, when you're mixing the coloring with the activation solution a little bit of the solution will get stuck in top of the pour spout. That solution is pure ammonia and if it isn't mixed with the coloring, it can really bleach out the first section of hair that you apply it to - which is usually the front! Do you need to ask how I know this? I've gotten into the habit of sqeezing out a bit of the solution onto the newspaper to clear that tube before I start applying anything to my hair.

Good luck!

Meghan&Noah'sMom · 01-21-2007, 08:20 AM

I started coloring my hair 6 years ago (I am 34 now) when I was on chemotherapy. I had blonde hair and the chemo turned what hair hadn't fallen out into this non-descript color. So to make me feel better my good friend (who happens to be a stylist) started coloring it for me. I've been colorig it ever since. But that can be pricey! I was paying $85-$90 every three months for a cut and color. That's a lot of money! Plus I didn't always like how it turned out because she was foiling it, so I would have dark streaks in it and it looked so bad when my roots would start to show or if I wore my hair up.

So a few months ago I decided enough was enough and started coloring my hair myself at home. I love it!!!! This way I am still blonde but since it's an all-over color I don't have any dark spots or streaks and I don't feel like a skunk.

I have found for myself and my hair that any of the brands work fine. For me it's more of a question on if I have a coupon or how much I am willing to spend at the moment. And the best part is b/c I am doing it myself I am able to do it more often. (every 6-8 weeks vs every 3-4 months)

Good luck!!!

Maryfs · 01-21-2007, 08:41 AM

I do my own hair for random greys also. I always used clairol but then decided to try Garnier Nutriese (sp). I love it. It take 10 minutes less than Clairol and it does not burn my scalp. I had problems with hair color doing that. I also found the shade I wanted in Garnier.

Jellylou · 01-22-2007, 10:01 PM

Has anyone ever used L'oreal?? I'm just curious if it covers, colors, and doesn't burn scalp???

Thanks for the feed back girls!

Meghan&Noah'sMom · 01-23-2007, 06:55 AM

I've used L'Oreal. It doesn't seem to burn and it covers great. I would just make sure to do the strand test before your actually do your hair to see how long you'll need to keep it in. I have found with that brand I need to keep it in a little longer to get the color I want.

Doozer · 01-23-2007, 07:04 AM

I get a process done called a demi at the salon. It takes you back to the roots and then adds color. I really like the end results versus an actual full out dye job. You can't see my roots coming back in and I only need to get it done every 6 months...if that (at least that is what I do anyway)

Where is Medic Mama? She's our stylist pro? LOL

Alex's mommy · 01-23-2007, 04:30 PM

Im 31 and have been coloring my hair since I was in my 20's (not because I was getting gray hairs but for the fun of changing my hair color)
My natural hair color is black. I keep my color from dark brown to reddish (dark burgundy)
My favorite brand to use is Loreal Feria (never had any problems) or Hydrience. they run at about $9 / box (sometimes I get them on sale)

I try to keep my colors dark so you cant tell when my roots grow out.

Ive never been to the salon to get my hair dyed, Ive always done it myself, Ive also used Herbal Essence's highlighting kit #3 to highlight my hair in the summer, just dont over do it.

I dont see the point of going to a salon when its so easy to do it yourself. Plus youll save a lot doing it yourself.

Just dont drastically change your hair color, like from dark brown / black to blonde!

bmsmgwk · 01-23-2007, 05:30 PM

I have been coloring my hair one way or the other since my DS was 16 and he is now 34.
I have tried all kinds. I personally don't like Loreal. The price is a little high and I think it is hard on your hair. It kinda felt like straw. I have to touch up my roots about once a month if I really want to stay on top of the gray. I love Revlon Color Silk. The price is about $3 a box at Wal Mart. I love the way Herbal Essence makes my hair feel but it does not cover the gray as well. It fades faster. I have tried Garnier Nut. and it does the same thing. I have tried Hydrience. I have tried almost everything on the market below $10. My hair grows so fast it is in need of constant maintenance. One week after I color it I can see the roots start to show. By 4 weeks, I can hardly stand to look at it. I went to the Salon for a while to have it colored. But it cost so much, I had to learn to do it myself.
I have made some dozzie mistakes and lived with them and recolored them. It has been very interesting over the years. Good luck. I always stay with the work Ash in the color or I get red highlights and I hate them.