hair colour at home

[flibberty jibbit]

Alright, so I'm facing the fact that I'm at a crossroads. At 38 I am now turning gray. I am extremely low maintenance but my star sign is the Leo and as such have a very unnatural love for my own hair.

I cannot afford, and truthfully have no desire, to sit in a salon for several hours in chemical hell. It'll be fun enough doing it at home, I don't need witnesses!

My question - does anyone use at home hair colour, which brand do you use and like and please do share any tips and tricks you have!

Thank you!

~Jackie

[lucille]

Loreal was the best of the store brands I tried in the past but all of them really did do a number on the quality of my hair. If you try to do it yourself get a hair dying brush at a beauty supply store. They are big flat brushes for applying the dye to your roots without getting it on your scalp. Rub some sort of moisturizer into your skin near your hairline but don't get it on your hair. That helps any spill on your skin clean up faster.

I had been going to a local beauty school to get my hair cut and they kept trying to convince me to let them dye my hair rather than doing it myself. I figured they were just trying to upsell me to get more business in the door. At one point I finally decided that sitting down and letting someone else do it would just be easier. I also didn't have to worry about missing spots in the back that way! When I checked the cost, It cost me $19 to have the beauty school do it with professional products. It cost me $21 for two boxes of Loreal to do it myself. After I let them start doing it, the end result looked better and my hair was not nearly as beaten up. It is also really important to use a decent shampoo that won't take the color out of your hair. I switched from Garnier to KMS brand and it is like I have totally different hair. If I went to a salon the hair cut would be about $30 and the last time I checked the dye job was $75 to $300 depending on the salon.

I only go to one of the two beauty schools in town, the one with a long and good reputation. I always ask for senior students and have had a better success record than with regular salons.

[flibberty jibbit]

Oh that's a great idea - going to a beauty school. I hadn't even considered that. Another great tip!

My husband is encouraging me not to cover it - I can't leave it this way. I can't!

[kav122]

Originally Posted by flibberty jibbit

My husband is encouraging me not to cover it - I can't leave it this way. I can't!

I was just going to say, that many men (and women) think gray is sexy! A cheaper alternative might be getting *silver* highlights. That way you won't have the obvious roots and with a great cut it could look very stylish.

I second the beauty school idea. I used to color my own hair. Then when I went to a hairdresser, she asked "WOW! Do you color your own hair?"

I said yes, sheepishly.

She told me that the texture was very different in people who color their own hair. I have to admit--it did feel drastically different than before I started dying it. I think I will try the beauty school now, though. Last time I went to the regular hairdressers it was $75! I only go about every 4 months, but that is still a lot!

[Annie]

I am a college student, so I don't really have the time or the funds to always go to the salon either. I always pick up hair dyes from the drugstore to do my own color, but not without loads of research.

Different kinds of dyes suit different needs and different hair types. For example, a person with thin hair would probably want to avoid certain kinds of dyes because their hair is more easily damaged. Then there are also the different kinds of dyes (temporary, semi-permanent, permanent; vegetable dyes vs. regular color). I suggest you pop into the beauty/drugstore and look around the color aisle. Make a list of brands with colors that appeal to you and do a bit of research online on the specific brands.

Here are a trick that will save you a lot of hassle during the dye-ing process, though: Put a bit of Vaseline along your hair line before you dye your hair at home so that if you get any on your skin, it'll come off a lot more easily. Otherwise you'll have funny stains all over your face.

By the way, I really like grey hair and I think it can look spectacular when you work it to your advantage.

[purplefdu]

Haha, I go through this with my husband at least twic a month. I'm 27 and starting to get a few greys, more than I can pull easily at least. I had dyed my hair awhile ago and did highlights, but let it grow out. I baby my hair as it is below my waist (or was til recently) and my one vanity in life. I used Feria quite a bit as the colors are simply amazing, and the brilliance is spectacular compared to other brands I have used on friends.

The new color glazes are amazing though. I use those now as a concession to actually using a permanent or semi-permanent dye. Depending on how much grey you have it will dimish or cover up the greys. There is also a kit by Revlon I think that has the dye and 6 treatments of the glazes.

Lucille how did you use two boxes? I never used more than one and still had some left over with my long hair. Granted I'm a nut and always make a mess getting it on all the hair, but it always came out great.

[Caitlin]

I've dyed my hair at home for years, though I haven't done it in a while.

As lucille said, check out the price differences. If your hair is longer than shoulder length, you will likely need to buy two boxes of hair dye to cover it all, especially if you are trying to cover grey hairs.

A neat tip I like is to go to the drugstore and buy a couple pairs of latex gloves that actually fit you (or nitrile gloves, if you are sensitive to latex). The gloves that come with most home dye kits tend to be huge "one size fits all", which means it's way harder to handle the dye and your hair while wearing them. You can wash and reuse the latex gloves, if you do it shortly after getting the dye on them. They will get stained, but they're reusable. Just be sure to let both the inside and outside dry before trying to put them on again!

[Lynnie]

Clariol 110 and I have been having an affair for years but don't tell my husband lol. He thinks I'm a natural redhead . Two boxes are what I use but my hair soaks it up like a sponge but still thats wayyyyyyy cheaper than going to a salon. Btw, I'm a hairdresser and would never go to a beauty school again. Last time (when I was a 'natural' blonde) they burned my scalp so bad I needed medical treatment. If you choose that option, tell them you only want the most experienced student or failing that one that is under supervision.

[Joanne]

Originally Posted by flibberty jibbit

My husband is encouraging me not to cover it - I can't leave it this way. I can't!

I think it's sweet that your husband thinks you look good just as you are. Give him a kiss for that.

I use a combination of at-home and salon. My hair is really long and thick so sometimes doing it at home (my husband does it for me) is a pain. When I di it at home though, I buy whatever is on sale. For me, I have never seen a difference in one dye from the next.

[flibberty jibbit]

Originally Posted by Lynnie

Btw, I'm a hairdresser and would never go to a beauty school again.

Thanks very much for your tip about beauty schools, duly noted if I go that route. And second, can you really tell the difference in the texture of the hair from a home dyer to a salon dyer or is it the variance in colour that is the tip-off?

And Joanne, yes he's a doll. He's also younger which is where I suspect some of my "issue" is stemming from! LOL