Help needed re hair colour

Yorkshire_Celt

I am fed up with paying big money for highlights. Found a good local place for a cheaper cut. Had been highlighting so long that it really looked like a full colour. Mostly grown out but ends very light. Fairly short dull brown hair with greys. Want to have a go at colouring myself but not clued up. Thinking a full head would be easier at home so long as I don't go too light. Advice would be appreciated on types of colour, what they do, and decent reasonably priced brands. Thank you everyone.:D

redfragglebiker

I use the Garier Olia hair colour and I find it's great. Doesn't create a godawful mess like some colours do - Hair feels nourished and in good nick afterwards plus you get plenty of colour care conditioner with it. If you're between shades I would say go for the lighter of the two and they can come out a little darker than on the box. It's a permanent brand though so I don't know if you would be better trying a semi permanent so it's easy to wash out or get it to fade if you don't like it.
HTH

Yorkshire_Celt

Can you use semi permanent to make your hair go lighter ? Or does it have to be permenant .

jenniewb

I've been colouring my hair myself for the past 17 years at home about 80% of the time and use boxed colour.

My advice?
Stay clear of the foam -just about the most difficult and pointless thing created for hair- how on Earth your supposed to be precise and get to the roots along your hairline is still beyond me. Re-dyed hair with all the roots showing along your hairline OR large amounts of your face dyed is not my idea of value for money!

Do a patch test first. I've known of people who had no problems with their hair dye then all of a sudden had a reaction and lost most of their hair and some of their scalp! Always patch test first!

Hair colour will always come out darker if your hair is weakened or damaged by heated appliances or if your hair has been lightened at all even if you've dyed over those part, as long as those lightened parts still exist the hair colour will be more vibrant BUT will also fade faster.

Hair dye from boxed colours will dry out your hair more. There are reasons for this which I could explain but to be quick about it, if you want to counter-this effect, try a protein or strengthening mask or treatment the day or week before you dye and a moisturising mask the first time after you have dyed your hair but check for sulphates- these leech colour from hair (though they tend to exist more in shampoo than hair masks). And try to stay clear of coconut oil based products, a great ingredient unless you have coloured hair as it also pulls colour from hair.

Make sure you get the right type: semi permanents, permanents, 24-wash dyes...all will fade at different rates. Red colours fade the fastest but remain for the longest times and if you use a blonde colour they will not lighten hair, they will only add to your hair colour. You cannot un-dye hair with a hair dye you can only add more colour on to your hair.

Buy two boxes unless you have very short hair or are only dying parts of your hair. I've yet to find a boxed colour where my shoulder-length hair only needed one box. You may not need to mix up both the boxes so mix the dye in one of the bottles or in a glass bowl and apply with a hair dye brush (found in places like Superdrug or Boots with all the brushes and hair clips).

Put Vaseline or a dense moisturiser around your hairline and over your shoulders and the back of your neck. It wont stop hair dye dying your skin but it will make it easier to remove when it does land on your skin. Normally it will rinse off your skin after 1-2 days following.

Always look for multi-buys, between all the supermarkets and chemists there is normally a multi-buy on one of the brands.

And if you wanted any personal advice on what boxed colours work better: I use Garnier Nutrisse, I found that it fades the least, though L'Oreal Preference was a close second (but doesn't have the shade I want). Try a different brand each time, they do differ in results and how easily they can be used.

Hope that helps!

Yorkshire_Celt

Thanks. Off for a cheap trim now then its off to Mr A for some dark blonde colour. Fingers crossed !

Yorkshire_Celt

Trim done for 7.50 and looks fine. Nice and easy colour done and turned out really well. Very slightly lighter than I thought but looks a whole lot better. Thanks for help and advice. Saved loads and pleased with result.

vroombroom

Glad it turned out well hun. I did something similar a year ago - got sick of paying £60 odd every few weeks for highlights and cut. Now I get a dry trim for a tenner and a box for a fiver - although I went dark red and am now dark brown. So much easier! x

Haifa582

live colour XXL. the red one, it the best colour ever. x

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Yorkshire_Celt

Still liking it the day after. Not exactly the shade I thought it would be but looks good. Now I need to think about how to deal with regrowth. At least I won't have to pay 60 quid in a months time ! Should I just colour it all again, or are you meant to just do the roots?

flissh

I've gone back to nice and easy but it seems to fade really quickly on me.
I was using garner nutrisse I only stopped because the shop I was in only had nice and easy and I was desperate! As I used to use it I thought what the heck and it often has good deals.
Might try home highlights just seen an advert on the tv for a new one that looks quite easy to use…I'm a sucker for cleaver advertising!

esmy

Yorkshire_Celt wrote: »

Still liking it the day after. Not exactly the shade I thought it would be but looks good. Now I need to think about how to deal with regrowth. At least I won't have to pay 60 quid in a months time ! Should I just colour it all again, or are you meant to just do the roots?

If you still have your instructions from the dye have a look at them - there are usually different instructions for top ups - usually you apply to the roots, leave for the time specified then apply to the rest of the hair, leave for a shorter time then rinse off. If you keep doing all of your hair it can get very dry, particularly with blonde shades. HTH