Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm going on a cruise next month, and my hair has become prematurely grey. I rarely dye it much anymore, but I want to get it done before the cruise because it's long, black, and I don't like the way it looks with so many grey streaks. I dyed it for a long time at home but my hair seems resistant to chemical treatments, and the last keratin treatment I had didn't stay in well at all. Additionally, my home hair color doesn't last long at all anymore. Before I pony up the dough to go to a pro, I'd like to get your opinions. Is going to a pro better? Is their hair color a stronger formula than the home stuff? Does it last longer? Or should I just do it at home and call it good? FYI, my hair is almost waist length, about 1/4 grey, extremely coarse, thick, wavy, and frizzy, dark brown to black in color, and I'm wanting to go blue black, which is about its natural color at the ends.
I've dyed my hair at home for over 20 years. IMO, my home dye jobs look much better than the professional jobs I've seen friends and coworkers get. My dye job looks natural and doesn't damage my hair much (all dye damages hair somewhat).
I had my hair "highlighted" professionally once. You couldn't even see the highlights. Waste of money.
It seems to me that the pro colors are STRONGER. That means they are more DAMAGING.
I do my roots once every 3 or so weeks. Then drag the color through the rest of my hair (which is already dyed). The color in the rest of the hair, being several weeks old, has faded. All hair dyes fade, but I think the cheaper ones (like the one I use) fade more. But that's why it doesn't damage my hair much. Fading is fine with me. My medium brown fades to show what look like highlights, and a lighter shade of brown. It looks pretty attractive, ifyou ask me.
My hair is long, straight, all one length, and shiny. I get compliments on my hair all the time. So I must be doing something right.
Also, the good thing about doing it at home is that you can do it at your convenience, even late at night! Then when you need to do it again, you can match that color exactly, since YOU did it. If you get it done by a pro, you'll have to continue doing that, if you want the exact color match.
I not only use a home dye, but I use one of the least expensive home dyes available. I use Clairol Balsam (I order it from Amazon directly from Clairol, or htey carry it at General Dollar stores). I don't use it because it's cheap. I use it because I liked it the best, after testing other colors over the years.
I've used Nice N'Easy, L'Oreal, the new Clairol semi-permanent without the white chemical liquid, other semi-permanent colors, and one professional highlight job, plus Clairol Balsam. Clairol Balsam looked the best, and did best, on my hair. I use medium brown, which is slightly lighter than my natural color.
Gray hair on most brunettes is color resistant. The instructions will probably tell you to leave it on your hair a longer time than normal.
Just my opinion, but dying your hair all black, all one color, may not look natural. Hair is usually tiny strands of different shades of brown or black or whatever. Maybe your gray streaks will look like highlights.
BE AWARE that home hair dyes often dye darker than the picture shows. You say your hair is black, but it would be dangerous to use a black dye. That's REALLY blue-black, all one color, looks harsh, and sometimes looks unnatural (a Goth look). Dark brown dyes closer to black, but is somewhat softer and more natural.
Having said all that, right before you go on a special trip is probably not the time for you to make a big change to your hair, esp. home dying. If your hair gets messed up, it might upset you before your trip. It would me.
If you want to keep your hair dark or go darker, I'd try indigo. It doesn't damage your hair like chemical dyes and it's a great conditioner. Your hair with be either black with a blue tint in the sun or a purple tint in the sun. Some products are better and easier to apply than others. It's not any more difficult to apply than drug store dye, if you get the right products, it costs under 15 dollars. However, for some people, especially with thick hair, depending on the protein, the indigo doesn't get absorbed and the color doesn't take. But if you wait a few weeks, you can also try again with regular chemical dye. Just make sure to investigate the different brands and follow the directions.
If you really want to color your hair before the cruise, I'm leaning towards the "go pro" camp, especially since you haven't had it colored in a salon before. BUT, I will add: DON'T cheap out! Don't assume because it's "in a salon" it's going to be equal. Ask around, read reviews, find out what color brands seem to give the result you're looking for, etc. AND, do it far enough in advance of the trip that you have time to fix anything you dislike!!
I'm going on a cruise next month, and my hair has become prematurely grey. I rarely dye it much anymore, but I want to get it done before the cruise because it's long, black, and I don't like the way it looks with so many grey streaks. I dyed it for a long time at home but my hair seems resistant to chemical treatments, and the last keratin treatment I had didn't stay in well at all. Additionally, my home hair color doesn't last long at all anymore. Before I pony up the dough to go to a pro, I'd like to get your opinions. Is going to a pro better? Is their hair color a stronger formula than the home stuff? Does it last longer? Or should I just do it at home and call it good? FYI, my hair is almost waist length, about 1/4 grey, extremely coarse, thick, wavy, and frizzy, dark brown to black in color, and I'm wanting to go blue black, which is about its natural color at the ends.
I'm a big fan of professional color. I'm at the opposite end of the color spectrum (blonde) but the professional highlights I get are much easier to grow out and look much more natural than when I did the whole 'box color' thing in my 20's. Those required monthly touchups and now I can go 3-4 months, the highlights blend with my few grays easily and roots aren't as visible.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AfternoonCoffee
Scooby,
You and your hair are both lovely!!
If you really want to color your hair before the cruise, I'm leaning towards the "go pro" camp, especially since you haven't had it colored in a salon before. BUT, I will add: DON'T cheap out! Don't assume because it's "in a salon" it's going to be equal. Ask around, read reviews, find out what color brands seem to give the result you're looking for, etc. AND, do it far enough in advance of the trip that you have time to fix anything you dislike!!
Have fun!
^^^^^ This. Plus, a cruise is a special occasion, a great time to treat yourself and see what you think.
I'm going on a cruise next month, and my hair has become prematurely grey. I rarely dye it much anymore, but I want to get it done before the cruise because it's long, black, and I don't like the way it looks with so many grey streaks. I dyed it for a long time at home but my hair seems resistant to chemical treatments, and the last keratin treatment I had didn't stay in well at all. Additionally, my home hair color doesn't last long at all anymore. Before I pony up the dough to go to a pro, I'd like to get your opinions. Is going to a pro better? Is their hair color a stronger formula than the home stuff? Does it last longer? Or should I just do it at home and call it good? FYI, my hair is almost waist length, about 1/4 grey, extremely coarse, thick, wavy, and frizzy, dark brown to black in color, and I'm wanting to go blue black, which is about its natural color at the ends.
The key to dying your hair yourself, only do your regrowth never the whole head, an all over dye should only be done maybe once ever 6 months and even then you might want wait year or skip altogether! Make sure get a dye that has Always go a shade light than your own natural color and you should do an all over dye, but after that only regrowth touch ups, it's always easier go darker if your not happy with a lighter shade , but trying from dark to light , will best go to a professional. Have a good trim/cut done now & then, always use Color-enhancing shampoos that matches your color, always condition hair and do a deep heated condition once a month.... I do my own, I'm 52 and I'm completely gray ..Me here, I use L'Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Haircolor, Medium Brown 5..Hope this helps
The key to dying your hair yourself, only do your regrowth never the whole head, an all over dye should only be done maybe once ever 6 months and even then you might want wait year or skip altogether! Make sure get a dye that has Always go a shade light than your own natural color and you should do an all over dye, but after that only regrowth touch ups, it's always easier go darker if your not happy with a lighter shade , but trying from dark to light , will best go to a professional. Have a good trim/cut done now & then, always use Color-enhancing shampoos that matches your color, always condition hair and do a deep heated condition once a month.... I do my own, I'm 52 and I'm completely gray ..Me here, I use L'Oreal Paris Excellence Creme Haircolor, Medium Brown 5..Hope this helps
I agree with Wildcard, which is pretty much what I have been doing for years. Alas, I am now going to give it up and let the gray come in. This is because I recently had a scalp bump removed which has turned out to be basal cell carcinoma, and need a little more surgery on it. I have always had a bad feeling that the amount of chemicals on my scalp might be causing problems - I have so much gray I had to touch up roots every two weeks. I have only been using L'oreal Healthy Look Gloss, but that has recently been discontinued anyway.
My plan is to see how the gray is coming in, and possible have some streaks and highlights added to help me transition.
Anyway, OP, for hair as long and thick as yours I would go to a pro, and then maybe do it yourself for touchups in between.
I agree with Wildcard, which is pretty much what I have been doing for years. Alas, I am now going to give it up and let the gray come in. This is because I recently had a scalp bump removed which has turned out to be basal cell carcinoma, and need a little more surgery on it. I have always had a bad feeling that the amount of chemicals on my scalp might be causing problems - I have so much gray I had to touch up roots every two weeks. I have only been using L'oreal Healthy Look Gloss, but that has recently been discontinued anyway.
My plan is to see how the gray is coming in, and possible have some streaks and highlights added to help me transition.
Anyway, OP, for hair as long and thick as yours I would go to a pro, and then maybe do it yourself for touchups in between.
So sorry....I never dyed my hair until I hit 50, but I was all gray by age 49 , it was my mid life deal for me, I was ready for a change, at some point I'll go back....
So the OP's gray hair will grow back slower if it's professionally colored?
The things you learn on these boards!
No -- color can fade. Home colors fade often because we don't have the expertise in application.
I colored my hair after my short hair cut thinking it would be easier than my usual highlighting. My hair used to take color easily, so I would apply and wait for 30 minutes and it would work.
Grey hair is problematic taking color, and given my ash blonde with highlights hair -- I can't tell how much of my hair is grey. So when I colored my whole head, the instructions gave a time range of 45-70 minutes.... and I went 45 -- and got underprocessed orangey blonde, which looks awful to me.
So to offset the orange I highlighted -- which worked mostly.
Two weeks later I couldn't stand it anymore and since I have strong hair, I darkened it back to my normal hair color.... it worked!
But in another two weeks -- it's fading out. and I'm looking orangey again. And I don't dare dye it again -- I need to stick with this through the next cut... I need my own color back and go back to highlights.
You use different levels of peroxide depending on how much lighter you want the end result to be. If you aren't going any lighter, just adding color, then the 10 volume developer will work. If you want to go a couple of levels lighter, then you need stronger developer. So a salon will use stronger developer when necessary. Sometimes the hair dyes that you buy at Sally have a chart inside the box that tells you what strength developer to use to get different results.
Yes, this is true. I was referring to the OP wanting to darken her hair color and cover greys, not lighten it. That's why I referred her to the 10 volume and deposit only color. It darkens, without lightening first. Most drug store products with 20 volume, actually lighten and then darken (if you are using a color the same or darker than your natural color). That's why they eventually fade out to lighter than the color you started with. With the 10 volume, you avoid that problem, and the 10 volume is gentler on the hair.
As far s doing root touch ups only, it can be done with a bowl of your color and developer mixed according to directions (same proportions) and a brush. Part the hair and brush both sides of the part, where the grey roots are showing, with the color, then part again about 1/2 inch away and paint both sides, and just repeat until your whole head is done and begin timing. You can also use a squeeze bottle and your gloved fingers the same way.
Yes, this is true. I was referring to the OP wanting to darken her hair color and cover greys, not lighten it. That's why I referred her to the 10 volume and deposit only color. It darkens, without lightening first. Most drug store products with 20 volume, actually lighten and then darken (if you are using a color the same or darker than your natural color). That's why they eventually fade out to lighter than the color you started with. With the 10 volume, you avoid that problem, and the 10 volume is gentler on the hair.
As far s doing root touch ups only, it can be done with a bowl of your color and developer mixed according to directions (same proportions) and a brush. Part the hair and brush both sides of the part, where the grey roots are showing, with the color, then part again about 1/2 inch away and paint both sides, and just repeat until your whole head is done and begin timing. You can also use a squeeze bottle and your gloved fingers the same way.
Some gray hair won't take the color with a 10 volume. Mine wouldn't, even when I was coloring it blue-black. I wasn't using a color that was formulated just for gray hair, maybe that would have made a difference. But I would end up with the rest of my hair the right color, and the gray streak on either side of my face would be a darker gray, but still gray.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
