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I just read through a post on hair color, and I suspect there's some folks here that might have suggestions.
I am a middle aged red head that has hair that begin to lighten over the last ten years with more of a strawberry blonde look. I have always missed the darker red color it use to be. Now, gray hairs are entering the picture. What I think about doing (I have never put any color on my hair) is trying to bring in some darker red, but perhaps not doing my entire head. Enough color that it just makes the overall appearance darker and covers the gray hairs especially. I don't mind if some of the blonde remains, but a mixture of the lighter red that I have along with adding darker red back in is what I think I would enjoy.
Any tips or suggestions on doing this? One of the reasons I've been so hesitant to start is because I can't afford to go get color on my hair every few weeks at my hairdressers. I also don't want to have pink or purple hair as red seems to be a very difficult color to deal with and I'm a complete novice.
i would not try to do that at home. If you are looking for highlights, or lowlights, i would definitley seek out a qualified salon. If you wanted to try to color yourself, i would choose a haircolor that was semi permanent( a number 2) not a permanent, number 3. choose a shade close to your own, only 1 shade darker. the number 2 will typically wash out in 4 weeks.
I just read through a post on hair color, and I suspect there's some folks here that might have suggestions.
I am a middle aged red head that has hair that begin to lighten over the last ten years with more of a strawberry blonde look. I have always missed the darker red color it use to be. Now, gray hairs are entering the picture. What I think about doing (I have never put any color on my hair) is trying to bring in some darker red, but perhaps not doing my entire head. Enough color that it just makes the overall appearance darker and covers the gray hairs especially. I don't mind if some of the blonde remains, but a mixture of the lighter red that I have along with adding darker red back in is what I think I would enjoy.
Any tips or suggestions on doing this? One of the reasons I've been so hesitant to start is because I can't afford to go get color on my hair every few weeks at my hairdressers. I also don't want to have pink or purple hair as red seems to be a very difficult color to deal with and I'm a complete novice.
Redhead here . . . what you are talking about is referred to as "highlights and lowlights," I think.
But you know - it would be so simple to just pick a nice warm red that appeals to you and put it on and see how you feel. It would add texture and body and give you a lift!!!
If you choose a temporary rinse or something like Loving Care, believe me, you will just be frustrated as you are not going to get the results you want. I started off that way and a cousin finally said - why are your torturing yourself? Just pick a color you like and experiment w/ permanent color.
So I started out w/ Clairol Nice N Easy, I think and eventually ended up w/ Loreal Preference. For the last five years, I have had professional color put on my hair (and sometimes had streaks added) but the last year I have gone back to doing my own color - and even my stylist says it looks great (he complains if it doesn't).
It is not the end of the world if you do it and hate it, LOL. You can just go to a salon and let them re-do it for you. Or wait a few weeks and try another color (deeper shade, brighter shade, whatever).
As red hair greys, it can look so dull and the color can get really strange and washed out. Have some fun! Just do it!!! And if you are insecure about doing it yourself - have a professional do it the first time and see how you feel about it.
Aging red-head here too! Just be warned - twice I have used products at home that have left me with very PINK hair that needed to be immediately fixed for $$$ at a salon.
I'd definitely go with a professional the first time. Most will even suggest the best at-home products for your specific desires if you ask nicely.
Red-head too I have been dying my own hair since I was 20; not so many years ago
Anyhow; in the fall I would go darker, the spring lighter. It was really easiy IMO, I picked a color I liked and each time it turned out great. That said; the older I got the worse the darker color looked on me.
I would suggest you get it done by a pro the first time and then try it again by yourself. The problem with reds is they don't last long; it fades twice as fast as most colors....
Go to the best beauty supply store in your area. The sales people there can help you choose the best colors and will have color swatches and books to look at to give you an idea of what your hair will look like. Don't go with Violet Reds or Reds in the blue family as that will give you pink hair..so will ash. Better to go with a light Auburn on the top half and perhaps and medium reddish brown or medium auburn on the bottom. It is always best to buy individual tubes of color to get a more natural look by mixing two or three shades. The quality of the color is much better for your hair as well. Permanent covers gray much better than semi-permanent. Semi or Demi permanent is a deposit only color meaning the peroxide used is a lower volume than permanent and therefore does not lift much of your color but just deposits the color which is why is does not last long and shampoos out. You could start that way first to see if you like the change and then get the same color in perm. The other thing is..it doesn't matter if you buy perm or semi because it is the peroxide that makes the difference. Buy 10 volume for semi and buy 20 volume for permanent. I just went from light blonde to reddish golden brown for the umpteenth time. Licensed hairdresser also.
As a dirty dishwater blond who spends soooooo much to color this mess I can honestly say, I just love beautiful red hair. If I were you, I would not mess with a good thing. Once you start coloring you are a cooked goose. The upkeep is never ending and the money spent, well, we won't go there.
Think about it long and hard. I'm sure all of you natural red heads are beautiful. I am getting jealous! Thanks for the post, I just remembered I need to shcedule another apponitment!!!!
Having had red hair (colored) and my own slightly natural red hair (more auburn) - I do everything I can to get the red out LOL - I used to color my hair red and when I wanted to change it, I had to do a two-step process color. That meant 1 step = lifting the color to almost nothing (looks brassy yellow), then step 2 = putting color on. I've had that done a couple of times and now my hair is finally the way I want it, but my stylist was right, the red natural or colored is difficult to color over and difficult to color period. So, now that I've rambled on, I guess I'm joining the club, let a professional do it for you. It's worth the money.
Just wanted to show those interested in going from a bleached blonde to a reddish brown how it might look. Did this myself yesterday using 5.5 light red brown, 6 dark blonde,6.3 dark golden blonde with 10 volume peroxide with very low ammonia.
Wow, the red looks gorgeous!! Such a more youthful look.
I'm jealous..now you have me wanting to go back to auburn.
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. . . what you are talking about is referred to as "highlights and lowlights," I think. 
From Blonde to Red
