Quote:
Originally Posted by kdenton65
My natural hair color is (was) medium brown, but it's about 50% gray now. I would like to color it, but I want to make it a light brown/dark blonde. I would prefer to start with a semi-permanent color first though. I just need to know if there are steps I should take since I'm going with a lighter color? I don't want it to turn red on me. And what should I take into consideration since I'm covering gray?
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True semi-permanent hair color, that is those used straight from bottle without mixing with any sort of peroxide/activator alone does not have heavy enough dye loads to make white hair "blonde".
If your grey hair is "50%" evenly dispersed around your head then a semi in medium brown (or maybe light depending upon product) will "blend" the gray (not cover) giving you light brownish highlights.
If by "50% grey" you mean your hair line or another area is totally or mostly white, while rest of head still has color; then that area is technically 90% to 100% grey which ='s white. Semi and even many demi permanent colors have a hard time covering white hair concentrated in one area. For various reasons color may take unevenly, fade rapidly and worse fade to base which can result in off tones.
Hair colors in the dark to medium brown range tend to have a blue to blue-violet base. White/grey hair will take up the exact base color applied. It is like putting paint, nail polish or any thing else with color on white paper then wiping away the excess. What you're left with is often the stain made up of base color.
However you are on the right track. You'll notice many women (and some men) of a certain age go blonder as they get older. Barbara Walters, Hillary Clinton, Jane Fonda, Oprah, Robert Redford, etc....
Blonde/lighter hair colors show grey/white hair less than brunettes and most red heads. This is mostly due to there being less contrast between hair lacking color (white/grey) and that which does (naturally or with dye).
Easiest way to do what you want is using highlights and or with careful application of a demi or permanent hair color. Both have the necessary dye loads and can be formulated with a base color that won't leave your grey/white hair with off shades, this even as the color fades (if it does at all).
If you want to experiment look for semi-permanent hair colors called "neutral" or "N Series". Things like "Medium Neutral Brown" or just "medium brown".
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