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My medium brown hair started going grey when was 19. By the time I was 27, I did single process all over color and was blonde. By 40, I had to start darkeningmy hair just to keep it blonde. It was a version of white by that time. That was 20+ years ago. So - I've been coloring grey hair for over forty years. (God, that's depressing.)
Some things I've learned:
Hair color does NOT change the color of your hair! It's only a coating. The coating washes off. It fades.
Keep your expectations reasonable - it's never going to look perfect (unless maybe you can afford Hollywood prices and can get it redone every 3 weeks.)
Some brands work better in grey than others. And what works for you may not be what works best for me. The length of time it's left in to process makes a HUGE difference for me.
If you're doing one color, single process, consider doing it yourself at home using professional quality products from Sally's.
The lighter you go with color, the quicker it washes out. No matter what brand you use. BUT going lighter also helps they grey blend in when the hair color stops sticking to the grey hair. It's a balancing act that requires frequent adjustments as the amount of grey changes.
Highlights help hide the grey as it grows in, but they will washout in 3-4 weeks.
Color protect products help. I personally have not found a difference between cheap and expensive stuff. Not washing your hair every single day with shampoo helps A LOT. Consider just using water and no shampoo as often as reasonable. Chlorine from pools is evil for women who color their hair. Sunlight strips that color away very fast.
Shorter hair is a way better choice for hiding grey. No long strands standing out like Christmas tinsel.
I have not found that the price of the colorist makes a bit of difference. The most expensive dye job I ever got lasted 3 weeks. Where I go now is quite inexpensive, and lasts as long as anything else ever had (which is never long enough).
If you can't deal with the maintenance or the chronically disappointing resuits, let it grow out and enjoy the freedom from the hassle. I did for about 3 years (But I'm back to the frustration of coloring again).
Last edited by Jkgourmet; 07-03-2018 at 10:16 AM..
My medium brown hair started going grey when was 19. By the time I was 27, I did single process all over color and was blonde. By 40, I had to start darkeningmy hair just to keep it blonde. It was a version of white by that time. That was 20+ years ago. So - I've been coloring grey hair for over forty years. (God, that's depressing.)
Some things I've learned:
Hair color does NOT change the color of your hair! It's only a coating. The coating washes off. It fades.
Keep your expectations reasonable - it's never going to look perfect (unless maybe you can afford Hollywood prices and can get it redone every 3 weeks.)
Some brands work better in grey than others. And what works for you may not be what works best for me. The length of time it's left in to process makes a HUGE difference for me.
If you're doing one color, single process, consider doing it yourself at home using professional quality products from Sally's.
The lighter you go with color, the quicker it washes out. No matter what brand you use. BUT going lighter also helps they grey blend in when the hair color stops sticking to the grey hair. It's a balancing act that requires frequent adjustments as the amount of grey changes.
Highlights help hide the grey as it grows in, but they will washout in 3-4 weeks.
Color protect products help. I personally have not found a difference between cheap and expensive stuff. Not washing your hair every single day with shampoo helps A LOT. Consider just using water and no shampoo as often as reasonable. Chlorine from pools is evil for women who color their hair. Sunlight strips that color away very fast.
Shorter hair is a way better choice for hiding grey. No long strands standing out like Christmas tinsel.
I have not found that the price of the colorist makes a bit of difference. The most expensive dye job I ever got lasted 3 weeks. Where I go now is quite inexpensive, and lasts as long as anything else ever had (which is never long enough).
If you can't deal with the maintenance or the chronically disappointing resuits, let it grow out and enjoy the freedom from the hassle. I did for about 3 years (But I'm back to the frustration of coloring again).
Almost everything you state above is true for me. NYC colorists, to whom I paid mucho dollars, could not keep my color on any longer than anyone I have used here in NC. The things that have helped are color protect shampoos, not washing every day and no chlorine.
The only thing that wasn’t true for me is that shorter hair was easier. I started growing out a pixie since just before I moved here because I have to have all my hair off my face in the heat. The bulk of my gray is on the top, front and side of my face. So, with pixie that had bangs and sideburns I was cutting, coloring ever 3-4 weeks if I could stand it.
I agree about the highlights helping but not as much when you are a very dark ash brown with olive skin.
Many of the lighter shades simply don’t work with my coloring.
Funny how I now understand why my late Mom never bothered with this. She started going gray at 19
and colored it for a short time in my childhood. However, she tossed in the towel while still quite young and was salt and pepper most of her life. Yes, she presented older than her years but was very beautiful nonetheless.
For me, I have to be willing to suffer with some color on my face to get a really good gray coverage on my forehead/around my face. If the colorist does not put it on thick/well enough there, you will see regrowth REALLY quickly.
I slather my face in vasoline prior to my appointment so that the "face color" can be removed fairly quickly and easily.
I really think you need to call your current salon/stylist, and find out what brand of dye they’re using. If your hair is like mine, they can leave it on until the cows come home but certain brands just won’t stay in my hair more than a few days. Depending on that, I can recommend a few stylists I’ve gone through who I really liked, but had to leave bc their salons used color lines that just don’t work for me, regardless of how awesome the stylists are.
Aveda- Stephen at Von Kekel North Hills
Goldwell- Atomic Salon (dt Raleigh). I think they may have switched to a different line, so would be best to double-check. I can’t remember my stylists name from here, but it was first chair on the right.
Currently seeing Maggie at Gabriel Ryder (dt Ralegh) and she’s been great, and the color sticks! Pretty sure she uses Joico.
I was going to Alter Ego (dt Raleigh) before my current stylist left there, and was very impressed watching the other stylists. If you think their products might work, I think they have some really good stylists there, and the salon space is awesome. Plus they serve beer from Trophy. 👍🏼
I really think you need to call your current salon/stylist, and find out what brand of dye they’re using. If your hair is like mine, they can leave it on until the cows come home but certain brands just won’t stay in my hair more than a few days. Depending on that, I can recommend a few stylists I’ve gone through who I really liked, but had to leave bc their salons used color lines that just don’t work for me, regardless of how awesome the stylists are.
Aveda- Stephen at Von Kekel North Hills
Goldwell- Atomic Salon (dt Raleigh). I think they may have switched to a different line, so would be best to double-check. I can’t remember my stylists name from here, but it was first chair on the right.
Currently seeing Maggie at Gabriel Ryder (dt Ralegh) and she’s been great, and the color sticks! Pretty sure she uses Joico.
I was going to Alter Ego (dt Raleigh) before my current stylist left there, and was very impressed watching the other stylists. If you think their products might work, I think they have some really good stylists there, and the salon space is awesome. Plus they serve beer from Trophy. 👍🏼
I have found this to be true as well. Goldwell is not the best on my hair although it tends to be what the “better” salons use. The colorist I use now uses JOICO and it has been the best on my hair. He leaves it on at least 40 minutes too. Color charts vary from brand to brand too and that has also been a factor since I try very hard to keep the brassy tones at bay.
my wife fought that battle for 2 years.
thousands in a losing cause.
the GRAY will Rise Again.
Truth!
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