The hair thread

frillyfun

Seconding the salt and pepper.  I like the rugged look.

If you still want to dye it definitely go to Sally's.  They'll set you up with something that will work.  There's also some sort of grey coverage booster that you can add to the mix (I've never used it).

missesnesbit

Grey hair is notoriously more difficult to color. Semi- permanent really isn't going to cut it. Also, using box dye is a mixed bag. It can come out okay, or more often then not it will come out terrible and so far from what you were hoping. The Sally's suggestions are good. I also think choosing a shade lighter then your natural is a good idea. I prefer wella brand when I'm buying at Sally's, And I'd start with a 15 or 20 volume developer to mix with your color. If that still doesn't cover it, It would be good to add a grey buster like someone else already mentioned and using a 30 volume developer should definitely do the trick. It's good to start low though. The lower the volume the better for your hair and the more natural it'll probably look. 

With all of that being said, I'm also in the I "love salt and pepper camp." My husband isn't going grey yet, but if he was I'd try my best not to let him color it. 

missesnesbit

I take back the advice of going with a shade lighter. The more I think about it, I'm remembering there's a chance it will just lighten up your natural hair a bit too... And that's really not what you want. Stick with using the shade closest to your natural. 

forestleaf

Does anyone know the difference between "warmer" color and "natural" color in women's hair color? I've heard that warmer color in blonde has more red than natural color.  Specifically I'm comparing L'Oréal blonde number 8G warmer to blonde 8 natural. My natural color is a dark blonde / very light brown, so I think I'm more likely to get some red out of a blonde hair dye than someone who already has blonde hair.  Hope that makes sense.

Maria

@forestleaf,
from the L'Oréal homepage:
Tone is measured in warm, cool and natural. If you want to add warmth to your hair, go with golden, chestnut or bronze tones. Or, keep it cool with icy, ashy or smoky shades. Shades with “natural” in their name allow your natural color to show through the result and provide the best gray coverage.

"Golden" sounds great, but I found that it tends to turn reddish or brassy, especially after sun exposure. I've however never coloured my hair blonde, only brown, so I am not sure my experience is useful to you.
I'd probably choose the natural tone as it's more likely to blend in with roots showing.

Roses

So how do you all find a really good stylist? I asked a couple friends who look great and their answers were all along the lines of my sis-in-law's best friend in her kitchen, only does friends and family. Not much help!
I usually go to the cosmetology school once a year because the students there are really good at take off no more than one inch at $5. But I think for color I better go a little experienced. I really don't want to go back to half-inch hair! Takes six years to grow it out.

forestleaf

@Maria thanks.  I was going to take the "warmer" back to the store today and swap for "natural" but my H stopped me.  He says he wants me to keep the red tones in my hair.  I actually dyed it red in January, and since then have been playing with different colors.  These blonde dyes do seem to pull red in my hair, and I guess he really likes that.  So, get ready for me to post about another hair debacle in a few days.  I hope not!!  *fingers crossed*

Maria

@forestleaf, it sounds as if you didn't like the red in your hair too much.

forestleaf

@Maria I did red in January, and it was RED red at first, then lots of that color washed out with a clarifying shampoo, turning into a chestnut brown with a hint of red.  My major recent screw-up was a home highlight (big chunk of blonde).  I fixed that.  I don't mind some red (there's red in it now) but I don't like a strong dark red or an orangy red.  I know I'm risking some orangy-ness since I'm using a blonde dye.  This is actually all super complicated because I probably have had like five dye jobs over the past six months.  My goal is to find a home-use dye that I can do myself (easier than going to an expensive salon for four hours every six weeks) and that I like the color.  Then I can just keep buying that home dye.  I just want consistency and to do it myself.  So the quest continues.

Maria

@forestleaf,
the colour build up is definitely going to skew your colour results.
Do you know Colour B4?  It removes all dark pigments and hair colour build-up and gets you back to your natural hair colour.
I'd try that before experimenting with new colour.

CallmeCat

I am thankful my daughter is a hairdresser and she cuts styles, colors and hilites my hair,eyebrow wax the whole nine yards. It is so exspensive to have this all done professionaly and she buys the good products for me to use at the beauty supply. I knew paying for her college would pay off some day

Nicki

Awesome thread - has anyone ever died their hair really vivid blue or violet? I'm looking for brand or product suggestions where the colour doesn't die your clothes when it rains (which is what happened with the die my hairdresser used) 

JellyBean

I asked my stylist for a vivid blue streak last year. Not all my hair, just one streak. She recommended strongly against it and suggested purchasing a colored extension piece from a hair supply store. It turned out great -- I can easily clip it in or remove it with no damage to my natural hair. My natural hair is long and dark brown. 

frillyfun

My coworker has a green streak that was done with the Goldwell line of coloring.  It looks good, but you have to strip the hair so much that it becomes very porous, and she has to touch up the green a lot more than the rest of her hair.

JellyBean's suggestion of a clip-in extension is a really fantastic one.

HildaCorners

Nicki said:

Awesome thread - has anyone ever died their hair really vivid blue or violet? I'm looking for brand or product suggestions where the colour doesn't die your clothes when it rains (which is what happened with the die my hairdresser used) 

My daughter (the cosmetologist) has dyed her hair since middle school. For quite a few years, it's been blue, green and purple.

Last I knew, she used Pravana (?) dye, and left it in for hours/overnight. She also used a protein treatment that helped lock the dye in. Then rinse the dye out, and when the water runs clear, rinse more.

Her hair looks incredible, and when there are no roots, you'd almost swear it grew in those colors!

MsChief

HildaCorners said:

Going pro the first time is the best solution. If you find a good stylist, they'll tell you what they suggest you use when you do it yourself (pro coloring is expensive, stylists are used to people like me who get pro color 1-2 times a year and do our own touch-ups in between).

After doing some research (I am a 5w4, after all!) I use professional color from Sally Beauty. You buy a tube of color and a bottle of developer, mix them correctly, and apply. They make demi-permanent and permanent color (demi is a bit more permanent than semi), and you can mix colors within a line. Developer comes in different strengths; I use a weak one.

You feel a bit like you're playing junior chemist, but the color is much better than drug store box color. And it lasts longer ... you only mix as much as you need, the rest can sit for a year if necessary.

Gray hair is resistant to color ... in the instructions for my tubes, if you're covering gray you mix the dye with more color and let it sit on your hair twice as long.

Actually, to cover gray, you want to use a 20 volume developer, rather than a lesser developer.  20 volume will open up the cuticle enough to get the color in there better.  I am a hair stylist, in case you want credentials...lol.  

HildaCorners

As I said, I'm no expert, my daughter is. I trust the pros.

I don't think I sat in a salon chair from about 1983 to 2013 ... I loved my long fine almost straight hair and did nothing but wash, condition, deep condition. I didn't, and don't own a hair dryer. My ex, who loved my long hair even more than I did, would trim the split ends.

Then the few gray hairs I had multiplied. They grew in coarser and wavy. I looked like I had a white halo surrounding my hair, and it looked awful.

My daughter, then in high school doing brightly colored dye jobs for all her friends*, recommended I color my hair. I was very hesitant, which is why I went with the demi-permanent. It looked pretty good ... until she decided I needed a bit of red, and it was time to go permanent, and I came out looking like a carrot!

I did not get mad at her ... we went to her favorite local salon. $200 later, my hair was a very pretty red-brown, and I was booking a haircut. Still long, a little more polished. I've gone back once a year since (I had zero money until recently) for a cut and color ... expensive and worth every penny, even for a poverty-stricken newly single mom of teens.

Now that I have money (good job) again, I need to book another appointment. And go 3-4 times a year.

* That was when I found out the shower in my kids' bathroom could not get dirty. I think every color in the rainbow, and many others, were rinsed down that drain and the tiles and grout never showed it. I wish I knew what the installer used!

Gracey

Sharing in case this will work for anyone else - I was shocked at how much I like the end result. My natural color is a dark blonde / light brown. About three years ago when my gray became noticeable my hairdresser's suggested dyeing two shades lighter.  The gray picks up enough blonde color to look like I've had highlights added. 

I get the color touched up about every 3 months.