Jackie in NE Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I'll be 50 this year. :glare: I guess it's not so much that I mind being 50.... I just don't like looking so OLD! I have very dark brown hair with LOTS of gray. I always thought I would just grow old gracefully..... but I'm resisting with every fiber of my being! :D My gray isn't pretty. I have these lovely (NOT) Cruella Deville streaks that just look freaky. So last year I bit the bullet and started coloring. $55 every 4 weeks or so. Yikes! That's not really where I want to spend my $$. But dh and dc like my non-gray hair, and so do I. So here's the question..... Do you go to a salon for your hair color? Or do you DIY? If you DIY, which products have you found to work well, and which do you stay away from? I would love to get this job done more inexpensively. I don't want to stop coloring... I just feel guilty, with all our other, more important financial needs, spending that much $$ :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCoffeeChick Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I do mine at home (about once a month) with Garnier Fructise coloring. Costs about $6 -$7 a box. I color it to the color that is as close to my natural color as possible (which is the darkest brown you can get without going black), that way I don't have root lines when it starts to grow out, except, of course, where there are grays. Everyone always complements me when I tell them I do my own dye job because they say it looks natural. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy in Indy Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 My bf is a former stylist so she does my hair for me. (Bless her!) We use Herbatint, an organic product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaAkins Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I'm a DIY color girl. Actually, I usually get my mom to put the color in my hair if she's over. It's easier to have someone else do the back! I just use L'Oreal Preference or L'Oreal Excellence Creme, depending on what's on sale or whether I have a coupon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I used to do it myself, but I got a comment once from a stylist that it's noticeable that I do it myself because I have a lot of hair and the color wasn't even. So, she did give me some tips on how to do a better job myself, but that was the last straw. I hated doing it myself. It's messy and time consuming, etc. I just decided to go to a salon. Yes, it's expensive, but I do so little for "just me" that I do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I get mine done at a salon. The guy who does it loves to discuss the science of hair products, so we spend a lot of time having nerdy discussions about pH, hair follicle biology, and whatnot. It's actually a pretty fun experience, plus I don't get permanent color so I only go in about every 8-12 weeks, depending on whether I've been in a lot of low pH situations :tongue_smilie: Two things he's pointed out to me: Products that are formulated to cover grey are sort of bland-looking as far as color goes. This has to do with how they need to color the hair shaft. He always mixes colors (sort of like going to Sherwin Williams for a custom color) since that gives more depth to the color. Again, if you were getting this info from him it would be with a discussion of how the hair shaft is pigmented (with possible bonus info on the relative molecular size of various colors' pigments). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 :bigear: I'm not even 30 and I am so sick of dying my hair. At 4 weeks, I get comments about how terribly gray I am. :glare: I have been trying to go to Sally's and mix the color and developer myself (vs. buying a box, recommended here) but I am still trying to find a color that lasts longer than 2 weeks. I did buy something that's specially formulated to cover gray and while it seems to work initially to cover more, it doesn't make the color stick any longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Princess Peach Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I use Nice n' Easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaT Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I use Feria and do it myself at home. I am 48 with medium brown hair and LOTS of gray. I usually get one shade lighter than my natural color, because it always turns out darker on my hair than it looks in the picture on the box. If it's too dark, it makes me look old and washed out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom in High Heels Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Before Han Solo came along I went to the salon to have it done. I've been doing it myself for a while now and don't like it. The color isn't bad, but it looks so much better when done at a salon and there's no mess for me. I decided recently that I'm going to start going back to the salon. I don't care how much it costs. I have very, very thick, long hair (just below my bra strap) and it usually cost me €70-€100 (approx $100-$130). It is expensive and unfortunately my hair grows really fast so I have noticeable roots and gray (grey?) about every 4 weeks, which means I'm spending about $1200/year. Egads! I'm worth every penny though. James Bond agrees because he is a smart man. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I go to Sally's. I buy a standard lift peroxide and some 'grey magic' (grey hair is colour resistant), my colour and do it myself. it's pretty easy actually. I can do my own hair for about 7$ a month. I spend more like 10 because I get a few extras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jackie in NE Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 Thanks for all the tips and product names. I HAVE to try this myself. It's just hair, right? It'll grow out...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilymax Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I also DIY color my hair, but I MUCH prefer having it done at a salon. I use whatever product is on sale and/or I have a coupon for. I also use a highlighting kit to add more dimension to the color. Usually it turns out OK. People are usually surprised to hear I cut and color my own hair--but I have curly hair, so it's more forgiving. I am sure I could not get away with it if I had straight hair that showed all my scissoring flaws and uneven color! I also use the root-touch-up kits between coloring sessions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laughing lioness Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 DD, who is getting a cosmetology degree this year has been doing it at her school for me this year. I get 1/2 off as her mom and it's already cheap cuase it's at a school. I get a foil. It's about $20 something and lasts several months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I am just now starting to get a few silver hairs here and there. I have no intention of coloring them. The only coloring I have done so far is a few bright fushia streaks and I can see myself doing something like that again some day but that is about it. My poor dd (the 26 year old) has had silvers hairs for years now. She gets it from her father's side of the family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Occasionally Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I used to dye my hair when I was in college, but as soon as I realized that I was beginning to go gray in my early 20s, I stopped :001_huh: I didn't ever want to feel like I *had* to dye it. Now I have large gray streaks on my temples and sprinklings throughout. I'm 38. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I use Garnier Nutrisse hair color and love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monarch Room Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I go to the salon. I'll probably die my hair until I'm in the grave :) I started graying at around my 30th birthday. My hair is naturally very dark, so it's difficult to get it looking natural if I do it myself. I tried it once, but never again. It looks witchy if I do it myself, and flat. I hate the mess of doing it at home. It's worth every penny to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I do mine at home with L'oreal. I've had it done professionally in the past, but it's more convenient and so much cheaper to do myself. I am having a bit of trouble lately getting it even. I think my hair has gotten long enough that I need to be using two bottles of color. Still much cheaper to do it myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raceNzanesmom Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I'm 48. I've been doing mine at home for about 15 years. I like Garnier and L'Oreal. My new absolute fave is the Garnier foam. So easy, covers nicely, gives nice tones to my natural color and gray, color stays true for the full four weeks. Best of all- $8. :D I like the L'Oreal and John Frieda foam too, but the Garnier is my fave. Not a fan of Nice & Easy. For the same price, other products give better results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coffeegal Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I use Garnier Nutrisse hair color and love it. :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Some 15 years ago when the gray started, my stylist glossed it every 8 weeks and it did enough to tone it down and keep it smooth. Then we went to basically one income, and I went to doing it myself to save $ and time. I have no regrets. The problem is that the texture of the gray is so much different than my regular hair, going gray means styling problems galore. I currently use L'Oreal Preference but may try Garnier. I am finding that it fades sooner than it once did, but I'm still basically happy. It takes me about an hour, and I can do it whenever I have the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-rap Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I use Garnier and L'Oreal, but L'Oreal Preferences is my favorite. About once every year or so, I have it done at a beauty salon. But really -- I think I can do it just as well myself. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 mostly I do mine at home---if I'm wanting to do a new shade or something that I think I need help with I'll go to the salon but mostly I just do it myself at home.....I need to do a touch up soon.... :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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