Ladies - colour at home hair colours

[TeresaFoodie]

I've been going grey since my late teens, and have been colouring my hair ever since. Colour at home kits usually cost around £5, quadruple that cost if you want to have it done in a salon!

My question is......for those of you home hair colourers, do you always go for advertised top brand kits, or would you be happy to save money on buying unknown cheaper brands? I've seen some permanent kits on sale for £1 in some cheap shops but am not sure! I can do a test, I know, but is it going to be worth the risk of potentially buying an inferior product?

[Zosherooney]

Can't help you there Tezza, I used to use home packs but decided at 50 yrs old to embrace my natural colour and save myself loads of time these days and a shedload of cash....

[PatsyMFagan]

Zosh is lucky that her hair has gone the most gorgeous silvery white .... I have some of that too, but only in streaks at the front; not so attractive at the back. But rather than try to regain my natural colour, I opt for something a bit more striking. I use a range of colour that only costs £4 per bottle ... it's not permanent, so no need for root touch ups ; it just fades out and eventually disappears.. Because my hair is 'fifty shades of grey' the colour takes on a life of it's own and I love it. My £4 bottle lasts me up to 3 sessions .. spread over 3 months, that's not going to break the bank. I have never paid out for an expensive salon colour - that is something I could never justify.

[suffolk]

I used to colour my hair at home but once my daughter had left home I was never able to do it efficiently without her to check that I'd got the coverage right so after that I had it done in a salon, but in a colour not so far removed from my natural one so 'roots' weren't a huge issue. As I got older my hair did that thing of some of it getting darker and some of it going white and eventually after a few years of expensive salon 'cover ups' and root retouches, with retirement and a reduced income a couple of years away I decided to 'embrace the silver' and had a short cut with the aim of looking as near like this as possible

jamie lee curtis.jpg (12.1 KiB) Viewed 1626 times

OK, so I don't quite have her cheekbones , but the number of compliments I've had ever since has been amazing .... now my hair is almost white all over, and I use a shampoo and conditioner (very inexpensive) especially to enhance the tone of grey/silver hair and stop that 'faded blonde' look. Love it, love it, love it .... I'm happy every time I look in the mirror (even with all my other flaws of which there are many ).

I would never use a cheap hair product of an unknown brand ....... my hair is too important to me to risk it .... DD once did so and her hair turned a revolting shade of greenish brown (snot-like) ... she was broke and I spent almost £100 on remedial work for her hair so that she could go to an important job interview and hold her head up. (She got the job so it was worth it). My hairdresser said she got at least one person a month, maybe more, coming into her salon for the first time because a home colour job had gone wrong.

[PatsyMFagan]

I've never had a home colour job go wrong and I also have very healthy, tough, thick hair ... I would love a cut like yours Suffs ..(á la Jamie Curtis), but mine has a life of it's own and would never look like that. Before I was diagnosed with cancer, I used a well known permanent colour brand and was pillar box red ! I got lots of compliments, but it was the root re-touching that was a right pain in the 'arris !

[earthmaiden]

I have never tried a very cheap home colour - it's hard to know if continued use would do any harm. I might try it until I noticed the slightest changes taking place.

I say that because over the past few years I have suffered from something called Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia where you experience considerable hair loss from the front of the hairline across to the back of the head. It started gradually with more hair loss than expected when I washed my hair and my hair was so thick it was two or three years before I realised it was quite serious (and my hairdresser confirmed my hair was still growing but then one day said perhaps I should see a doctor). I am used to it now but was horrified as I adjusted, you really don't realise how important your hair is to you until it starts to go! Anyway, my point is that if you saw the slightest change it would be a good idea to stop then. My condition is almost certainly caused by hormonal changes but it seems they think that the use of certain toiletries can be a factor as well - and not necessarily hair products. They saw a huge rise in the problem in the 80's and 90's in comparison with previous years and have noticed that it coincides with the time when moisturisers, foundation creams and some hair products started to add sun screen to their products. I am very careful about the products I use on my hair now but do still have it coloured (I always used to do it myself but as the grey became more pronounced I found I was missing bits - I too will probably make the change to grey once I have retired and am on lower income). For ages I stopped using all products containing sunscreen (which of course may not be good for someone with fair skin who has already had sun related issues!) then realised that the conditioner I was using contained it

Pat's hair has been a talking point at the last few meets - she always has bits of pink and purple in a 'feathered' look which looked quite professionally done. Yesterday, as she says above, she explained that she just uses colour from one bottle and depending on the colour of the hair the dye lands on (grey, white, brown etc) it creates a very different shade. Certainly worth a try (though if you are job-hunting they don't always like individualism!).

Suffs' hair looks lovely - she has the right kind of face and hair to carry off that style.

[Pepper Pig]

I have a great hairdresser, Duane. He charges me £20 for wet cut (but always dries it anyway) and £30 for a cut and colour. He used to work at a posh salon in Wealdstone where I was charged double that! Now he and his girlfriend have a shop in North Harrow, their own business, and I seem to get mates rates as I've introduced a few new customers.

I love Duane.

[Seatallan]

I have mine coloured professionally (I know I'm in the lucky position of being able to afford it though I only have it done three times per year). I've had the same local hairdresser for years (before I started to go grey) and she colours my hair so well that I've decided the expense is justifiable.

Tezza, I really wouldn't go for a very cheap/unknown product. The potential for it going horribly wrong is immense. Do you have a local tech college or similar? If so, you may be able to get an excellent (cut price) hair dying service from the trainee hairdressers.

[suffolk]

Do you have a local tech college or similar? If so, you may be able to get an excellent (cut price) hair dying service from the trainee hairdressers.

Very good idea Seatallen Tezza's local one is on New Bedford Road (just up the road from my late great aunts' place) and here's the pricelist
http://www.barnfield.ac.uk/wp-content/u ... e-list.pdf

[scullion]

the wash in wash out colours are reasonably cheap - i used to use an 'eight wash' one (to tone down my fringe that started going white first). i used to get three applications or more from the one bottle - until i decided that the white was widespread enough to embrace.
having wanted white hair from when i was little that wasn't a hardship!

i haven't been to a hairdresser since 1995.

[Ratatouille]

I started life as a bland,but always with dark brows and lashes, By my 30s i was very dark and by my 40s I was becoming quire grey. At first I used to have highlights, done by my tame hairdresser who was a beloved ex-pupil. By the time I was 50 I decided it was a fruitless activity and went grey gracefully (i hope). I too use a special shampoo and conditioner for silver hair but I have to import them from the UK. Grey is a no-no in France except these days people often ask who colours my hair

I would never ever use an untested product on my head because I have an extremely sensitive scalp due to a birthmark which has largely disappeared over the years but has to be treated with respect, My latsest hairdresser Laura , is very aware and careful.

[suffolk]

Grey is a no-no in France except these days people often ask who colours my hair

I've had the same comments on several occasions

[TeresaFoodie]

Wow, thanks for these comments!

First of all, you have made my mind up that I should be careful about going for.cheaper products! I suppose that goes for most things really. I wouldn't want my hair damaged. It's one of the only things I have left that isn't!

I've seen the lovely hair of Zosh, suffs and Pat mentioned above! I love the bright colours of Pat and the short, grey look I think is wonderful too! EM - my aunt has the same problem you mention. I think she has it quite bad. I must say I didn't notice anything when I've met you or in the photos of yesterday. My aunt wears a head scarf to cover it up and really does wear it well. I've got my eyes open looking for one to wear on those days where it either looks a bit of a mess, needs cutting or colouring or all three!

Yes, Barnfield is my nearest college which has a training salon. It's right near the Sainsbury's that I regularly go to with my mum. I enquired about a pixie cut recently, no need to blow dry it really, £7 for an absolute junior, bargain! Although I might opt for the next level up! I will have a look at their tariff for colouring. Otherwise I'll stick with my usual brand which is the one currently advertised by Fern Cotton..... Actually, my mum needs a cut too, so today I posed a question to her. Instead of forking out a fortune for meals in Sainsbury's cafe, let's put the equivalent in a pot and when we have enough we can treat ourselves to a mop chop at Barnfield then a coffee in the cafe opposite afterwards.

[WWordsworth]

I use henna.
I buy it in a block from Lush, costs about £12 and lasts about 6 months.
My hair is short.

They stock several shades, I'm currently using one called caca marron.
Spanish speakers may find that amusing.

[TeresaFoodie]

I've never seen Henna on sale and have never been in Lush. I'll have a nose in there next time I am in town as I walk straight past it from the bus.

[Amber]

My hair is almost white on top, and nearly black at the back. So some parts are growing old gracefully....

I have a very sensitive scalp, I can’t use most shampoos and conditioners, but cheap shower gel is perfect. And in the ‘olden days’ so was Sun In. I loved it. My hairdresser was horrified, but as I get my hair cut very short approx every four to five weeks, she understood why a professional colour was too expensive. I would like to be able to buy a temporary lightener, but apparently it’s not possible.

[PatsyMFagan]

First of all, you have made my mind up that I should be careful about going for.cheaper products! I suppose that goes for most things really. I wouldn't want my hair damaged. It's one of the only things I have left that isn't!

Did you use the 2 boxes of colour I sent you Teresa ? They were definitely not cheap ones

[TeresaFoodie]

I most certainly did Pat! They were lovely and the type of brand I would usually use. The second one is just about starting to grow out. They really did me a turn!

[PatsyMFagan]

[TeresaFoodie]

I went for a dark brown permanent colour by Revlon this time round. A well trusted brand i would have thought and only about £2.50 in £stretcher. I'm wondering now if I should colour it before or after I get it cut. Decisions, decisions...

[suffolk]

When I had my coloured professionally they always coloured first, then cut.

[suffolk]

When I had my coloured professionally they always coloured first, then cut.

[Pepper Pig]

I always think that’s a bit of a con. I usually have mine cut about 10 days before I have it coloured. It’s a no no really because I swim every day so my colours don’t last as long as those of normal people . . .

[Pepper Pig]

I always think that’s a bit of a con. I usually have mine cut about 10 days before I have it coloured. It’s a no no really because I swim every day so my colours don’t last as long as those of normal people . . .

[earthmaiden]

I don't really see why it's a con. I doubt it would cost anything different the other way round (unless perhaps if you were having long hair cut short). I imagine its because they wash it after colouring and so then you get a wet cut.

Revlon sounds alright Tezza. Actually, you can sometimes get quite good makes in discount and £ shops.

[TeresaFoodie]

How come some posts are coming through twice? Coincidence or tech issue?

I see it as this. I am going from short to shorter. So in the whole scheme of things it doesn't really matter which comes first. Cut or colour. If I had a good looking gent cutting my hair I might want to get rid of the greys beforehand, but that's unfortunately unlikely!