Do You Dye Your Hair Yourself?

I don't dye my own any more. It was tragic. Professionally done only.

All of my friends that have mostly gray hair will only get it done professionally now. The store dyes just aren't made properly for gray hair and don't work the same way as they do for colored hair.

No way. I have little to no gray, I like to play with color and I only leave that to a professional.

Yes. With henna. Easy. Every six weeks or so.

I use Light Mountain henna - I get it at Whole Foods. It costs about $6 a box, and because my hair is short, one box treats it twice. The color lasts about six weeks. I use red - it suits my skin tone and I end up with auburn hair and the grey becomes copper highlights.
It's easy. You mix the henna with boiling water, let it sit and cure in the bowl for a couple of hours, than apply to your hair, cover with a shower cap for twenty minutes, hop in the shower, and rinse it out.

SO glad you decided to do it! Nothing ages a woman more than a sour expression and a head full of grey hair! I have been dying my hair since I was a teenager. Back then it was just for fun but now, I have to because of the grey streaks! Try to pick a color close to your own and er on the side of caution and pick one shade lighter. The browns tend to go darker than you think, especially if you color over existing color. A woman I worked with was about your age and her hair was black and she looked awful!! Unless you are African American, Asian, or Latin, go lighter. I use Perfect 10 and I think it works really well. I avoid the foams, they make my hair puffy and staticy.

It really depends what your natural color is/was. I'd stick to something very close to your natural color if you're going to do it yourself. I really think darker colors are easier to get right. I'm a pale blond naturally, and there's no way I could do it myself and have it turn out right (however, I only have to have my color touched up every 8 weeks, so the cost is not outrageous). Likewise, I think it can be tough for redheads as well - it's hard to get a natural-looking red.

I think I would suggest going to a good salon to get your hair dyed the first time. Tell the stylist you'd like to economize and do some of the touch-ups yourself, and see what s/he recommends for you. This way, you will start off with a good color, and hopefully a specific recommendation for how to keep it up.

Yes, all the time.

Stick to a shade lighter or a shade darker than your natural color. It can be difficult to dye blonde hair.

As to how often, it really depends, usually 6 to 8 weeks.

I use clariol. I don't like the foam. I tried Loreal once, big mistake. My hair was a plum color for a week until it washed out a little.

Try to see if you can find a girl friend to give you a helping hand. Make sure you have extra gloves.

I use the Fiera brand from Sallys along with the packet for hard to cover gray and a toner for red. If I don't use the packets the color washes off within three weeks. There are two colors that I use to make a color that I liked by all.

It is easy to use just make sure you have your work area covered so that the dye does not stain. Also keep a set of clothes as your hair color clothes so that you don't ruin anything favorite.

Being a bit older I now try for a shade or two lighter to blend in the gray and to give me a younger look versus the hard look that black hair gives to older skin tones.

the other S.

I have dyed my hair for almost 20 years. I treat myself about once a year to a professional color. I have used many colors, I went auburn for a while, dark brown, light brown, and even had blonde highlights at one time. It's really a preference choice. If you want a change, don't be afraid to try a temporary color, they usually wash out in 6-8 shampoos. If you're just wanting to cover the gray, you can use a semi-permanent or permanent color. Most these days are ammonia free. I like the Feria line. Whatever color and brand you choose, make sure to get a good color-protecting shampoo. I recently discovered sulfate-free shampoo and love it!!!!

I color it myself and have for about 20+ years. I use Loreal because I'm worth it! =) I'm light auburn. I have to color every 3 to 4 weeks. Red is very hard to keep up. I indulged myself a couple of weeks ago and put blond highlights in (professionally done). Looks really nice. I find coloring very easy. I do have to be careful because right now I have a big stain on the carpet in my bathroom. I know carpet in the bathroom, yuck! I also color my daughter's hair. She is learning but gets lazy and wants me to do it. She is 24.

I'm 56 with about 5% grey plus a white stripe in front like Cruella DeVille.

I use Colorsilk, per recommendations here on Mamapedia. My hair is black. I color the grey with Med. Brown, which blends with the highlights my stylist puts in once or twice a year for me.

In the beginning, I used Natural Instincts semi-permanent color so I could wash it out if necessary. And it was, once when I tried a wine red color that turned pink in the sun. Now I use permanent color about once a month. Easy since I just do the top where the new grey is coming in.

Like me, you might find it easier to start out having a stylist apply permanent color all over, then you can touch up the roots yourself every few weeks.

It all depends on your natural hair colour. If it's black, no matter how "temporary" it says it is, it will not wash out easily, due to the violet tints to make the black dyes. Go for the lightest black shade they have, and do some test strands(you will most likely lose a bottle doing so). Get cheap kids barrettes with different colours and make a notebook with colours and how long you left in with which colour. tie and pin the bulk of your hair up, then do test strands close to the scalp(so the bulk will hide your tests). Time the sections five ten, fifteen, and the maximum time they have you leave it in for, then wash out and compare. Circle your perfect shade time and process your hair a week later(gives the test bits time to relax).

If not black, then go for a shade to two shades above your natural hair colour, and test to see how you like it. You can always go darker later, but going lighter is a PitA!

I dyed my hair after the sun bleached it from black to auburn red one summer(I blame heavy chlorine in the pools). I tried also to cover the white streaks that have always been in my hair(since I was about four or five), but I have found they will not take a dye. I even went to a professional to have her do it, and the white did not take a dye.

Because my hair is naturally that dark blue black, and has some auburn lowlights in it, I got Clairol nice n easy wash out dye in Natural Black, and processed it for the maximum time to get the same effect as five minutes with Blue Black.
My sisters friend is a stylist, and told me the above information on black dye, and when I called Clairol later about the nice n easy, they said the same thing. I actually helped a friend of mine give herself some black streaks in her red hair with the washout, and they were there until she cut her hair a year later(she washes her hair daily, and twice daily if swimming).

Oh, I also recommend getting two boxes more than you need of the dye(to make sure you have enough--my hair is thick, coarse, and down to my waist, so I need three to four boxes. This prevents you not having enough to finish.). I also kept the extra boxes for root control. Usually, if your hair is drastically different in colour, you need to touch up every four weeks.

Invest in cheap alligator clips(to hold the top layers until you are ready to apply dye)and long wide tooth throwaway combs(you generally can find cheap ones at Walmart). It's good for separating sections so you can apply the dye. Box of latex gloves(those plastic gloves were always so flimsy for me) if you plan on doing it often, and a box of shower caps(not all companies come with them). A large black towel because it's good for bad hair days...;p Junky shirt and pants to avoid ruining clothing from accidental spillage. If you have lady friends that dye their hair, you can have a "dye party". I help my friend colour her hair, and afterward, we have pizza and chick flicks(the menfolk keep an eye on the kiddos, or take them to the Playplace for a special treat--yes, my kid only goes to McD's for a treat). I don't colour mine anymore, as I donate, and also the dye doesn't take on what I wanted to use it for.

Hope this helps.

I henna my hair about once every 8 weeks.
My hair is brown with a little grey.
The henna gives me an auburn color with coppery highlights.
It's not as quick as a boxed dye, but I love coloring my hair with henna mixed up with vinegar.

I used to. Not to cover gray, but just to have fun. It wasn't hard. Sometimes I could have used a friend to tell me I missed a spot. I picked what I liked, usually something not too far off from my hair - a darker brown, black, or dark red. Usually. If you're going to make big change, it's probably worth it to consult an expert the first round. I've used several brands, but I think the one I used most was Natural Instinct.

I get mine done. I haven't for a while since I'd been pregnant and am now breast feeding.

I suggest you get it professionally done, at least just once, since you want color that matches your own the best and is flattering. You can manage the re-dying yourself after.

I tried once and it was NOT good. I have strawberry blonde hair and learned quickly that just because it says strawberry blonde on the box and looks like a good match, it won't necessarily turn out that way. I ended up with Ronald McDonald red!

I now pay to get it professionally done and the stylist is able to match it exactly to my real hair color (before I started going grey).

I use L'Oreal Preference in a shade very close to my own, slightly lighter. My hair is very short, so I use half the liquid in the bottle and half the paste in the tube and mix it in a paper cup and then use a stiff painting brush to apply it thickly to the grey areas first, and then "paint" the rest over the remaining areas. You wait for 30 minutes and take a shower and you are done. I get my hair cut every 5-6 weeks and color it right after my cut. I find that darker shades tend to make me look older. If your hair has a tendency to get reddish (and if you do not like that) look for a shade that has "ash" in the name. You can also go to the maker's websites since most of them have a "find my shade" questionnaire that will ask about your natural color, thickness and length of hair, what color you desire, and will recommend a product. Try this one:http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/default.aspx#/?page...
IMPORTANT- make sure to do the allergy test the night before - you mix a little color and put it inside your elbow on sensitive skin. I was allergic to Clairol products but can use L'oreal.

I have never dyed my own. Your hair stylist will help you pick the best color for you - try to stay away from all-over color and simply go with a hi and low light that is very natural and not but a shade lighter and darker than your natural. I am able to wait 10 weeks between colors, or even longer if I wish, since I do such a natural color to begin with. I am 33 with long hair.

I get Natural Instinct at Target, and pick something close to what my color "should" be (LOL). It's pretty easy and I've been happy with the results. I do it about every 2-3 months depending on how fast my hair is growing and how faded it starts looking.

I have been dying my hair for many years. I have dark blonde hair and so I used to have it highlighted at a salon when I was younger to liven it up. As I began to get some grey, the highlighting didn't work to cover the grey. My hairdresser would dye my hair a slightly lighter shade all over to cover the grey. About 15 years ago, it became increasingly difficult for me to get an appointment when I needed it and I was short on money, so I tried doing it myself.

I experimented first with temporary color until I found a shade that I liked. Temporary color lasts for several weeks, but at least you are not stuck with it. The more you wash your hair the sooner it fades. Once I felt comfortable with the temporary color, I switched to permanent color. I now use Nice n Easy by Clairol 103A. It is best to use a color that is slightly lighter or slightly darker than your natural shade. Avoid any color that has "Ash" or "Golden" as these may give you a brassy color. I use the ones that say "Neutral" like Medium Neutral Blonde. Even so, the first few days after dying, my hair may have a bit of a brassy look. So, I usually try to plan to dye my hair at a time that I don't have anything important to go to for a few days. I have to dye my hair much more often than they recommend. I usually touch up the roots every three to four weeks. I only apply the color to the roots that are exposed like my part and around my face and don't put it all over even for a few minutes like the instructions say. This process has worked very well for me for many years and I often get compliments on the color of my hair. Many people don't even seem to realize that it is colored.

I am so glad you asked this question. I have been finding the answers very interesting! I had very "golden blonde" hair as a child. It started getting darker as I entered my 20's (still blonde, but not quite as golden - more a dark blond). I have been dying my hair since my mid 30's and I use the "Ash Blonde" product, so it was interesting to see the comments on ash blonde. All of the other blonde boxes just aren't very close to my natural color. The ash blonde is actually darker than my natural color. The main issue that I have with dying my hair is that it makes my hair a monotonous color (whereas my natural hair has lots of different variations on it - which you can especially see in the sun). I have a red-headed grandfather and a super white haired dad, but my mom actually has dark hair. So, my brother and I ended up with kind of unique blond hair - it's hard for me to find a bottle that is what I would consider the right color. So, I played around with a few different colors when I started out. Unfortunately, even though the box looked fairly blonde to me, they were WAY darker than my natural color (my skin is very fair with a red tint to it), so the dark color looked horrible on me. I finally settled on the Ash Blonde and have been using it for probably 6-8 years. I color my hair every 6 weeks or so (I'm about 50% grey with short hair, so the roots start getting bad). Ironically, most people think my grey hair is my natural highlight (it's not a true grey color - it's more of a "white" color). So, I feel like I am blessed to have lighter color hair. But, I see it as grey and I personally can't stand it. So, for me personally, when I color my hair, I feel like I get a monotonous color and then as my hair grows and I get the greys, they are kind of like highlights and make my hair lighter over the course of the 6 weeks.

I also do use a highlight kit every so often (mostly in the spring and summer) in addition to the color.

Oh, and I didn't see anyone mention this... I have a "hair color" t-shirt that I put on when I color my hair. If it gets any drips, I don't care if it stains. But, I like to put on a shirt so I can walk around and do things while the color is sitting in my hair. Then, inevitably, when I pull the shirt off, it will touch my hair and get some of the dye on it. So, it is definitely a "I don't care what happens to this shirt" shirt.

Good luck!!
L.

My favorite drug store hair dye kit is the Garnier cream color. My mother and I use the same color, it's #73 Honeydip and is a very soft warm blonde, almost strawberry blonde. My natural color is a dirty dishwasher ash blonde, and my mom's natural color is light brown with a lot of gray. The Garnier kit is super easy to use, and covers gray very well. My mom likes it especially because it is light enough that when he gray roots grow out they aren't very obvious.

I've never had my hair dyed professionally. I went to a beauty shop/store such as Sally's and told them I wanted to color my hair. They told me which product to use and how to use it. The products were ones used by professionals. I dyed my hair for several years and never had any difficulty except for getting things stained.

As I recall I had to dye it every 6 weeks or so. Nowadays they have touch up kits for the roots which makes keeping up with the color much easier.

When I first started getting grey I had my hair frosted. I tried doing that myself but found pulling hair thru a rubber cap too tedious and went back to having it professionally done. Because the colors vary I only had to have that done every couple of months.