STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

bloomie · Marc Jacobs

at home hair color question

Boots · Gucci

I remember when you had that awful experience with the colorist. I don't blame you for being careful to protect your hair's health.

I color my own hair because of grays. I've never actually had a salon do it, so I can't compare the two types of hair processing. However, I've never had any problems with damage to my hair and I've been using a store bought kit for over 10 years now. As long as you follow the directions on the box, you should be fine. Of course, if you want highlights, a store kit is probably not for you. The color can be a bit flat (my hair has natural highlights that peek through so I don't mind using the boxed kit.)

If you want to eek out a couple of extra weeks between colorings, I use Clariol's Touch Up on my roots. It blends into your hair and covers the roots until you can dye the whole head. It usually give me an extra 2 weeks before I have to dye all of my hair again. I like to think that it's beter for my hair to only dye a little bit of it than do the whole head every month or so.

bloomie · Marc Jacobs

Thank you so much. What brand do you use? Also, what do you do about split ends? That is the one thing that stresses me. I know I need to get split ends trimmed, and I love the way this girl does that, but I feel guilty about continuing to go to her to dust my ends while I am doing my hair color.

Boots · Gucci

I don't feel guilty at all using the stylist to cut or trim my bangs while coloring my own hair. I'm paying & tipping her for her work. I used to go to the same woman for the last 12 years, but she recently moved away and now I'm sort of trying out new places. I'll admist, I hate getting my hair cut and I dred having to make small talk with a new stylist. I tend to get trims every 5 to 7 weeks. When I get it cut next Saturday, I'm going on week 8 and I really need a trim badly. Personally, I try to get my hair trimmed before I dye it. I figure why should I color hair that's just going to get snipped off anyway?

I've used Garnier Nutrisse #535 for at least 6 or 7 years now. It's the shade closest to my natural hair color. I do have to color every 4-5 weeks because the grays around my temples begin show (I get concentrated patches instead of all over gray hair.) I've been coloring my own hair since I turned 29 and I'm 40 now. I tend to get compliments on my hair and the color so I'm pretty sure it's healthy.

bloomie · Marc Jacobs

Thank you so much. I think I am going to go for it and just start doing my own color again. I have been looking at L'Oreal Preference in Light Amber Brown, but I had not thought of the Nutrisse. I will check that out.

Boots · Gucci

Honestly? I think most brands are pretty much the same. I'd go with which ever one has the shade that you like best.

bloomie · Marc Jacobs

Boots,

May I trouble you with one more question? I have been researching different shades of red and have about decided to do my hair in either Revlon Colorsilk's True Auburn (level 5) or Medium Auburn (level 4). I have decided that I want to be more red than brown. My only concern is that I don't want to shock myself to much when I see red hair, so I thought I might use the True Auburn and then if I like it, use the Medium Auburn the next time. The Medium is a little more intense than the True Auburn. Again, I worry about damage, though. How much damage does one sustain when dyeing over another color? I know that when you are using the same color you just do the roots and then pull it through the rest of the hair for like 5 minutes to refresh, but to change colors I will have to do my whole head. Thank you so much for your help.

Boots · Gucci

I'm not an expert, but I personally wouldn't die my hair 2x close together. If you wait a month - 6 weeks or so, I would assume that it wouldn't matter what shade it was, dye is dye. Red fades very quickly from what I've been told. I would guess that gradually building up to the color that you want would be a good thing (from what I've read, this is how they do dark to blonde.)

I went to a new stylist last month and she commented that I must do my own color. I said yes, but I keep it very similar to my actual color and I only do the whole head every other time. She told me that my hair looked extremely healthy and that she wished more of her clients would alternate between touch ups and whole head dying. So that might be something to consider.

Boots · Gucci

You know, just remember that the box instructions it have a touch up set of directions. I never do those. I do the whole head set of directions when I use it. I dye to cover random patches of grey (and since I can't always see all of them, I like to make sure that I hit everything.) But like I said previously, I only do this every 8 weeks and use 1/2 the Touch Up box in between.

bloomie · Marc Jacobs

Thank you so much. You are so helpful. I am definitely going to do a strand test first. I am planning to color it after Christmas so I will let you know how it goes.

Boots · Gucci

Good luck!

bloomie · Marc Jacobs

Boots,
I forgot to ask you if your hair is long or short? I promise this is my last question. I am counting down the days until I color. Thank you for your patience with my many questions.

Boots · Gucci

It's past my shoulders and it's got a tight natural wave to it.

Don't worry about questions. It's normal to be a little anxious about something like this. When I did a strong peel on my face last year, I found out a FB friend of mine also used the same peel (I saw her comment on the company's website.) I was just so relieved to have somebody I knew to ask questions about it, because I was pretty sure half way through that week that I had melted my face off. disbelief She was able to reassure me that it was all going very normal and she was right.

Suasoria · Chanel

I haven't dyed my hair since high school but I personally am still in an "embrace the gray" phase. There's nothing wrong with it and anyway people do not notice it like you think they do. I have dozens of gray hairs, more all the time, and I still get freaking carded.

Boots · Gucci

We all have bits that we just feel better concealing and bits of individuality that we embrace. I, personally, hate my grey patches. They make me feel messy, unattractive and, even though I've had them since I was 25, old. So I dye them to match the rest of my head, But I love the freckles on my face and body. They remind me of my grandmother and are such a part of me that I could never get rid of them. I say if you feel better covering up something that makes you feel self conscious, do it. But remember to embrace what you love about yourself too.

bloomie · Marc Jacobs

Boots wrote:
We all have bits that we just feel better concealing and bits of individuality that we embrace. I, personally, hate my grey patches. They make me feel messy, unattractive and, even though I've had them since I was 25, old. So I dye them to match the rest of my head, But I love the freckles on my face and body. They remind me of my grandmother and are such a part of me that I could never get rid of them. I say if you feel better covering up something that makes you feel self conscious, do it. But remember to embrace what you love about yourself too.

One of the things that has bothered me most about myself is my very pale skin. I tan pretty easily, but I don't get out in the sun because of the possibility of sustaining skin damage. I am 42 and have been told on many occassions that I look like I am in my 20's. I know these people could just be flattering me, but it is nice to hear. disbelief To combat the paleness, I use tinted moisturizer every summer. I HATE IT!!! It comes off on clothing even though I shower the next morning after putting it on at night. It stinks and my legs feel like they stick together all night. One of the reasons I am thinking of dyeing my hair red is because I think it would go with my pale skin better. Somehow red hair and pale skin just seem to match better than brown hair and pale skin--in my mind at least. I think it would help me embrace my skin more. Anyway, that felt good to get off my chest. Thanks for all your help.

bloomie · Marc Jacobs

Suasoria wrote:
I haven't dyed my hair since high school but I personally am still in an "embrace the gray" phase. There's nothing wrong with it and anyway people do not notice it like you think they do. I have dozens of gray hairs, more all the time, and I still get freaking carded.

I agree that I don't notice gray in others as much as in my own hair. I work with a girl who was complaining about all her gray strands and I honestly had not noticed. It was only when she pointed them out to me that I noticed.

Boots · Gucci

bloomie wrote:
Suasoria wrote:
I haven't dyed my hair since high school but I personally am still in an "embrace the gray" phase. There's nothing wrong with it and anyway people do not notice it like you think they do. I have dozens of gray hairs, more all the time, and I still get freaking carded.
I agree that I don't notice gray in others as much as in my own hair. I work with a girl who was complaining about all her gray strands and I honestly had not noticed. It was only when she pointed them out to me that I noticed.

It's true. We notice and can obsess on our own "flaws" while other people barely even register them. That why I say do it to make yourself happy and only you.