Tips on how to deal with colour on very dark hair going grey

[Sunbeam18]

I have very dark brown hair that I get coloured (roots) at hairdresser every four weeks or so. After two weeks the roots are really showing so am not sure what to do as colouring at hairdresser is too expensive as it is. What does everyone do at this stage?? Dye at home kits no longer seem to cover the grey. I'm 42 so def not ready to embrace the grey...

[FeijoaSundae]

Sorry, no advice, but bumping and marking place.

[Stinkersmum]

Have you thought of having some highlights or balayage? I have dark hair and a mallon streak. I have a t of foils so that when the roots of the grey grow back it's not so obvious.

[jesspip]

I have exactly the same problem. I buy a root touch up kit when it gets bad and I can't afford to go back to the salon. But this only really does my main parting and a couple of other partings. It's ok tho until I go back for the full works. It at least tho halves the cost.

[FirstOfficerDouglasRichardson]

I had highlights and have gone lighter and lighter to the extent I'm now blonde.
By having highlights you get less of an obvious regrowtg and it blends in better.

[dazzlingdeborahrose]

I've bitten the bullet and started going lighter. Same as you. Dark hair and after about three weeks, I had the Malden streak straight down the parting . I spoke to my hairdresser about it. We started by adding some highlight around the parting to break up and blend the grey. Then we gradually put more highlights through my hair til we reached a point we were both happy with. I'm now lighter of hair but not blonde and I can go five weeks without a touch up.

[sandgrown]

I use Nice and Easy root touch up between salon visits but I believe there is s New Charles Worthington product out . I have heard of another one which is called Wow I think.

[Fabulassie]

If the salon can cover the grey, then it's possible. I am in the same boat and I just use L'Oréal Preference. I still need to redo in three weeks but I save a lot of money. My colour is so dark I'm not sure if I can go lighter, although it's crossed my mind to try. There are non bleach removers that don't damage the cuticle, but very dark dye stains the cuticle. Since my hair is quite long, I know the ends will be very stained. I have considered seeing how light I can get it then easing into something lighter.

[bonzo77]

Going lighter looked crap on me. I went cold turkey on the colour, had a shorter cut and a year later I was my natural salt and pepper all over.

[bonzo77]

It's not that short. Jaw length graduated bob. Certainly not a pixi crop.

[KissyBoo]

I think you have two options. Go natural which after an awkward grow out stage could look amazing and save you lots of money,time and stress over hair. You can use a tween time crayon to help you through the grow out until it is long enough to pixie.

Otherwise buy some Majirel in your colour (google for images) and mix with 30vol cream peroxide. You can measure out a very small amount of 10 ml Majirel /15ml cream Peroxide and use a make up/small paint brush to go over the roots. Leave it for 30 mins to develop. It's the only stuff that covers my resistant whites. I get about a week with L'oreal Excellence before it just washes off. I think mine us uniquely resistant mind!

I think grey hair can look stunning but have always felt shit during the grow out, redyed it and regretted it. It's a hamster wheel this prem grey business.

[SunnySomer]

I had highlights and am currently a kind of ash blonde - couldn't have imagined this in s million years as I'm naturally v dark - but my complexion seems to have changed too. Am now 45, have been highlighted for about 4 years. It actually feels weirdly attractive!

[Bakeoffcake]

I'm in the same position and usually use the root touch up colour. It's Okish. I've ordered some of the Charles Worthington spray as that seems less faff than having to do the tough up.

I do agree though that it's so depressing when you spend a fortune getting a lovely cut and colour and 5 weeks later the grey strip is spoiling it

[jalopy]

I've got medium brown hair that I dye regularly because I have so much grey coming through. I need to use Nice & Easy every 2-3 weeks without fail.

I'm intrigued as to how you sucessfully go grey if, like me, your eyebrows are naturally dark brown.

[AggyMoo]

I dye my roots at home, but started using a colour a shade lighter about 18 months ago and have gradually started going lighter and lighter (to about a chestnut brown) over that time, as the dark dye had started to look a bit aging.

Going lighter gradually from the roots has worked for me, as I also had balyage done about a year go (painted in, subtle highlights), so the effect has been that I have gradually gone from a block colour of very dark brown to a more chestnutty colour with some light in it.

[IfAtFirstUDontSucceed]

I'm 35 and found my first grey hair at 21 :( I now think I'm pretty much all grey and am forever battling with my roots.
I hate dying my hair, I find it such a chore. I treated myself to having it done by the hairdresser once, such a waste of money as my greys started appearing days later.

That Charles Worthington spray is good for emergencies, but it's a tiny can for apx £10. It's messy, makes your hair feel like it's got paint on and makes your bath/shower filthy when you wash it out!

I'm toying with the idea of starting to go lighter to try and make the greys less obvious when they grow back in.

[Sunbeam18]

Thanks everyone. Think I'll give the Charles Worthington spray a go. I bought the Colour Wow black powder a while ago but it was hopeless and I'm now selling it on eBay. I think I will have to go lighter but it's a pain because my skin hadn't changed tone yet and I still suit very dark hair best. The highlights idea is a good one to go lighter gradually and hopefully blend the greys better.

[skylerwhite1]

im a big root touch up fan. Get my hair permanently coloured every 12/14 weeks, but need to do it every 3 weeks. In between colours I use Root T U in any mid to dark brown colour, Ive never been disappointed or shocked with the result. Its around £6 for a pack in Tesco.

[Sunbeam18]

How long do you leave the colour on, Sky?

[BritabroadinAsia]

Sunbeam, I did find the Wow product worked, but so far have only ever used it for evenings out when the roots were just beginning to show. Hope the Charles Worthington product works better - haven't tried that.

Nice n Easy root touch up is great - IF you can get someone else to help, as having done it a few times myself I hadn't realised there were big patches behind my ears that I'd missed and showed when I tied my hair up. DD1 is in training.

It sounds as though you are a bit darker than me, and I can't imagine how much lighter I could go without looking ridiculous. So sadly, I fear us brunettes who don't want to surrender are destined to bankrupt ourselves and spend way too long at the hairdressers. Please report back if you come up with a good solution.

[BritabroadinAsia]

In response to how long you leave the Root Touch up on for - I always do for a few minutes longer than they say (possibly unwise, but am determined to kill the greys).

[Want2bSupermum]

I go to the hairdresser once a month and do my roots in between. Can't go light as I have rosacia and the redness of my skin looks better with ash brown colors. I have a couple of wiry greys that I don't know what to do with.

[Fabulassie]

I am always abashed when I do my own colour and then go back to the salon. Although they've always been nice about it, I figure they think I'm cheap and should just have £100 or so every three weeks. I haven't gone to the salon in months and I'll eventually go back for a trim, at which point I'll just explain I'm too skint to pay to get it coloured. I know they'll understand (or at least not say anything to me.)