Dying dark brown hair red

[shelldockley]

I'm bored of my hair and I think I'm going to liven things up by dyeing it red. I want to do home colour because I know I couldn't afford the upkeep with salon colour. So I have a few questions for you.

My hair is medium brown, but dyed dark brown at the moment, my ends are much darker. Will any of the home colours lighten my hair a shade or two, so I can go a brightish red?

I have to use medicated shampoo as I get an itchy scalp otherwise, I normally use Head & Shoulders Colour shampoo but does anyone have any recommendations on shampoos to keep the colour from fading?

Can anyone recommend any brands that are good for covering grey hair? I use Schwarzkopf Poly colour at the moment, Casting doesn't cover the greys, I've tried quite a few others that I haven't liked. Also one that's cheap or often on offer would be handy as I'll need 2 boxes for my long hair, and I have to do it every 4-6 weeks because of the grey roots!

[OneLittleLady]

I think some of the Live Colour XXL dyes lighten hair as well as colour at. I don't think they lighten by much though.

[shelldockley]

Thanks for that, I've just looked at the Live colour website and it sounds like they do lighten hair, maybe I should go gradual and do a dark red first, then work my way up to a brighter red in a few months time!

[StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes]

try using colour b 4 to strip the colour from your dark ends first or I think you will be dissapointed. beware the Live one that does lighten as it will lighten the roots more and leave you with uneven colour

[StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes]

I eventually got the red I wanted by using colour b 4 all over and then a red over what was left, it was lovely for a few weeks but red really fades quickly. investigate the shampoo etc for red hair to try and stop it or use one made for coloured hair.

[shelldockley]

That's what I was thinking re the dark ends, don't want ginger roots and mahogany ends! I found this wash in wash out colour which I thought might be a good top up once a fortnight or something.

www.superdrug.com/superdrug-effects-rich-red-64/invt/400998&bklist=

[ToothGah]

If you want it really red then either use a permanent dye with a bit of lift or strip it back with colour b4 - and then choose a mad red from La Riche.

You can leave La Riche on as long as you like.

My hair is proper red today, last night I used a Color XXL in Real Red before leaving La Riche poppy red on for two hours. It looks like this middle bottom photo