to ONLY dye my roots?

[lbeany]

I found out on here recently that you don't need to use up a box dye in its entirety in one go, people apparently use as needed and close? (Blew my mind).

I am prematurely greying (early 30s, VERY grey, started greying in late teens) and just want to dye my roots. For years I would use 1 (or 2 when long) boxes concentrating on the roots then running through rest of shafts but find the process time-consuming and can be a bit messy. My question is, would it be acceptable to only mix enough dye to dye the roots? I think it would save a lot of time and effort/ less mess / dripping etc. Do any of you do this?

Yes .. the instructions always say to use the entire bottle of mixture, but that's wasteful if you have short hair. So I've always measured out 25ml of each (colour & developer) and mixed them in a little tub and brushed that on to my roots, with one of those stiff colourists' brushes. You can get three root touch-ups out of one bottle of Nice'n'easy!

I’ve been using those root touch up kits in between dyes at the hairdresser. My hairdresser said it’s much more cost effective to do just what the PP described, and use a normal box dye a bit at a time.

I actually have long (ish) hair, down to my bra line, but only interested in the approx 1inch roots being dyed. I have always used 50-75% of the dye for this then with the rest run it through the lengths. So I can dye just the roots and leave the rest of my hair "dry" while it develops?

Having said that, if you are very grey (like me!) I would definitely recommend going to a hairdresser and getting it done professionally. My hair is in much better condition now than when I used the box dyes, and the colour is much more natural. I just use the box dye on the roots occasionally for when I’m between appointments and can’t stand the grey stripe any more!

I do that. I mix it up in a bowl and then use a hair dying brush to apply to my roots and it works for me. I have A LOT of hair so use nearly all of the box and then tip the rest in bin and wash up bowl and brush in sink with fairy liquid (need to give sink a really good clean afterwards otherwise it stains).

These are the bowl and brushes that I use, I’m happy with them.

3Pcs Hair Colouring Tools, Gezimetie Hair Dyeing Tool Set, Brush Double-sided Coloring Comb and Bowl Set Kit DIY Salon (3PCS) amzn.eu/d/6be5oLL

Done it for years. I just mix a bit of each bottle into a plastic tub and put it on with a brush about 20 mins before I wash my hair in the shower. It can't be good for your hair to keep applying permanent colour over it.

I'm not really very grey, probably 25% grey at the top/sides (less so at the back) but I have naturally very dark hair so the grey is so noticeable. I suppose when I said "very" I meant for my age, I feel like most my age have a few strays at worst whereas if I didn't dye it would be quite salt and pepper.

Thanks everyone. I am so excited for this whole process to take just an hour or so rather than all afternoon!

I use a third of a bottle of nice and easy root touch up each time I do my roots, I mainly use it on my temples area and parting. Every couple of months I’ll use a whole bottle and do all my roots. Once or twice a year I dyeit all over.

I do this with my Esalon colour, and it means I get two goes out of each one. I don't have grey and the dye is only a couple of shades brighter than my natural hair (which used to be bright copper but has faded as I've got older) so it's dead easy and not that noticeable if I miss the odd bit, but it probably saves me £100 a year

I'm currently sitting with dye in my roots. I didnt realise so many of you do this! My worry was (is) it coming out uneven / not looking as uniform as if it was all to be dyed at the same time. I'll wash in half an hour so.. lets see if it looks any different to all the other times I've dyed it...

I buy professional dye and developer and just mix up the amount i need for my roots.

@Oopsiedaisyy ooh I'd like to do that. How do you know what to buy? If I could buy the nearest shade to what I'm using I think I'd feel better knowing its of better quality.

Feels rather bizarre sitting here with wet/damp roots but dry lengths!

You do risk having slightly different shade roots to the rest of your hair, depending on how grey you are. Which looks odd. But if you start doing it now, you'll probably have found the perfect colour match/brand by the time you're grey enough for it to make a difference.

I do the roots and drag a few brushfulls down a few lengths.

I would do your roots, leave it twenty/twenty five minutes then comb it through just for the last five minutes if you've enough stuff, just to ensure the evenness throughout your hair. It doesn't have to be thick and claggy, just use a big comb through it.

How did you get on lbeany?

I only bleach my roots and use a quarter of the box of bleach to do this. Save the rest for next time. Absolutely no reason not to do the same with colourants. Fiddly with the special brushes etc. If I had to option I'd chuck bleach on my whole head but I would have candy floss hair

Yes, I only do my roots, I have very thick (and long hair), and would probably need three boxes of dye. Besides, why do what it already perfectly well coloured?

I use one full box for my roots.

I’d love to get it done professionally, but I have brown hair and my roots appear within a fortnight, so it just not feasible.

And I don’t sit there was roots down and dry length, I twist it up with a clip so it’s all on top.

Yes for sure in fact you really don't want to be dying the lengths every time. The colour builds up and becomes very solid and over saturated. That's one of the most obvious signs of home box dying is that people keep re-dying lengths and it loses all its gloss and multi dimensions

Box dyes are a rip off, cheaper in the long run to buy professional dye & developer on Amazon then you can just mix as much as you need. I buy Koleston Perfect, 3 tubes of colour & developer for less than £40, one tube does a full head & then 1/3 of a tube each time for roots.

Box dyes are a rip off I haven’t found that, I spend £60 per year on my colour and have lovely shiny hair.

You can Google the colour mix for the colour you are looking for, and then it's generally 1 of dye to 1.5 of developer. My hairdresser thought i got my hair done by a professional. Also not limited to the 5 odd box colours that are available

@YumYummy It has worked an absolute treat! You can't tell at all where I dyed the roots till. I'll definitely keep doing this. Used half a box dye, will use the rest next time.

www.amazon.co.uk/Schwarzkopf-Intense-Permanent-Colour-Passion/dp/B014G51940/ref=asc_df_B014G51940/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=570501738641&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2308629563735496785&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045352&hvtargid=pla-1620225313822&th=1

This was the box I used. Could someone please help me find a suitable professional colour match? I'm happy for it to be a slightly darker red but not lighter/brighter.

I was just wondering about doing this for me.

Slightly different circs, I had a root stretch done to cover the regrowth into light blonde hair, but the stretch is a dark brown and the new growth is light brown.

I wonder if I could just do my roots dark brown and blend into the existing dark....