Can somebody talk to me about home dying hair?

[SingleMumAndProud]

I have just become a single Mum and really need to sort my image out! When I met DH I had a great figgure, good hair, good make up etc.

Now my hair has roots past my ears, and I don't even brush it most days I just scrape it back in a pony tail. Looking at recent pictures, I don't look remotley feminine and hate the way I look.

Anyway, I really need a convidence boost and can't face a diet quite yet so thought I would start with the hair!

I can't really get it cut until I sort the colour out as it will look rediculous being mostly the dull mousy brown, with the bottom bit being old blonde high lights!!

Anyway, I can't afford proffesional colour so want to try a home kit, and then just pay for the cut?

I have never done it before and I would like to know:

• Is it easy to get it right?
• Will any colour cover the highlights and roots to even it out? Or do I need to chooe wisely?
• Any particular brand? Ideally not too expensive!

Covering highlights is really difficult.
Mine went orange, then red after trying two different brands of "chocolate brown" dye.

I ended up going to a hairdresser to have a repair job done and it was still a bit red.

I'd have a cut to remove the most of the highlighted hair - you can always grow it again and then dye it.

If you try to dye lightened hair dark you might have problems, as morag says. It can go a bit green.

If your natural hair is mousy you'd be pretty safe with a dark/mid blonde - it would definitely tone in the two colours and shouldn't be too drastic a change.

They shouldn't damage your hair - I do mine every 3 weeks with no probs. Occasionally the very lightening shades can be a bit drying.

Choose a permanent dye - should cost around £4.50 - £6. I use all sorts of brands - Nice n Easy, Preference, etc.

Good luck!

I would either a) use a temporary that fades after 24 washes just to see what happens re the highlighted part or b) use a trainee at a salon to colour & cut your hair. You could then use home dyes in between hair appts.

When home dyeing, put moisturiser, vaseline or similar round the hairline, so any dye on the skin is easy to remove.

As long as you go lighter not darker,as has been said,you should be fine,the ends will need extra tlc though and regular trimming as they will dry out.I used to use casting and found that quite gentle and with good colours for light brown to dark blonde hair.I think that loreal perfect 10 is meant to be good.

Thanks everybody. Just looking on ebay now for some ideas!

Depending on the hair cut, a lot of the old highlights maybe cut off anyway, but I am unsure, at the moment, its too bad to do anything with

Maybe this medium blonde

or

ash blonde

What do you all think? I would be very grateful of any help, I am very clueless!!

I wouldn't go for the ash as your ends might go a strange colour,purpley or greenish depending on the ash tone.The medium blonde would be better.Anything with "beige" in the title is usually a good bet with your hair colour as it is neutral.Caramel blondes will be a bit warmer.

OK great. I am going to pop out to tesco tomorrow and hopefully get one then.