If you were dying your hair for the first time.....

[Lovethesea]

.....what home dye would you use?

I've never dyed my hair, but have always wanted to go red. I've gone naturally from blond to dark blond with the odd reddish hair.

I'm mid 30's and don't want to look like a lost student!

I know a professional would be the best way, but the cost is out of my budget for the foreseeable future.

I've fine hair and quite sensitive skin - any decent ammonia free dyes? And any that I could try that can be washed out quick if I screw it up?

I would use a semi- permenant and go a shade lighter than you want as they often come out much darker.

L'oreal Casting Creme Gloss is a semi and they have lots of shade with honey tones.

If you don't like it, you can use a medicated shampoo like Head and Shoulders - should get rid of most of it.

Thankyou! Now I just need the snow to clear so I can get to a chemist ......

TOP TIP! Don't use Perfect 10. Chose a colour called "natural brown". My arse, I'm now Mortisha!!

I did my daughter's hair with Casting the other weekend. It was described as a honey colour on the packet, but it came out a more reddish colour. Her hair was a dirty blonde/mousey colour beforehand. Although not as described on the packet, it gave her hair a lift and her hairdresser remarked he liked it. It wasn't a dramatic difference but fine for first time colour.

Remember, if you are using shop bought dyes, you are not guaranteed to get anything like the colour on the packet. I am in my later forties and I use a permanent (nutrisse) and use light brown. It comes out darkish brown. The colour is fine for me, but I can imagine some disgruntled home colourists.

I think the worst is the L'Oreal Excellence Creme - even the light brown made me look like a Las Vegas Elvis Presley.

Semi perm def way to go for a 1st timer - Garnier herbashine 630 golden light brown - safe or 645 Copper mahogany for a real red choice

offer on L'oreal casings in Boots - 645 Amber - strawberry blonde/ to light red depending on your base which sounds about a or 734 rich honey

I use L'oreal casting creme. I like to dye my mousy hair a medium brown but, after repeatedly getting it too dark, I now use the 'light brown' to get a medium brown.

Absolutely agree.

Go for a temporary colour at first.

Choose a lighter shade.

Definitely do the skin test as instructed, especially if you are sensitive to chemicals.

Big Superdrug usually have the widest ranges.

CDMForever, it will fade soon enough because Perfect 10 is crap. Anything that only takes 10mins is not worth its salt, Recital/Preference much better.

Have you considered your local college? I have a friend on a tight budget who goes to our college. Her hair is cut and coloured by students (but checked at each stage) and she pays a fraction of what it would cost in a real salon.

Agree about the Perfect 10 - I looked like an old goth after using a 'light' brown colour.

Having tried most of the hair colourants on the market I keep going back to Clairol NiceNEasy as the colour seems to have natural highlights in it. I now use one called 'dark reddish brown' which is really subtle against my pale 47 year old wrinkled skin. (Although it does sound slightly Eastern European if you know what I mean).

I use Nutrisse, a chestnut brown that's close to my original colour so the result is fairly true to the box (so sorry, not much help as you're thinking of a different colour from your original). L'Oreal Excellence gave me a reaction.

Silkstalkings, you're blooming right Despite hating my new colour initially, I started to warm to it after receiving some nice comments. Then, lo and behold after a couple of washes the grey started to re emerge!!