Semi - permanent colour

[grumpygrumps]

I had naturally very dark virgin (almost black) hair until I got talked into trying a semi - permanent colour buy a Toni & Guy technician thingy. He said the colour would give my hair a beautiful gloss and gradually fade after back to my natural colour after 28 washes. The initial colour was meant to be slightly darker than my own colour but turned out a lot lighter - so I thought yuck, nevermind I'll wait until it fades. Four months later although faded, my natural colour has never regained and looks permanently rusty. I want my dark looking hair back but would like to try a DIY brand -can dark haired ladies recommend a product which doesn't damage hair and leaves a nice shine but without the warmth(reddy)tones - think Courtney Coxy type colour.

I use Clairo (sp?) nice and easy medium ash brown which takes away the reddy orangy tones in the hair, I think they do a dark ash brown too. Its a semi permananent. hth

If you use a dark brown, rather than a dark warm brown, there shouldn't be any reddy tones in it. On the rare occasions I get mine dyed at a salon I end up with rusty tones i don;t like. If I do it myself I like just dark brown! (and I only do mine as I've got so many greys )

Rusty tones come from the fact that even semi permenant colours have peroxide in them. It has "bleached" your hair, albeit only slightly.

If I were you I'd use Clairol Nice and Easy 120 Natural Dark Brown or, in fact as you say you are nearly black, you could try 121A Natural Darkest Brown. This is an ash tone so not only will it "kill" the gold (rust) tone but it should match to any regrowth you have.

It will give you a nice gloss and no, a single application will most definitely not damage your hair.