Best home hair colourant and cheap haircut?

[RachelHRD]

I am on an economy drive so can no longer afford the once/twice yearly £70 salon hair colour and my grey is starting to outweigh what is left of the last colour I had which was at least 5 months ago :(

So home colouring it is then - any recommendations? I'm grey dark brunette naturally and have gone for a subtle purple or red tint before. Need something easy to apply and not too chemically please!

I also have quite difficult hair to cut - very thick so usually needs a long apt and a good stylist to get it right and have only trusted 2 hairdressers in the last 10+ years with it but again at £70+ per cut I end up only having it done once or twice a year and then it gets to the point where I just tie it back as it's unmanageable otherwise. Do I risk the Mumsnet cut or should I try something like a training evening at Toni & Guy!

It looks awful at the moment so I need to do something but just can't justify the £140 which would guarantee it looked lovely again :(

Help!!!

If you are that fussy with your cut perhaps the MN cut isn't for you (I did it for the first time earlier this week but it took me an age to get it even and if my hair was thicker it would have been even more difficult).

I dye my own hair and use the nice n easy foam - very easy to use though can't comment on grey coverage.

Why not go to your local beauty college? They can do both the cut and colour and for a much lower price than toni and guy. And you could probably get yourself a mani pedi at the same time

Thanks Mrs Martin - I'll look into the college idea.

Anyone got any tried and tested grey covering home dyes? Anyone done the trainee evenings at Toni & Guy or similar?

Thx

Recently used Henna dye from Lush for the first time
Right faff to apply but the results were great and no chemicals.

Haircut wise I use a home hairdresser £10 a cut, tightwad alert

definitely recommend beauty college. At mine you can ask for a level three hairdresser for £8 or anyone (and I always seem to get level three anyway) for £5 have had lovely cuts from them, I know colour is cheap too but havn't used them for that. When you've got it cut the teacher comes and will do bits if needed, or point out bits, but it really isn't scary or like a lesson. I think the last time I had mine cut the girl just needed something like 50 cuts for her portfolio, she was already working in another hair salon.

I use L'oreal Sublime Mousse, it's pretty much foolproof and really lasts. I too have given up paying for colour to be done at hairdressers, it wasn't so much a money issue but I always struggled to actually find time/Childcare to go so only went twice a year. I just put up with my greys in-between but got so fed up I decided to give it a go myself. The fact it only costs £6.99 now (or £8.99 for 2 in Superdrug a couple of weeks ago :)) is an added bonus.

However, my hair desperately needs a trim. I would go to a trainee night before cutting it myself tbh. They are supervised whilst cutting and if anything did go wrong then I'm sure it would be put right for you!

One word of warning about the L'oreal dyes, they seem to come out much darker than the colour in the box.

Ive been twice to training evenings at toni and guy and even though it takes a lot longer I hadn't any complaints.

Im a tightwad too and wouldnt dare pay £70 just for a haircut, but then again I dont really care about my hair THAT much and have just done the MN haircut. OK so one side might be slightly longer than the other you cant tell unless you really look closely and as far as Im concerned no-one will either.

I use Garnier Belle Colour and get my hair cut at a no appointment hair salon in town. They do dry cuts, but my hair is too thick for that. Most dye at home stuff (normal and foam) is good. Have a friend help you if you are unsure.

I tend to buy whichever permanent dye brand is on special offer, and tbh haven't really noticed any difference in quality between any of them, the prcier ones just have more conditioner in them...also a convert to the mn haircut- am not a natural preener, rubbish at putting my own hair up etc but found it very easy and really pleased with the result- maybe you could try it once, if you hate it, it would soon grow out!

I also do the Mn haircut, my hair is curly though, so doesn't have to be as perfect as someone who has straight hair.

I've also just used Lush Henna for the first time, with great results, I didn't find it that much harder than using a 'normal' home hairdye, although it is a bit smelly (flowery) . I'm using it because I can't use shop bought dyes due to an allergy to PPD. Would totally recommend their Henna's though to any brunette/redhead.

I have been using the John Frieda mousse colourant but only when it is on offer as it is about £11 a box at full price!

I go to a local hair salon and get a cut without an appointment.

I use Nutrisse, a blond shade which covers most but not all of my greys. Having said that, when I get it done in the salon they don't get all of it either.

People are always surprised when I mention my greys, they say they can not see any grey hair. Perhaps they are just being polite, matter of fact is that I know where they are and I can see them!

Nice and easy also sell a tube of conditioner which can be bought separate. I get those as well and use them once a fortnight, although not fond of their colours. It is a cheap way to give hair a nice shine. The Gliss shine products are good too.

I think a good cut is the key, hair colour products have improved so much over the past few years that I can not justify spending all that money at the hairdressers. So called over the counter hair colour is no longer the block colour it once was. I prefer to put the money towards a pair of shoes....

If you decide to do down this route, do get the cut done before you do the colour.

definately second merlin - I always colour after a cut (as that way you are only colouring healthy hair - not split ends

Also - remember Toni and Guy are a franchise - I used to model for the cheltenham branch when I was a teenager and they were great - even the juniors. I got my hair cut at the middlesbrough branch last year by their head stylist and it was the worst cut I've ever had.

Thanks all - have got some John Freida mousse colour to try (on offer in Boots) and have the number for the local college if I'm brave enough to try it!!