Going from salon blonde to DIY brunette....

[lucysmam]

Any advice/brand recommendations/hints and tips???

It's been a looooooong time since I did a DIY job on my hair but am desperate for a change & would like to avoid spending a fortune at my local salon.

Tia

Don't do it yourself!! I know somebody who tried this and ended up khaki.

I've been trying to slowly go darker by choosing a slightly darker dye each time I do it myself. As I started at platinum blonde, this is taking a while, but at least I feel fairly safe doing it.

ooh Finance, that's not what I wanted to hear

Slightly darker each time sounds sensible, it's not far off platinum but getting bored of it now (after ten years)

The most important thing is not to put brown dye straight onto blonde hair or it will go green. You need to dye your hair a very red colour first, then dye it brown. It is exactly what they would do in the salon. (I've had it done). Best to do it on a weekend so you can dye it red one evening and then brown the next day so you don't have to go out with pink hair! It does work, I've done it myself. Good luck!

I didn't know that MrsBradley, so one dye on top of another? wonder if that's why my attempt a few years ago kept washing out

Mrs Bradley Cooper's advice is good. As a teenager I tried to go from blonde to black in one session, and ended up dark green! Not recommended!

Right, I have been and booked a cut and colour today in case I end up green Will buy dyes over the next two weeks if I can find some on offer somewhere and diy it when I have both lots.

tyvm

I really want to know how your dye job goes Lucysmam. Post pictures of the before, during and after!!

ooh, that means I'll have to fire up the dinosaur (laptop) & work out how to get pics on it from my phone

I'll take a before shot in the morning when I look decent & try to work it out when I get back from the sorting office picking up a parcel Andi

I had become very blonde through years of highlighting at the salon. I was tired of the colour and the expense. I had an increasing number of greys. I am naturally dark brown.
I bought a honey blonde shade in a permanent dye that covers greys. It said on the box that if your hair was darker naturally the overall effect would be darker. I now have a warm light brown hair tone. It fades a little lighter over time but I do it about once a month. I have saved a fortune!!

I used to change from salon highlighted blonde to diy brunette annually. My main advice would be to choose a dye marked "medium brown". Any other shades can come out very rich and unpredictable. However it depends just how blonde you are, plus everyone's hair reacts differently to dye. Good luck!

I am a big fan of home colouring and. I haven't had a single bad experience.... However, I think you are really sensible to go the the hairdressers if you are going from blonde to brunette.

Good luck

If it's the expense that's the issue, can I recommend your local fe college.

Cut and colour £16, I had my roots done and a re-style last week for £11. I was very, very happy with it. You do have to be aware that it might take longer than a salon appointment as the tutor check the work over at every stage. I was nearly 3hrs for my roots but my hair looks great and I can't afford salon prices.