Home hair dyeing

[Angelicabean]

Due to budget constraints I've been dyeing my hair at home for the last few months but I'm struggling to get it right. I can now do it without dyeing the rest of the bathroom too but it never come ou the shade I want. I have dark brown hair anyway which I'd like a bit lighter or more interesting (even a hairdresser said it was dull) but it always comes out even darker. Apart from the grey hairs on top which are stubbornly resistant to all dye so far. Where am I going wrong? I last did it 4 weeks ago. It's really dark again (it was meant to be honey brown or something) & the greys are more visible than ever. I hate it. Can I put another dye over the top now or will it turn two different shades?

You need to lift the base if it is too dark because a permanent dye can't lift old darker off- instead it coats over it and makes it darker. I would advise putting an element of gold in- so look for a 5.3 and the hair won't look too flat.

Look at swatches of level 5 dyes online- is that the amount of depth you are looking at? I would probably try that level first and then go onto a level 4 if it is too pale.

Here is how I have sorted this problem out.

Firstly Prelightener (L'oreal Super Blonde one is good) - leave it on only long enough to lift the colour up acouple of shades- ten minutes should do it. It will look brassy but the next stage will neutralise it.

Try L'oreal 5.3 in excellence range. That one is the best for grey coverage unless you want to buy professional dyes.

The next time you dye he hair just do the roots and then run it through the rest of your hair for the last ten mins to refresh your colour. This stops build up on the ends and root glow.

As a guide 5.3 is about what Kate Middleton has at the moment.

If you want to know how to use the professional stuff ( and have a wider choice of shades) I am happy to share how I do it.

Wow it's a lot more complicated than I thought! I'll try that & see how it turns out. Thanks a lot for your advice!

Nice and Easy natural medium brown is the best I have found.

I should have said after prelightening- go over all the hair with the dye for the full time.

The next time your roots are through -just dye them first and then run the dye through for a few mins towards the end. Use this procedure every time after once you have the colour you like.

A tinting brush a bowl really help in applying the dye accurately and sectioning the hair.

Another vote for Clairol, Nice and Easy. I use 6.5G Lightest Golden Brown.

I find you need to go at least one, if not two shades lighter than you think for brunette to look natural (not that flat I did this myself because I'm broke, look)

In fact my teen DDs prefer this colour to tbe hair dressers strioy £60 highlights, and DD2 wouldn't mince her words if it looked bad.

Brown always always always ends up like black on me and i hate it. So, i colour with nice and easy dark natural auburn. I love it :) I also buy off amazon the highlight touch up kits. Great for inbetween.

I've just swapped from L'Oréal as it was making my hair look auburn to nice and easy natural mid Brown and the is much better. I need to do my roots about every four weeks, using the technique PPs have described.

Stay away from Dark Brown they always are far too dark and flat.
Garnier Lights is a small amount of bleach, if you get that you can run it through your hair with the brush provided. You can either use it all over to lighten it, and if you want redye with a lighter brown, or to put highlights in, it will go light brown. Its easy and quick.

Would the garner lights cover my greys though? I've had a closer look & I've got quite a few greys at the roots. I've got a few work events this week and I need an action plan for tomorrow for the short term. Where do I start?

No it will just lighten the dark bits, then you could redye.

Ok I know I sound clueless. That's because I am clueless! Thanks for all the suggestions.