Semi-permanent hair dyes

[Whitney168]

Am pondering how to go grey gracefully (or perhaps disgracefully). Did a colour strip yesterday on what was dark reddish brown, and am now at a much paler brown with a bit of a gingery tinge (fine, happy to be seen in public).

Now pondering what next ... options could be:

• Do another strip to try and take it a bit paler
• Put a semi-perm colour over it
• Leave it ‘as is’ and let colour grow out (don’t think I can face this, although grey is much less obvious on this colour ).

Do semi-permanent colours really wear off? Have only ever used permanent.

Does it matter how dark they are as to how effectively they do this? If I put brown dyes over it, will it still tinge the hair?

I occasionally dye my hair with a semi perm. I use a dye in my exact natural hair colour and it covers the greys for a few washes (don't care about them TBH) but gives my hair the most AWESOME shine. That's why I do it.

I know I can get a shine treatment in a salon but not for a fiver.

I find there isn't a line for regrowth with a semi.

I now have long natural gray hair, but a few years ago I put in a semi-permanent color and it never really washed out over time. My hair was in great condition at that time, too, so I didn't expect it. I wouldn't put one in if I were you.

I find there isn't a line for regrowth with a semi

I find that there is line for regrowth with a semi

I find the semis are much darker than I would expect. My hair is mud-dark brown with some greys. If I use a mid brown dye it seems to come out very dark - awful. Now I use a dark blonde on the roots every 3 months or so which is just about working for now.

Urgh I wouldn't. I used a 20 was one about 40 washes ago....

Hmmmm ... not good then ...

Back to the drawing board.

Most 'semi permanent' box dyes are anything but. Hydrogen peroxide permanently alters the hair, any dye which you have to mix contains hydrogen peroxide and is not a semi.

True semis are available but mostly from salon supply shops (Wella Colour Fresh is the one which springs to mind) or as colour mousse and wash-in/wash-out tints.

A true semi will wash out but depending on the colour used and the condition of your hair they may stain the cuticle and nothing but bleach will shift that (though that's usually with fashion colours like Crazy Colour rather than natural tints). Also, used frequently any tint will become permanent.

I'm getting some greys, I'm planning on going lighter when more come through to stretch out the time between retouches. Grey shows more the darker your hair is.

Yes, have had to give in on my preferred reddish brown, as the red shows the grey horrifically. (I have been told I'm about 70% grey.)

Right, no to the semis then, wash in/wash outs going to be a nightmare job anyway. Maybe back to doing another strip then.