Dark to light at home

[cakesandgin]

It's something I've considered for months now, my hair is quite a dark brown (do roots myself at home and leave the rest) but I'm having to do it every few weeks as my greys are ridiculous! I'm only 26 but have been getting greys since early 20's. My hair is flat, thin and very bland. Seeing another posters post I decided to get your advice aswell. I'd like to try and do it at home if possible as it will get very expensive going to the salon every few weeks. I'm very pale and I'd love to go for a subtle ginger/auburn. Always loved that hair colour, my old manager went from dark to auburn and it looked beautiful and inspired me to do the same, I wish I had of asked her how she achieved it.

First photo is my hair now and other photos is what I'd Like to achieve. Only photos I could find which aren't bright orange and quite subtle is Demi from love island, I think her hair colour is beautiful. Has anybody done the same at home and can give me some advice? Thanks

More pics to show what I'm wanting, not copper or too bright (I don't know who these people are, I just #AuburnHair on Instagram).

I think it would really suit what I can see of your colouring! But you have such beautiful healthy hair. And aren’t you worried the roots would show quickly? Could you do some sort of low lighted colour rather than all over?

This kind of look?

Don’t go for a full head, I think your future dark regrowth will end up looking awful

You should go for more of a balayage or ombré instead, I think it would be really easy to get that colour as dark hair has a red/orange undertone, for the colour you want this works in your favour

Should of said, I'm not naturally this dark (but have been colouring my hair since around 14) my natural colour is sort of a mousy brown, not this dark. My hair probably only looks half decent in the photo because I had styled it properly but in reality it is very dry, so many split ends which need all cut off, and so many 'baby hairs' (or fraggles as DP calls them, not noticeable when hairs down) and short pieces of hair the sides, front and parting, I don't know what I can do with them! I can't tie it up as they stick out everywhere.

I've had my hair with highlights similar to the pic PP posted but looking for more of a auburn colour that I could hopefully upkeep myself.

Do you normally use permanent colour? Box dyes can be stubborn to remove, you might end up with uneven colour, it’s unpredictable/complicated.

I recommend washing your hair with head and shoulders to strip the colour as much as possible and use lots of conditioning treatments. You have to bleach your hair to get it that colour, but you won’t need to lift it to blonde. In the future you should be okay applying the auburn colour directly to your regrowth, as that will be virgin hair so easier to lift without bleach.

One thing I will say is that you’ll end up in the same situation with your roots needing a frequent retouch. It will be just as high maintenance due to your natural brown/grey regrowth will contrasting to the auburn.