Box dye over naturally dark hair with a few whites sprouting

[PatchworkEle]

My natural hair is dark brown with a golden undertone.

I haven't been to a hair dresser for over a year and have a very grown out blonde balayage which is now a brassy colour.

I've just turned 40 and I have a few silver/white hairs sprouting through now. I want to box dye my hair to save on the cost of visiting a hairdresser (money is tight at the moment).

If I used a box dye that is a bit lighter than my natural colour, it will colour the white, and darken the brassy balayage, but will it make my natural colour a little lighter too? Or is bleach always needed first?

Thanks!

I'm in the same boat OP, I can't really afford to go and get it professionally dyed, so it's either a box dye or put up with the white sprinkling at the temples. I find box eyes always look a bit dull and artificial on me...but on the other hand I'm thinning at the front and the white bits there really don't help.

Dyes, not eyes. Bloody autocorrect

It shouldn’t make your natural hair lighter.

I’m in the same situation - very dark brown, brassy balayage at the ends and white hairs increasing. My dilemma is will it look ridiculous to have the white hairs a brown colour. I’m guessing it would be less obvious than white so may be not!

Forgot to add that I don't like the gold undertone to my natural dark brown hair colour. I might find a box dye the same shade as my natural colour, dye my whole head (will cover the whites and darken the brassy old grown out balayage), and then give myself a cut.

I use esalon - you upload a pic of current colour and say what you want and they supposedly mix it for you and send it on a schedule. If it’s not right you can give feedback and they’ll adjust for next time.

I went for every 6 weeks at first but realised I could do the roots only with half a box (just mixing half of it at a time). So now i just pay approx £25 every 3 months. Every now and then they send double for free so you can colour the whole head but I tend to stretch that out too.

i think only bleach can make hair lighter so it can give you tone or make it darker.

Try John Frieda defy grey shampoo. Surprisingly more effective than box dyes and no roots. Google to get application tips.