Hair dyelemma! (see what I did there)

[taylorswift1989]

So I think the time has come to dye my hair. I've got quite a lot of thick dark brown hair, with reddish/coppery tones, and a fair amount of grey coming through. I want to keep my natural colour but cover the grey, so I'm wondering if I should go for a lighter colour, like maybe a dark blonde? I'm thinking it will dye the grey without having any effect on the rest of my hair, and make it look like I have lovely highlights. Does this sound sensible? I'm talking about DIY with a box dye - can't afford hairdresser. Thanks for your help!

I would say this is a job for a professional, I used box dyes for years. When the greys came in I went from almost black to almost white at the hairdressers. I tried to do it myself but it went orange, and green. Over the course of a few ,months we lightened it with balyage and highlights until it now matches my white hair completely and just required the occasional purple shampoo.

If your hair is dark brown then a lighter shade such as any form of blonde probably wont take as you expect it to and I very much doubt it would cover your grey. You could go down the bleaching route for now to get a bit lighter but it may be best to go to a hairdresser to start off that process ?

Ah okay. So the greys won't go the colour on the box if it's lighter than my natural (dark) colour, even if they're 100% grey? Is it better to use a box dye that's close to my natural colour then? Definitely can't afford a hairdresser.

My hair notoriously doesn't take up colour unless it's bleached. That's why I'm thinking a box dye would literally only dye the grey hairs.

Yes you need a colour closer to your natural colour or your grey is still going to stand out. Have you got a college close by ? Their hairdressing departments often need models for students at a fraction of the usual price.

Grey hair shrugs off colour. It did it with its own ,if you see what I mean it's very hard to colour it.

Maybe try it with a semi permanent or temporary dye first to see what works?

No for various reasons it has to be a DIY job. Or I can leave it for a while. I don't hate the grey but I thought it would look nice if the grey was covered. I might try a dark red colour, see what that does.

Have you considered henna - that would turn your greys a reddish shade but wouldn't change the colour of the brown?

That makes sense! But loads of people use box dyes - so they must work?

I hadn't considered henna or a temporary dye. Maybe that's a good route to go down. Bit scared of henna after lots of messy adventures with it in my youth (when again it did literally nothing to my hair!)

"I'm thinking it will dye the grey without having any effect on the rest of my hair, and make it look like I have lovely highlights."

From experience, it doesn't seem work that way, unfortunately. Any blonde/light colour that is strong enough to cover the grey (which is more resistant to colour than the rest of your hair) will also lighten the rest of your hair, probably turning it brassy. A semi, close to your natural colour, will probably cover most of the grey and blend it in. If you want the look of highlights you'll have to get highlights.

You need proper henna - no additives, just pure Lawsonia Inermis - and you need to leave it on long enough; overnight to dye greys. Prepare it at least 24 hours before you intend to use it, so it's oxidising when you apply it.

I used to use Castings which is semi permanent, which made my grey strands a lighter, golden colour. Well, it depended which shade I used - some shades went a lot darker than expected initially then when they faded the grey was left lighter.

Yeah, no, not going through all that again!

Any blonde/light colour that is strong enough to cover the grey (which is more resistant to colour than the rest of your hair) will also lighten the rest of your hair, probably turning it brassy.

My hair just does not take colour, never has. Even henna never did anything. I managed to dye it black a couple of times, but anything lighter than actual black is a no. The only times I've ever managed to colour it has been when it's been bleached first. Even that is not easy! If the dye has bleach in it, it might change the colour of my hair, but if not, I doubt it will do anything at all.

My hair sounds similar to yours. I use a Garnier box in a red shade and have done so for about 15 years now with no problems.

Thanks - I think some kind of red is probably the way to go. Will try the Castings a pp mentioned or the Garnier one and see how I get on.

Thanks all!

I have actually managed to do this using Superdrug toners on my grey front bits,,,
left it for an hour on dry hair and yes it coloured the greys for about three weeks

Wow okay! Another potential thing to try then. It just dyed your greys and nothing else?

Whatever Davina McCall advertises must work, Garnier I believe. On one of the boxes that her face is on it refers to it as being the colour she uses, she MUST have some grey to cover.

Although I have a SIL that still dyes her very white grey hair her original brown colour, it just doesn’t look right, the roots are always a lighter shade and no longer suits her colouring. It’s like the old ladies you see with dark hair which looks so fake.

I gave up trying to keep my brunette hair, which I loved. Now having blonde highlights, it suits me but I still yearn for my old colour, the condition was better as well 🤪

My hair sounds so similar to yours OP and I too use Superdrug toners. I apply once a week when my hair is wet.

I wouldn't try that at home really. It probably would do something to the rest of your hair. I'd go for something as similar as possible to the majority of your hair. I find with brown box dyes they always come out darker than you expect so I'd suggest getting a colour that seems lighter than you are aiming for. If you have a lot of grey at the roots you can leave it on longer there.

@taylorswift1989

This is the after photo, you can tell the formerly whites ones are now blonde/red.

My hair is naturally dark brown with auburn highlights

That looks very nice and natural!