How do people keep on top of greys

[pinkyponkyplink]

I want to cover my greys. I have been using a box dye for years but colouring every 3-4 weeks is destroying my hair. I have a consultation next week with a hair dresser but I need something manageable. Do people go for foils/highlights every 12+ weeks and keep on top of greys by colouring the roots with a box dye? Have I made that up? No one does grey blending near me. I use a 7 box dye so it’s not too dark but I want healthier hair and can’t afford the hair dresser every time the greys show. How do people manage?

Is it destroying your hair because you follow the instructions to coat your whole head in dye for the last 10 minutes? If so, could you skip this step?

I have dense hair and the dye I use barely provides enough for me to do my roots each time, never mind anything else. The upshot is the hair can't get over dyed, each part of each hair only gets dyed once.

The ends are definitely lighter but this makes it look more natural imo. That's what my hair always used to do anyway with each summer.

This maybe doesn't work for very dark shades.

Edit just reread and see you use shade 7. That's what I use too.

I have made my peace with colouring my hair until I am no longer in the workplace. I always look so much better and fresher when I do it.

At the moment I am dyeing it with a root touch up kit and going for a professional tint a couple of times a year. My colour is quite light so there’s a bit of leeway.

Ooo so you just use it on the roots? Which make please? I use the L’Oréal colour excellence. So should I just put it on the roots and leave for 20 mins and wash out? No drag through at all? How often do you dye it? My other issue is it looks a light brown when I first do it, then looks a bit blonde then ginger!

I stopped dyeing my hair when it got to the point of doing it every 3 weeks - it ruins your hair and is a pain in the arse to keep doing it so often! I've embraced the grey and my hair looks so much better now and feels silky soft and lovely. I get compliments all the time which I never did before! You don't say what age you are but after a certain age, I think dyed hair looks a bit harsh and the colour is too solid. I'm in my 50s and I think grey hair suits my skin tone much better.

I use Nice and Easy root touch up. It isn’t perfect at covering grey, but then again that seems to give a bit of natural variation in the colour result.

I use josh wood 7. It's the least ginger that I've found! It does fade to blonde on the very grey areas, but I don't mind that.. My hair's in good condition cos I only ever do the roots.

I do it every 3.5 to 4 weeks because if I left it any longer I'd need two packs just for my roots.

I'm newish to box dye. How do you make sure you are doing just the roots. I know the roots in the top of my head are easy to see and cover, but what about those behind my ears or lower hairline on base of the back of my head (those greys appear when I tie up my hair. Is there a skills to this?
Or an alternative, I have mid brown hair and hate the whole dying process. I do it every 8 weeks or so, whole head and leave in for 30 minutes as I can't figure out another way.
Is there something specifically for roots that doesn't wash out, or do I need to buy a whole permanent box dye? It's also expensive.

I have a mobile hairdresser who’s been doing my hair every 6 or 7 weeks for years. Much cheaper than a salon. I’m never going grey!

I use Plantur39 Brown shampoo and conditioner most washes and it keeps the greys at bay without actually dying the hair (it is colour depositing, not a dye).

About once a week I wash with a purple shampoo and conditioner because I find the Plantur39 Brown can go a bit brassy as it builds up on the lengths of the hair rather than the roots. That keeps it toned to an ash blonde/brown colour.

Gentle on the hair, and doesn’t take 20+ minutes to colour the hair.

To be clear, I use Plantur 39 Brown, NOT their Plantur Anti-Grey Effect, which IS a permanent dye. Though that might work for you if you don’t mind the permanence?

The Nice and Easy root touch up kits are very small so I only do my T-line and crown, trying my best to do the roots in sections. Not sure that it would stretch any further.

I get low lights blended in my hair. at the mo I go every too months to top up grey and then once a year for low lights to be topped up. my hairdresser uses a combination of root top up and then bends toner through at wash stage to blend everything. I detest my grey. what's worse for me is I have a scar in my head and have a large streak going straight across my scalp. it's not the cool cruella de ville style either.

I went slightly lighter, so I could go longer between appointments but now I’ve gone a bit darker again and I use the root mascara / touch up sprays. Works perfectly well and I can stretch my hair appointments out for 7 or 8 weeks. I think I will eventually go lighter again and then do a grey blend but not quite ready for that yet!

Totally agree with what you said. My hairdresser told me you can’t dye over what has already been dyed and I just do my roots.
Yes it works for all colours. I used to have near black hair and now I have near white. I have been through all the colours: 2,3,4,5,6,7 and now 8!

Just put it on the roots and leave for 30 minutes.

In my case the dye is not a solid colour because most of my hair is white and some is black. They dye differently.

I have dark brown hair and do a box dye about every three weeks due to grey hair growing in. I had the same problem with feeling it was ruining my hair but, on a hair dresser’s advice, moved to using semi-permanent dyes more often and just occasionally topping up with a permanent dyes. I am colouring often enough that it doesn’t wash out between colours. Semi-permanent dyes are apparently mainly made from conditioner so are not so harsh on hair.

I get half head highlights to blend them in.

I tried L’Oréal root touch up the other day in a 5 and it just looked ginger. Have gone back to clairol root touch up in the same shade and it’s a lovely dark shade.
I only do my middle parting and temple area as I can’t see the back 😂
i never pull it through on to the lengths.

I agree. The full colours look really fake/brassy/cheap after 40/45. Especially Box dye. If you don't want to go grey, highlights look best so you have a mix and the greys blend into that, without too much maintenence. I've been getting blondes put in twice per year for the last few years and it looks good. I'm 49 now.

Josh Wood changed the game for me during lockdown.
I use it on the roots only with the Miracle Shot mixed in.
My hairdresser uses it when I have a cut as my hair was reacting even to salon ones.
It is not cheap I know but it’s become a great alternative for me.

And never ever take the colour further than roots it ruins your hair!

A mix of high and low lights will help.
I also use argon oil after shampooing to help with the frizz. Good luck

Don't use permanent hair dye it thinned out my hair a lot. I get by OK using semi permanent box dye.

I stopped getting my (fast growing) nails done and have my hair salon dyed every two months instead.

I am dyspraxic and just too cack handed to manage doing it myself.

I use to dye my hair monthly also used hair dryer and straighteners, always had it in some tight crunchie, my hair was split dry dull damaged, thining malting, my curls didn't curl it was just dried straw.

Until.
The last time I dyed my hair i ended up in the surgery, with an allergic reaction to the dye.
Took 8 weeks for me to stop itching.
My head and face was sore dry and scabby.

So I thought fuck it, I got the shavers out and shave my head bald and I mean bald, I shaved it at the beginning of the month then again on the last day of the month.
I just wanted all dye out.

Then I let it go wild im now 2 year in with natural virgin hair.
Cork screw curls I have loads of greys but im okay with it.
I except its me and I really like it.

My hair now compared to how it was is way better its softer bouncer I only you baby shampoo and kids sensitive conditioer only on the tips , no heat no straighten just wash and let it dry naturally.
No tight hair bands I use a hair claw.

The last time my hair was in this healthy condition I was a child.
My only regret was not doing it sooner.
I took a pic from the side every week for a year, to see what the difference was, ( I got carried away lol 😆).