Cool dark brown hair colour advice

[TealReader]

I have naturally cool dark brown (5.1 I think) wavy hair. My eyebrows are cool and dark. I have very pale blue pink skin. I’m about 30% grey (more at the front and less at the back). I’ve been having terrible trouble getting my grey covered and getting to a colour I like- it always looks too warm and fades even warmer. I went to a specialist salon earlier this year to discuss grey blending as an option. She advised I’m not really grey enough to blend and suggested we start by growing out the permanent colour and using a demi in a cool tone to dye the roots. All the permanent is now cut out and my hair remains warm toned. She told me she’s using a 6.3/6.1 mix and when I asked why not add more ash she said it would look flat and that the problem is my water/my frequent hair washing/underlying warm pigment.

Now I do understand that hair colours will all fade warm but surely it shouldn’t be warm day 1? I’ve been seeing her 9 months now and am not happy so planning to move but what do I ask for? I don’t know how much clearer I can be on wanting cool hair, no warmth. I’m happy to use blue shampoos etc but I exercise a lot so need to wash my hair frequently. Or is it time to just accept that having cool brown hair is impossible and go grey?

She is using the wrong colour. 6.3 is very warm. 6.1 isn't very cool either. She's also lifting your hair 1 shade and your underlying tone will be orange. Why is she lifting your hair? The Demi she is using must be mixed with a strong peroxide if it's lightening your natural. Demi's are not designed to lighten. If Wella colour ask for 5/0 and 5/19 mix.
To get a cooler result you would need to go a shade darker. There's no such thing as an ash shade 6. It will always be warm as there is too much orange in the underlying tone. It's like saying you want a golden black... not possible, total contradiction.
It will still fade warm but get yourself a Wella colour fresh masque in a cool brown and top up with that. Purple shampoo won't do a thing except dry your hair out. They are for pale blonde hair to remove yellow. You need to cancel orange.
Wash in cool water, limit heat and use heat protection and don't colour too regularly, the more you colour the ends the more porous your hair will become and the quicker your colour will fade... another concern if she's using a strong peroxide.
Oh and her saying your hair will look flat... what does that mean? What does she mean, ask her. Ash is flat, that's what you want!!

Thanks so much pink. I really have no idea, I’m pretty bad with hair and tend to trust the professionals. I don’t know what she means by flat, I presumed less tonality? But that doesn’t bother me, it’s the warmth I hate. I was giving the benefit of the doubt initially while we got rid of the underlying permanent colour but now that’s totally gone. I just resent sitting for several hours in the hairdressers, spending €€€ and still not liking the colour at the end. She said the lighter colour will blend better with the greys? Do you know why grey blending isn’t an option?

That's ok, how would you know you didn't study it for years like us hairdressers do! Hair colouring is a real science. This is why it totally winds me up when mumsnetters complain about hairdressing charges and don't take our industry seriously. Anyway, back to you...
Ash hair is flat because the colours that create ash absorb light so they indeed look less tonal and darker than warm shades that bounce off light. you might find the 5/0 + 5/19 mix feels too dark actually because of that but it's impossible for me to say without knowing you or seeing your hair. It may be safer the first time to do 5/0 and 7.19 and see how you go.
I don't agree that the lighter colours will blend the greys better, unless you're going platinum blonde it's not blending at all you've got a bigger issue... the lighter coloured hair, your grey and then your natural level 5 hair. Also, you shouldn't get a strong demarcation line with a Demi. I think she's still using a permanent tbh!
As for grey blending, my interpretation of that is that your natural hair (5/1 and grey) seamlessly blends into your previously coloured hair. Of course that's possible! However this is about managing client expectation and you have to get used to seeing grey hair. The way to do it is to not colour your hair at all for 3-4 months then just along the top near your parting have a few dark lowlights, not too many. You can still use the Wella fresh colour masque. That will completely wash out but it will help keep the tone you want without any damage. Make sure to seal it in with a conditioner.
If you live in London ill do it for you! 😂😂

https://share.google/i8HL5zfhONvtsuL4o

Thanks so much that’s really really helpful. Sadly I left London a few years back and am in rural Ireland! TBH I can live with the greys I just really don’t like the warmth. I might leave it a few months and see how it looks and decide whether to go grey naturally or not. I don’t mind paying the money for the service, I’d pay more if it was how I liked it at the end!

As in it’s usually the warm ends bringing me back to the salon not the grey parting if that makes sense!

That coloured mask will really help you then I think. Tip your head upside down in the shower and focus on your ends, it won't cover your grey so no need to waste product putting it all over. It's not moisturising like a conditioning treatment so even though the instructions don't say this I always put conditioner on afterwards. It acts like a stain so will wash out but it's not damaging your hair like traditional colour.
In my career when I was an employee, with a boss breathing down my neck, it was SO badly paid stylists would upsell and give services that were not really necessary. It was about getting as much commission as possible so lots of times it wasn't about the right service for the customer it was more about how can we get this client coming in more and spending more money. It was often more of a sales job than anything else. Sad but very true

Thank you, I will definitely do that. I just want hair that looks like mine again!

Oh, just a thought! That mask would definitely work better if you had your hair coloured to a level 5 first. If you're a 6 with lighter ends you probably won't get the right result.

6.3 is a warm ! Why is she using this maybe she is frightened of it going flat and dark !
Demi gloss wud be better for sure but just the 6.1 u cud always take away a clear gloss to apply at home to keep it shiny and glossy !
When permanent colour is applied even ash on there own it opens the cuticle to deposit! warmth with always be exposed specially when fading.
I'm a stylist and the best advise I'd give u is get yourself a blue shampoo and conditioner this will cancel the warmth if it's orange warmth and tell her to skip 6.3
Also using a gloss or semi stop a harsh regrowth and blends well instead of literally covering greys much better grow out x

Ooo what’s Wella colour fresh masque??is it dye or something else? I have this exact same issue - what number should we get?

I usually dye with a 4.something

@pinkpedi where are you based in London?

Will the colour fresh masque cover greys?

@TurquoiseGoldPeaches it's a coloured conditioner. It's designed to put back the correct tone in coloured hair, for example when ash fades off and hair is left brassy, for coppers that have faded etc. It comes in several shades but no it doesn't open the cuticle at all so it won't cover grey, it's more like a stain on the outside of the hair. It is not a hair dye.
It's also not moisturising so conditioner still needs to be used after but it won't cause any damage either.
I posted a link above, it's available on look fantastic and amazon (i think)
I'm in Clapham btw

Thanks @pinkpedi
Shame I’m the opposite end of London 👍🏽

Have you tried brunette specific products?

this one is excellent

https://www.cultbeauty.co.uk/p/dphue-gloss-6.5-fl.-oz./12905648/?variation=12905653

You sound like you might have the same hair colour as me @TealReader and I honestly think grey looks good with it. If you can face the grow out , give it a try.

I would go for a semi-permanent dye applied to the roots - number 4 or 5 which are cool tones. Remember when first dyed it can appear dark but after the first wash it will lighten and continue to lighten.

devil thank you, I’m coming to that conclusion. I’m only about 30% grey now and mostly at the front rather than a silver all over which I think would be easier! That’s why I’d initially asked about grey blending to try ease the transition but looks like that’s a complicated process so I think I’m going to leave it at least 3-4 months now and see how I can deal with it.