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What hair colour would you recommend?

(45 Posts)
minimo Fri 18-Nov-16 10:37:28

My hairdresser is becoming way too expensive (or perhaps my budget is becoming tighter). Anyway, I've decided I need to start colouring my own hair at home and wondered if there were any particular brands people have tried and would recommend? I'm currently a reddish brown (with fetching grey roots). grin

Flossieturner Fri 18-Nov-16 11:26:13

I lik Excellence by L'Oreal. Easy to use and not drying. Are you going to stay with the Reddish Brown Minimo?

minimo Fri 18-Nov-16 11:30:53

I'd like to if it works. Eventually I might start going lighter before transitioning to grey. But not yet. Thanks for that FlossieTurner.

Flossieturner Fri 18-Nov-16 13:52:37

If you are going to do that, I suggest going just a few shades lighter then one more visit to the hairdresser for some low lights. Before I went silver completely I did this for a few years. Colouring at home and low lights 3 or 4 times a year. This way the roots don't show as much and you get a much softer look. One of the reasons I like L'Oréal is because it has multi-tones rather than the flat colours of some other products. How long is your hair?

Beammeupscottie Fri 18-Nov-16 14:16:25

Don't go near Chemist colours. What ever your hairdresser charges, pay and make economies elsewhere. Or go Grey.

minimo Fri 18-Nov-16 14:44:18

why's that beammeup? Did they not work for you? Is there really such a big difference between hairdresser and chemist colours?

It's shoulder length at the moment, flossie. thanks for the advice.

chelseababy Fri 18-Nov-16 15:05:29

Could you save by having a hairdresser that comes to the house? Mine saves me a small fortune.

Beammeupscottie Fri 18-Nov-16 15:10:07

I should have been clearer. Nothing wrong with boxed colours if you get someone who knows what they are doing to put it on for you. A hairdresser will section the hair and make sure the whole of the head is coloured, But a careful helpmate would be ok.
It sound as if you are going for one of those colours that "cover grey". I think this is fine if you haven't much grey but if you are getting a distinct white/grey hairline be careful as it may appear as just lighter rather than coloured.
I know the price of hairdressing is awful and I know a lot of people who can't/wont entertain it but to me it is a priority (being fundamentally vain) so try to keep going to one.

M0nica Fri 18-Nov-16 15:11:18

I have been using Superdrug's own brand for years. Even my hairdresser has said that my home hair colouring is so effective that she sees no point in trying to persuade me to have salon colouring.

My hair is a reddish dark brown and I am still mainly my natural colour but with a fetching(?) eskimo ruff of grey hair around my face (if not coloured). I use a colour a few shades lighter than my natural colour

goldengirl Fri 18-Nov-16 15:13:06

I've started using Rose Bleach London shampoo recommended by my hairdresser. The hint of pink is not obvious but it does warm up the grey - and makes me feel better! It costs £6 for a bottle and it's lasting for ages as you don't need much of it. My family could see a difference but couldn't work out what it was so the fact that it's a really bright pink in the bottle shouldn't put you off

annsixty Fri 18-Nov-16 15:20:17

I no longer colour my hair as it is white now but we have had this topic before ,probably more than once ,and the winner came out by a large majority as Clairol's Nice and Easy,which it is.

Teetime Fri 18-Nov-16 16:07:23

I would also be wary of doing it yourself and if the budget is tight the suggestion of a home hairdresser is a very good one much cheaper but will use a professional colour and know how to blend it if necessary and advise you on shades.

radicalnan Sat 19-Nov-16 09:13:05

Colleges where students are training to be hairdressers are a bargain, you can get numerous things done there at a cut price and they are well supervised.

Humbertbear Sat 19-Nov-16 09:15:09

The trouble with hair that has red in it is that it has the tendency to go bright red when dyed. I too use a home hairdresser. She is a trained colourist who I knew at a salon but she now works in her kitchen. It's not the same relaxing experience but it gets the job done at half the price.

amber22 Sat 19-Nov-16 09:17:24

I now always use Prodigy, it's the best I've tried. I used to use Nice 'n Easy, or Feria, which are also good. As long as you follow the instructions you should get a good result with any of these.

oldgoat Sat 19-Nov-16 09:23:53

I don't really know how much grey I've got in my reddish-brown hair because I've been colouring it myself for years. I use Excellence by L'Oreal which comes with extra conditioner to use several times after colouring. It makes my hair nice and shiny unlike the product my hairdresser used on the odd occasion when he coloured it, when my hair became very dull and dry.
I use a shade lighter than I used to ie. 6.3 instead of 5.3 because I think the lighter shade suits my colouring better now that I am getting on a bit.

pattie Sat 19-Nov-16 09:35:26

I used to go to a salon which charged £100 for a cut and colour. Too much! But I found through friends a hairdresser who comes to my home and does the same for £25 .
Don't know what I'll do when I can no longer kneel over the bath but in the mean time it's wonderful
Perhaps you could make enquiries in your neighbour hood?

meandashy Sat 19-Nov-16 09:51:39

I have short hair & colour it myself. I use xxl colour, bright purple! I don't have a great deal of greys just yet but I'm a young grandma (44).
I colour a mature friends hair for her , she uses L'Oréal light ash blonde. She can't raise her hands for long and isn't confident doing it herself. She used to pay a fortune at the hairdressers, £70!! This way it's costs her £7.
We did have a mishap, she bought the wrong shade without the ash in it and she went strawberry blonde! She was so upset we had to go and get the right one & I had to do it a second time, despite my reservations it turned out fine!
Let us know how you get on ?

Craftycat Sat 19-Nov-16 10:27:06

Home colours can ruin your hair after a while.I used them since I was 15 but a few years ago my hairdresser-who is a friend & very reasonable suggested I get high/low lights to save using colour so often.I was colouring my own hair & hetting her to cut it before. Looks great & hair in much better condition.

I used to use L'Oreal.

Blinko Sat 19-Nov-16 11:27:42

Nice and Easy has done a good job for me for years. Light Ash is the one I go for. But I'm now transitioning to silver/grey a la Judy Dench, so haven't done it for w while.

harrysgran Sat 19-Nov-16 11:47:24

I have found a hairdresser that's pretty reasonable and as I don't smoke and drink very little alcohol it's my treat however when I have coloured at home I found Superdrug own make excellent but get someone to put it on for you especially at the back must admit my ex husband was a dab hand at this but unfortunately not much else?

Nanna58 Sat 19-Nov-16 12:04:32

Practise any economy you can to keep your hairdresser, home colours can be very unpredictable , and also give that unflattering 'block' colour. I'm on a budget, but don't go out to expensive places , smoke, and tend to live in jeans - but if my hair's not right I'm not right!

Nanna58 Sat 19-Nov-16 12:06:05

Meant don't smoke!

Rosepaul Sat 19-Nov-16 13:15:24

I always use nice and easy very good and easy to use, reasonably priced too.

Foxyferret Sat 19-Nov-16 13:20:45

I use nice n easy semi permanent which washes out over time avoiding the dark roots look