What hair colour would you recommend?

I've been using Schwarzkopf Virtual Violet for ages.Obviously it's not a colour that looks natural, but why would I want it to? It seems to cover the grey and I just redo it when my hair starts to look really faded and dull.

I'll get my coat

I use Nice and Easy or the L'Oréal Excellence one. I have just past shoulder length still fairly thick brown hair which I coloured reddish brown for 30 years then gave up and went to the hairdressers. The cost is so much though I now buy two boxes - one a light honey blonde and one a warm caramel or auburn and mix them in a plastic dish and apply myself again. I now I get enough to cover all the hair and a bespoke colour! Just hope I can keep doing it as it's bit of a palaver!! ?

shizam have you tried a serum on your hair ie frizz ease serum is just one I use . It makes a huge difference to the look of dry damaged hair . You need to use more than the few drops it suggests and then dry with a dryer on not too hot .

Nice and easy won hands down for me , always a shade lighter than you want your hair to be . Saying that I now get the hair dresser to do it because it just doesn`t last with a home colour . I go every 7-8 weeks , it costs £52 for colour and cut and is so worth it . Occasionally I will use one of the root cover sprays to keep me going . Home colour is a poor substitute for salon dye , much weaker but more damaging to your hair . I am a reddy light brown , but have no idea what colour my natural hair would be by now !

First started using Clairol Nice 'n Easy in September 1981 and usef the natural golden auburn until 2 years ago. I now use their golden blonde as I am sure my hair must be almost white now. I keep saying I am not going to colour it snymore but even my hairdresser says to keep dying it. Despite 35 years of colouring my hair has never been in bad condition. I really fancy going pink now.

I used to use a blonde shade in the Recital range of L'Oreal. It was quite good but I switched to having highlights done at the hairdresser to avoid the obvious dark roots.

I do without food ( not gin!) in order to fund my horrifically expensive highlights three times a year
But do try a salon where the apprentices colour under supervision

I use a hair lightener, one that you spray on wet hair and let it dry. Mine lightens up a few shades and then I use a coloured setting foam spray. Blonde. I am not completely grey but the bleached hair takes on the colours and its a light mix of blonde and grey hair. It looks natural and looks like natural hair. Some hair colouring just makes the face look old.

Olia by Garnier. Doesn't have any ammonia in it. I'm now using blonde (original colour dark brown, now 70 per cent grey). Hair is dry and coarse, but colour and condition look quite nice when I have first done it. Looks crap after about three weeks. So bored of doing it and still considering letting it go grey,

I've been using Nice & Easy for many years now and always had a good result,my hair is now waist length and I have to use 2 boxes every 4 months luckily I can manage once again to do it myself after I broke my shoulder last year I then had to call on my DD TO DO IT,I shampoo the mixed product from the roots to the tips piling my hair on top of my head as I go,that way the ends don't become overloaded with dye and become dry.I use a good shampoo from John Frieda and loads of conditioner and my hair is always in excellent condition.

I use L'Oreal Dedicace, but don't know if you can get it in the UK. Colour light chestnut, which would probably suit you, Minimo.
I always comb the colour thoughout my hair thoroughly before covering it.
Wear a brown jumper and brown towel around my shoulders, in case of splashes.

Hello minimo,
I would imagine that if you had someone who could just do the roots for you, with a chemist brand, it would be fine. The trouble comes when you have to re-colour more hair than just your roots, because you are doing it yourself.
As I don't have anyone to help me, I go to the hairdressers for my hair to be dyed and then leave with my hair washed, but still damp. It cuts down considerably on the cost. It's £27 per time. Hope this helps.

Tessa I do it myself and have done so for about 20 years and I have not experienced the problems you describe.

100% agree with beammeup, I started using home colours to cover my grey roots omg big mistake, within a year my hair was 2 different colours cos what happens is,you can't spread it properly yourself and you end up with a build up of too much colour in one place and not enough in the other.I ended up paying double to get my hair sorted out after I'd messed it up, never again, also grey cover is lighter than rest of hair.

Our local college which teaches hairdressing has brilliant cheap prices for their trainees to practise under supervision! It does take a bit longer as they are training but it's great value hairdressing AND you are helping a young person learn.

Yes really good if you can get it done by a trainee. Salons that run apprentice schemes are usually looking for "models". They get the practise, under supervision, and you get a cheap hairdo.

Ring around a few in your telephone book. Hope you get lucky.

I find colours with foils brilliant! No burning scalp, and slow to show regrowth.

I was where you are. I asked if a student at the salon could die my hair & not the top stylist which I have. The difference in price is ...student £18 ~ top stylist £46. Worth asking

I use Clairol semi permanent. That way it gradually washes out and no regrowth. I've gradually been going lighter. I don't see any problem doing it myself (except I sometimes miss clearing up spills in the bathroom).

I used to colour mine but it started to burn my scalp. Giant dandruff was not the look I wanted. Now have highlights and semi permanent ash blonde colouring at the hairdressers. Find using the John Frieda shampoo and conditioner for blondes extends the time between hairdresser visits too. They do similar for other hair colour groups too.

Minimo
DIY hair colouring can be a nightmare.There is not a lot you can do if the colour you apply does not give what you thought and it would be worse if you had an allergy to that product..Be safe not sorry and shop around for another salon and look at their prices and what they can offer.

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

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

Meant don't smoke!

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!

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?