Colouring my own hair . Help!

Always follow the advice to do an allergy test first.

I have never had my hair coloured professionally. I have always done it myself. But I have dark brown hair. I always use a shade lighter than my natural colour, so that I don't get that flat hard .'colour from a bottle' bottle but get a natural variable colour look. My hairdresser is happy with the results of my home colouring and says I don't need to get a professional colour, but will tell me when I reach that point

I just use Superdrug colour and follow the instructions meticulously

Have plenty of old towels near you and avoid splashing onto nearby surfaces.

Colour hair in a stainless steel sink if possible.

The advice I was given was always go lighter rather than darker. For instance I have medium/dark brown yet my hairdresser uses dark blonde mixed with another colour ! It doesnt come out anything like blonde, just a light brown. Obviously if you are purchasing over the counter then you will probably only buy one colour . Don't be influenced by the colour on the box either , again always err on the lighter side. I remember buying a " dark brown" one and I could have given Mortica Adams a run for her money. It was horrendous , made me look like a ghost. Thankfully head and shoulders shampoo used every night for a week helped lighten it a bit. Lesson learned. Leave it to the professionals .

I have darkish brown and grey mix of hair, now going a bit faded. I use Nice N Easy dark Blonde or Light Golden Brown, the semi perm, meant to last 24 shampoos. It looks better than too dark a brown on my skin now. It comes out a warm light brown on me. Apply it to dry hair, with no product in.

To stop it all looking too solid a block of colour, I use my own method. I open both containers and mix equal measures - 2 or 3 spoonfuls of each product together, using a little plastic pot and plastic spoon, not metal. Then screw up both containers well for use next time.

I then apply the colour (with a plastic hair applicator brush) just to my roots and grey bits visible around by face. Then I paint a few lines of the colour around face and fringe. A set like this is handy. www.amazon.co.uk/Berri-Hair-Colouring-Brush-Bowl/dp/B003SDJDOK/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=salon+hair+colour+set&tag=gransnetforum-21&qid=1579118787&sr=8-16

Leave 15/20 mins, wash out and apply conditioner. It looks natural and is a cheap way of doing it. One box can last for 3 or 4 applications. I reapply when I see some white on parting, or when my hair is looking a bit dull.

I used to stick to the go a shade lighter malarky but was never happy with it as it never sat well with my complexion so a few years ago decided to go darker and was amazed to find it really suited me. So now I stick with the darkest brown I can get my hands on, I use Nutrisse which leaves my hair in lovely condition. The colour looks very natural and not a solid block.

I had the same "problem" as it seemed every time I visited the hairdressers it was more expensive. Being too cowardly to try the DIY method I scouted around and found a lady nearby who is a mobile hairdresser - it is roughly £35 - £45 every 6 weeks for highlights and roots. I could not afford the hairdressers now - and I would not want to!

£150 is an huge amount to be paying I used to pay about £90 but now I use a mobile hairdresser (she trained and worked in one of the big salons in Edinburgh so I feel lucky to have her) and she charges £55 for a cut a colour. It might be worth looking into cheaper salons or mobile hairdressers?

If you decide to go for the box dyes I’d suggest using a toner regularly and purple shampoo and conditioner - I found they can be a bit orangey as I’ve got quite a lot of red tones. I think a brush works better too - it’s easier to apply the dye with one imo.

Never go darker than your eyebrows.

Thank you everyone, some great suggestions here. Maybe it might be a safer idea to look for a cheaper hairdresser first.

I colour my own hair but always when my husband is around. After applying it to the roots, he checks I haven't missed a patch. I use permanent Nice n Easy colour and it gives good results. On advice from my hairdresser, I bought a flat brush with long tail to spread the colour evenly along the partings.

Cover the floor and furnishings where you are going to apply the colour - some colours stain.

Go on, be daring, it's not difficult. If you live alone, invite a friend over for coffee to do the checking for you. Particularly useful would be a friend who already home colours her own hair!

I use Excellence 9.1 Natural Light Ash Blonde which lightens my mousy hair mixed with white. It doesn't look at all yellow which is good. The colour fades slowly and starts looking lighter as the white starts showing through the colour. It gets rid of the salt and pepper and all looks very natural. I don't bother with brushes, I just slap it on nearer the roots but not bothered if it covers the rest of the hair.

You could start by using a semi-permanent colour - as it washes out gradually - to gain confidence before using a permanent one. Going a bit lighter is easier than going darker.

ananimous I have no eyebrows so that doesn't work for me. I started colouring my own hair to match my natural dark, chestnut brown colour when I started to go grey. As my hair started to recede (auto immune disorder and nothing to do with colouring according to my dermatologist) I decided to be more exciting while I still had hair and have tried reddish and plum colourants and never had so many compliments! I cover everywhere with old towels, kept for the purpose and usually do it naked and follow with a bath as no matter how I try, it splashes on the floor and on me!! I usually use Nutrisse. Maybe when I am really old I will go for purple!!

I have used Nice & Easy Light Ash Blonde for a few years now. It’s getting harder to do the roots now but it’s so expensive to have a colour in my salon.
My stylist likes the colour and thinks it looks very natural.

I really like that (unnatural) primary bright red colour on other people. I think it would suit me so I just wish I had the confidence to try it myself. Maybe one day?

Another vote for Excellence 9.1 Light Ash Blonde here. Home colourants are light years away from the old ones some of us on here remember. I laugh now when I think of all the palaver with old towels and stained hands ! Do an allergy test as recommended of course. I have short greying hair so don’t bother with applying to roots first. It’s literally no more trouble than applying a conditioner and leaving it on your hair. £7 or £8 for two boxes. What’s not to like !

I would give it a go. I always colour mine. Have a look at what’s on the market. Maybe choose one that just lasts a few weeks first. Do a skin test first as well. I use the semi permanent make that has no ammonia in it (the name escapes me) and so you don’t get that awful smell and it’s just as good.

It's easy, but highlights really need help from another person.
Read the instructions and do the patch test 24 hours ahead. This is something hairdressers should be doing but rarely bother - could be risky.

I used Excellence for years. I now buy the same colour but buy Majirel online as it is much cheaper. My home hairdresser does a dobble, (what I call root retouching) and a cut for£20.

Well my latest find is swarzkopf dirty grey or is it urban grey. It’s brilliant takes away any fading red tones which can be left by others and magically blends in with new greyish growth with a depth you didn’t know you had. I’ve always dyed my own. Paid s fortune once at Sassoon and was very disappointed with the colour.
My biggest challenge was to go from assisted dark brown to platinum about 7 years ago. My daughter had gone away for a week so I thought some time to experiment. Well at first the hair goes rather carroty. So then you seek all the Icelandic blonde shades to counter it. And got there. Transformed it meant the speckly grey growing through didn’t show and the colour made my skin look healthy and eyes look darker. Then a few months ago I had s yearn to be brown again so found a really good mid brown with no red tones ( forgotten make, probably a swarzkopf as I’ve found them best over the years - go to large Superdrug and survey the choices there are so many). Loved it, changed my wardrobe to browns this winter. Then as it faded away I’ve found this exciting new grey one. Go for it. Stupid not to. It’s so easy and you are in control.

I use Belle colour by garner. I use nos 101 the light gold colour, but you can get ash as well. They have a whole range and my hairdresser always says it looks great when she cuts it ( don’t do that on my own apart from fringe ). It’s very easy , put into dry hair, at roots at first by found different partings , then rest all over and quick massage in. Then I sit in a bath ( that I have ready ) for the time allotted ( I like v blonde so give 30 min) then rinse off in bath and then shower to properly rinse and condition, you get conditioner with packet. Good luck

I'm agreeing that a mobile hairdresser should be a lot cheaper, but go with recommendations.

As mentioned here by SirChenjin I use purple shampoo and conditioner which gives me good results. Also “good bye yellow” from my hairdressers, but available on line does lighten hair.

I decided to try Naturtint which is anti-allergy and more environmentally friendly. My patch test was red, sore and inflamed so I was highly allergic to it! I chucked it in the bin and carried on using Excellence. Our allergies are highly individual and the patch test is very, very important.