Hair Dye

I often mix colours if I feel I want to go a little lighter or darker. You simply buy two shades and use half of each colour tube saving the unmixed remaining halves for next time.
Boxed hair colouring is much milder than that used by hairdressers, takes less out of your hair and leaves it in better condition.

Maybe where I'm going wrong is buying box dye.

I learnt that the hard way in lockdown #2 GagaJo. Having had my hair dyed at the salon for 20+ years, I decided to just let it grow out and go naturally grey. What I actually had was a dirty white/yellow hair that made me look like a corpse. So I bought a box dye that was guaranteed to deliver a "luxurious soft silver" barnet. What I actually got was a shocking bright blue/purple, that almost gave me a heart attack, even though I'd left it for only half the amount of time recommended God knows what I'd have got if I'd left it for the full 30 minutes. It only took about 50 washes and 4 weeks before I ended up with the soft silver I'd been promised. Now I use the shampoo in/shampoo out version by Superdrug once a week. Far better results and they do a good colour range to play around safely with too. £2 a bottle and there are 3 applications in it.

I think the professional products do give a better result personally. There is an art in choosing correct colour for you, as tubes can be mixed by professionals, a touch of this, a touch of that. I would never risk it. I was told 7/73 was a good warm mid brown, and it is. I stick with that.

These are what I use. It seems more expensive, but I just use 2 plastic teaspoons of colour from tube, and rest is saved for the next time. It is mixed with twice as much emulsion, not very bleachy at all.

www.haircoandbeauty.co.uk/product/wella-color-touch/

www.haircoandbeauty.co.uk/product/wella-color-touch-hair-peroxide-4-1l/

Maybe where I'm going wrong is buying box dye.

I have tried going what was called dark blonde by Clairol, and it is quite a dark medium brown with goldish glints. I am not mad on the look or condition, it is certainly not as light as I wanted.

Before that I was using a Wella professional colour bought from a wholesaler. Colur Touch mixed with wella emulsion. the colour 7/73 was lovely warm mid brown, makes my hair very glossy. It is only a semi so have to do the roots at least every 4 weeks. It colours well for me, it just coats the hair, does not penetrate. I will probably go back to that for now.

Gagajo l colour my own hair too. When l was getting it done at the hairdresser l didn’t like sitting for ages under heat lamps and spending all that money. I was trying to go lightly and didn’t like it.
So here l am doing it myself back to my Clairol mid natural brown and I prefer it.
I don’t buy a shade lighter l get the shade l want and get a lovely shine.

I actually like the quality of the dye I am using. It is a Japanese one and not expensive. BUT there is a huge jump in colour between the colour I am using and the next shade up.

Everything I have read from hairdressers says that for home dying, you should buy a shade lighter than what you want.

GagaJo sorry I can’t help, though
I empathise with your hair colour problems. I thought my hairdresser used a ‘light blonde’ colour but when I did it with a brand labelled ‘light blonde’ it came out much darker than I’m used to.
Finally I asked her exactly what she had used and she gave me the brand and number.
I’ve done my own a few times in lockdown, but it doesn’t seem to last as long as when I had it done at the hairdressers.