At Home Hair Color

I have VERY long and VERY thick hair and I have always done my own hair. I use the cheap stuff, I cant think of the name right now, but its $2.97 a box at wal-mart. I have never had a problem with it and people always compliment how beautiful and healthy looking my hair is.

1 mom found this helpful

I have been coloring my naturally medium brown hair a light reddish blonde color for over ten years. I've even fooled some hairstylists at my current salon into thinking it was natural. I use L'Oreal Excellence (it's in a peach box). I like it because it is very creamy and does not drip. My hair has always looked really healthy, too. When I do root touch-ups, I always use one of those "paint brushes" like they use at the salon because I'm very anal about getting the roots really saturated. Oh yeah, and the Excellence still allows my own natural highlights to show through therefore making my hair color look more natural. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

You can do highlights at home...easy. Do the cap. Have a friend help pull out the hair. Just remember that hair goes orange before it goes blonde. They have kits at Sallys. After, you can use a toner with a developer if the highlights are too brassy. good Luck!

If you do single process (no highlights) it is a breeze! I go to SAlly's Beauty Supply and buy the demi permanent hair product by L'oreal. It is in a slender blue box. The other supplies you need are a bottle of activator, and application brush, gloves and a bowl to mix. These are start up costs. Depending on how long your hair is and what you are trying to achieve (I cover gray) you should get multiple uses from your initial color tube. The biggest trouble I had was figuring out what color to get. After 3 tries I finally have it figured out. It is soooo easy and saves so much money and time. Once applied - it only takes 20 minutes.

Good luck!
M.

I just use Natural Instincs 28 days. It washes out naturally and it doesn't show the roots. I don't have the time to spend 3 hrs in the salon so this is a ten dollar fix.

I like Preference by L'Oreal. They also often have coupons that you can match with sales for an extra great bargain.

stick with Loreal products...they truly are the best

L'Oreal has the best products in a box kit. They are more expensive but I have always had great results with their products for dark colors. For highlighting, I buy everything at Sally's Beauty Supply because I can buy the toner, color, crystals and lotion for a good price and have product for many future highlights.

B.

I would consider going to a beauty college for your hilites. It would cost much less than a regular salon.

If you live close to or in Frisco call ###-###-#### she could help you.

I just started doing this too for the same reason! Got tired of paying sooo much money for cut and color. I used L'Oreal Feria and it works great. I was also impressed by how well it conditioned my hair. Everyone said it looks great and it's really easy.

For the month of July 20% off on Color and Highlights. It is hard to do highlight on yourself. Call me at ###-###-####. I'am in Allen off of 75 and McDerrmont.

M.

I don't know about highlighting but I did color for my mom. We use L'Oreal and I like the result. It's easy to follow the instruction though it's probably easier to have someone help you to spread the mixture. Make sure to wear the gloves provided in the box unless you want to match your finger nails with your hair! Respect the timing in the instruction. It's definitely much cheaper than have your hair done in a salon. There are often coupons for L'Oreal products in newspapers.
Good luck!

I do! I love the Loreal one that has the color and highlights in a box. I can't think of the name of it though. Good luck.

I've used Loreal and Nice n' Easy and both products came out well as far as color and are pretty simple to use. If your really woried you can always used a semi-permenant one first and see how you like it before going the whole way. That way if it doesn't come out like you're expecting it too you'll know beforehand. The colors aren't perfect on the box though so choose your color carefully, especially if you're switching to an entirely different color. Good luck!:)

I use Preference by Loreal. It's good to cover up gray (if you have any) plus it mixes up into a cream instead of liquid. It's much easier to apply & doesn't run. I've been coloring my hair for years.

Been doing it for years...I go to Sally's and buy Loreal cream color add developer and apply it myself. Be careful to start with hairline and get the roots good before putting it on the ends. I leave it on about 45 mins as it stops working when it's finished any how. Even my hairdresser says it looks good!

I have had my hair done at a salon and have done it at home. I have dirty blonde to light brown hair. I first started highlighting it in college and a friend did it for me with a home kit. It really helped to give my hair some texture as it is very fine. The biggest problem with doing highlights at home is that if you do it too much or too often, the next thing you know, your hair is all highlighted. My first experience with a salon was a disaster. I told them that my hair lightened very quickly, but they didn't listen and my hair was GREY! It was awful.

For years I did go to a wonderful hairstylist that did wonderful highlights. It was expensive, but since I only did it four times a year, I didn't mind. As I got older, I began to have grey hair coming in. IF it had been evenly distributed, then I would have natural highlights, but it is all at the crown of my head. My stylist could no longer cover the grey with highlights, so he began to just color it. To me, it seems that if you go a slight bit lighter than your natural hair color it looks better than if you try to go darker.

Eventually, I was no longer able to go to my stylist, because he moved away. I experimented with doing my own hair at home. I recommend you start with a semi-permanent hair color like a henna rinse. Do this until you find the color that works best for you. I use Clairol Nice and Easy and have for many years. After the first use, you just touch up the roots, so your hair is not damaged. If you are going for a blonde or a lighter color than your own, avoid any color that has ASH or GOLDEN in it as these will have a reddish tint to them and looks more brassy. Look for the neutral colors. I use Medium Neutral Blonde and love it.

A.,

I have been doing my hair at home for years. I go to Sally's to get my supplies because they have more of a selection of colors.
There are several things to take into consideration prior to doing your hair; do you want a semi-permanet color (one that washes out in about 8-10 weeks) or a permanet color; does your hair have any gray, if so, how much gray; are you wanting to go lighter, darker or the same as your natural color; is your hair dry or damaged currently.
If you like, you can e-mail me and I will help with anything I can. ( ____@____.com )
Good Luck!

yes you can do it at home. yes it may mess up. but it can also work beautifully. definitely follow the tip of staying within 2 shades of your natural.

A.,
I have been using L'Oreal Preference 8 1/2 A for about 10 years with no problems, hair still silky, soft, and supple. If you Google the chemical testing done on at-home hair coloring, they all sound terrible, so it worries me a bit about long-term problems that may arise later, but as far as the coloring itself, it's wonderful. Easy to apply. I do it in front of my sink, then do the waiting while I check emails or something quick, then get into the shower with my latex gloves back on to do the rinsing, combining it with a regular shower. You don't have to shampoo the hair. It's very labor-simple. It lasts about 2 months but my hair very closely matches the color so even with a half-inch grow-out, it's not real noticeable. So I'm happy with it. I have never, however, done hi-lights.

I am a newbie at this, as well, and actually started coloring my own after a visit to the salon did NOT turn out the way I wanted!! I went to Sally's Beauty Supply, as the girls who work there are licensed cosmotologists, and I knew they'd be able to help me decide what to use. I've been back a few times now and have never had a bad "at-home" experience, thanks to their help. And what cost $60 at the salon costs about $12, even when I buy gloves and a special "no brass" additive for the hair color. Have fun!

A., I do color at home and as a brunette that's not easy....I found all my secrets at Sally Beauty supply !! There's one at coit & cambell and the ladies their are really nice and helpfull. You can choose from a rinse, semi-permanent or permanent, You'll end up with salon quality at around $10-$15 dollars. Good luck

I have medium brown hair with gray coming in around my face (of course). I used to color my hair myself using Loreal Excellence, but found over time that it really dried out my hair. After paying $170 to $100 every couple of months to have it done professionally, I decided that it wasn't rocket science and to give it a try myself. I looked up a bunch of articles on-line on how to color hair, then went onto Sally's Beauty Supply's web site and looked at products. Customers rate the products and it was helpful to me to see what worked for people and what didn't. I ended up using Ion products. Hair color creme and a 20 percent developer, (I understand 30 percent will lighten your hair more). Equal parts of color and developer, keep on hair ~30 minutes. Mainly I just wanted gray coverage with some added highlights. I also bought the little mixing bowls and brushes, and the foils for the highlights, hair color and developer. The total cost was about $35, and I now have the supplies for a couple of treatments. The first time I did it myself it was a major pain doing the back of my head, the second time went much smoother. Now that I have the bowls and brushes, the foils are enough to last 2 to 3 treatments, and a tube of color enough for 2, and a bottle of developer will last for at least 4 treatments, it now costs me about $8 versus $100. It takes a little education, but like I thought, it isn't rocket science.

I use Robert Craig. The product does no damage to my hair but it has no lift, that means it won't lighten your hair, only darken. You can only buy Robert Craig on line but you can mix colors since it comes in powder form.

You can also go to Sally Beauty and buy some of the more expensive products there and use them. It is easy to do. Don't have any product in your hair, so no hairspray or gel. Wash your hair at least 8 hours prior, that way you will have plenty of natural oil on your scalp and your skin on the scalp won't be dyed.

Take your time and read the directions. Give yourself about 30 minutes. If you've never done it before lay down an old towel on the floor so you don't get any drops on the tile or carpet.

I do my own. Lately I've been buying the 10 minute stuff and I love it. I usually buy two different colors and mix them together - I always like the results better when I do that - my mother-in-law has started doing that too and says she's never gotten better results! Good luck!

I use Revlon ColorSilk and love it. It leaves my hair so soft.

To cut the cost down you can also go to a hair school...like Tony and guy
and have them do it. They have instructors there watching and helping them. My friend does that and it saves her lots of money.

I suggest you not bother doing this since you have no idea what to do. I have seen countless messes up and done it on myself and I have been a hairdresser since 1967. Mixing color is also dangerous since if there is not a balance of red in there you could end up with green. Anything that has blue put on blonde will turn green. All to depends on how much lift you need. If you have black hair that would be the hardest to bring up. Always take tests with a towel to see what stage hair has lifted too. Straight lifting would lift a few shades. The easiest shade to color is med to light blonde. The hardest is black and if the hair has already a lot of red in it it could go more light red or orange. Sally's can guide you but still I was in there and a gal colored her hair for her up coming reunion and messed it up. She was looking for something to cover it. At least she started early enough to do it a couple of times. Also depends on the length and strength of the hair. If it is real long the ends are more porous. Virgin hair will need colored at the scalp first then the ends because they will obsorb the product faster. Lot of ifs. Good luck, maybe a friend who does hers can help you. G. W