Texas-Dallas and Ft. Worth

NWR: Question about hair dye? Oy.

Does/has anyone dyed their own hair?  I've always had highlights professionally done since I was about 15 and I'm scared to death to try it on my own.

I have super dark brown hair and my golden-ish highlights have grown out and I wanted to see how difficult it would be to cover over them on my own with my natural color.

I hate to go to my stylist and pay a fortune just to get dark brown.  Any thoughts?

Re: NWR: Question about hair dye? Oy.

  • edited December 2011
    I dye my own hair a lot.  I'm not sure how much help I will be, though.  It's pretty easy to dye black hair.  I use Clairol.  The 10-minute dye that comes with the combing thing.  It's really easy.  I recommend using hair clips and wearing old clothes and not standing on your new rug. 
  • bsn1752bsn1752 member
    Seventh Anniversary 2500 Comments 5 Love Its Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I had highlights for a long time too... 

    I dye my own hair now (to brown).  I have naturally kind of dark hair too.  I normally buy a medium brown.  When I first did it myself, I bought a non-permanent color to see how I liked it... and then "took the plunge" after a month (and the dye washed out).  It's actually super easy to do on your own!
  • fallbride1109fallbride1109 member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    I did it.  I was able to cover the highlights.  But #1) I hated my natural color after having highlights for so long and #2) it made my hair very overprocessed and even limper and more lifeless than usual.

    In short, I don't recommend it.  Go to a professional and have them do it and then you just maintain it on your own.  All-over color is cheaper than highlighting.
  • edited December 2011
    My professional is 2 hours away...boo.  I won't be able to make it there at a time the salon is open until after Christmas... that's why I'm so torn. 

    Le sigh.
  • edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_texas-dallas-ft-worth_nwr-question-hair-dye-oy?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:102Discussion:3411dc5c-bbae-46b0-809c-c28d55ea1bcaPost:742b1a3a-48e9-4b56-8a9d-740140df35d9">Re: NWR: Question about hair dye? Oy.</a>:
    [QUOTE]I did it.  I was able to cover the highlights.  But #1) I hated my natural color after having highlights for so long and #2) it made my hair very overprocessed and even limper and more lifeless than usual. In short, I don't recommend it.  <strong>Go to a professional and have them do it and then you just maintain it on your own.</strong>  All-over color is cheaper than highlighting.
    Posted by stephiehall[/QUOTE]

    Yes.  My previous post was pertaining to maintaining my roots.  I don't do all-over color on my own.  I tried once and I had dye everywhere!  Also, my hair is kinda longish and I have a TON of it, so it usually takes two boxes to do all over color.  But, I use Clairol to maintain my roots.  And by roots I totally mean my gray hair.  I have a lot for my age.
  • edited December 2011

    Hrm... I don't want to dye all of it, really.   I just want to tone down/out the highlights.  

  • edited December 2011
    I am with Stephanie.. Get it done professionally.

    I tried to do the same before and did not like the results. The box color ended up being too light, and I ended up having to go to a professional in the end anyway to fix it.

    Just keep in mind that they color may fade ( at least it did in my case) and required multiple corrections.
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  • bigbabyfacebigbabyface member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    i've dyed and cut my own hair for the past 8 years....i'm terrified of stylists...lol...and i can't justify $40 for a trim!

    i use Garnier Nutrisse Hair Color

    you can find it at damn near every CVS, walmart, or grocery store

     http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/187-3404415-7328623?asin=B000RO80ME&AFID=Froogle_df&LNM=|B000RO80ME&CPNG=health%20beauty&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=B000RO80ME&ref=tgt_adv_XSG10001

    i've never had anything but a good experience...however...FOLLOW the directions...on ANY product you go with...other wise you end up with green hair...like my sister :)
  • fallbride1109fallbride1109 member
    5000 Comments Fifth Anniversary 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    I really want to give up my highlights.  It's so expensive and every 6 weeks I have to give up an entire Saturday just to get it done.  But my hair is sooo fine--the highlights give it that little "lift" that I can't get any other way.  I'm going to be rooty over the holidays though so I can just go when I'm on vacation.

    ETA: Keep in mind that I covered up professionally processed hair like Kathy.    There is a big difference between that and just coloring over a different shade of Clairol.  And like Kathy, I had to have it corrected.
  • edited December 2011
    Green hair?!  Oy

    Last time I went to a professional that wasn't my regular stylist, they were supposed to high and lowlight my hair and I kid you ladies not, IT WAS JET BLACK...solid.

    Horrible, just horrible.

    Maybe I'll just let my highlights grow out until after Christmas after all....
  • bigbabyfacebigbabyface member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    i'm not comfortable with any stylist...so i'm no help there...and kinda bias...but if you arent comfortable doing it yourself...or having a friend do it...i say go to a professional...the no heart ache is worth it i think :)
  • edited December 2011
    I' have dyed my hair on my own for  a long time. Except now I have the red highlights that I have to maintain and its really a pain... I will go back to "serious me" before the wedding.
    You can always try Natural Essences which is not permanent and it will tone out the highlights as it washes away...

  • edited December 2011
    Maybe I will try something non-permanent just to get me through the next couple of weeks until I can get to my stylist. 

    Hmm...
  • Buttercup509Buttercup509 member
    Fifth Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011

    I agree with Stephie. Get it done professionally, especially if your hair has been bleached. You could end up with green or orange hair. I don't know what part of town your in, but I love my stylist. She is in Las Colinas.

  • dianaslikdianaslik member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I pretend to be a damn chemist when it comes to dying my hair - I literally have made up my own colors, mix my own stuff, have been about every color under the rainbow (intentionally), etc

    I usually go to Sally Beauty Supply (and as tacky as SOME staff members can be, they CAN be somewhat helpful) - If you go this route, you need to by the color and the developer (basically, when you buy a "box" it comes with both inside)

    The nice thing about Sally's is that they will have SIGNIFICANTLY more color options - including "demi-permanent" or "semi-permanent" colors.

    If you are apprehensive, I'd recommend doing one of these... with a LOW number developer (higher number = more "lift"). When you get a color, it will most likely say what level to use.  I'd look for something that says "deposit only"

    You should probably also get: applicator brush and rubber/latex gloves. (if you don't have a crappy plastic bowl at home to use, I'd get one of those, too).  I usually also grab one of the little pouches/packets of conditioner to put on post-color (I like Ion - they make a "post color" one and another just deep conditioning - both are good)

    You won't have much of a problem with this using demi/semi color, but to ensure you don't stain your face, put some good/heavy moisturizer on you face around your hairline (but not in your hair!  It will prevent the color from depositing) I've even used vaseline for this.

    I hate paying someone to color my hair - since I've done it myself SO many times - but if I'm doing something challenging, will shell out the time/cash.  (like yestereday - I had some dyed dark brown/soft black hair lifted to blonde)

    I find all-over application easier than just roots, personally.
    :)

    HTH!
  • edited December 2011
    Wow, Diana!! You should do this on the side! :)

    Thanks for the tips and advice, it is much appreciated!
  • dianaslikdianaslik member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    HA!  I've considered it a time or two - but think I'd get sick of doing it full time.  I just enjoy changing my own hair as much as I can get away with it - though now I"m constrained by the military...

    Something to remember, too - especially with what you are doing: IT CAN BE FIXED IF IT DOESN'T COME OUT HOW YOU WANT!  While you can't "grow" hair magically, and bleaching can cause lots of damage - you can dye over dye (except black -worst case scenario) OR you can use repeated shampooing and/or clarifying crystals (another little pouch at Sally's) to kind of lighten/remove color if it's a shade dark.
     

    I can also recommend some great Dallas colorists (though not particularly cheap)

    :)
  • edited December 2011
    Ive dyed my own hair too. I usually dye it dark brown/chocolate brown in the winter and then blonde in the summer. I need to go redye it since my natural brown roots are showing :(
  • edited December 2011
    I have dyed my own hair before and let me warn you first that if you are covering blonde highlights be very careful.  I have done this twice, once with a red base and once with a blue base.  The first time was with the blue base and I came out with purple (light purple but very noticable) streaks where I had the highlights.  The second time I used the red base and they turned orange.  I'm not sure what went wrong either time because I followed the directions to a t, used the correct developer (didn't do box, went to Sally's and got the stuff Diane suggested), right amount of time to process.  I have done all over color successfully when I had no highlights but for some reason dying blonde highlights has been bad for me.  Maybe my hair is "high maintance" and only wants a salon but any way good luck!!!
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  • dianaslikdianaslik member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    You can buy "neutral" base colors, too!

    It kind of depends how light the highlights are - super light ones might be more likely to show some of the "base" color
  • cfibelkorncfibelkorn member
    1000 Comments
    edited December 2011
    I have always colored my own hair....I colored my own hair for the wedding too :)

    Recently I have started using L'Oreal Healthy Look Creme Gloss Hair...I like it a lot because it is under $10 and it last for a lot longer than any other at home dye I have tried :)
  • prlmrg08prlmrg08 member
    Knottie Warrior 500 Comments Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    I get my hair all over colored at Ogle on Mockingbird and they do a GREAT job for cheap....
  • sarathirzasarathirza member
    100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    so this topic came up when i was visiting my mom this weekend, and she had a great tip - go to sally's.  the girls that work there are typically in beauty school, so they can give advice as to which products to buy - and they've got the salon quality dyes that won't turn your hair crazy colors. if you're looking for something super cheap, you could also try the aveda hair school (park and 75) - they've got teachers watching them like hawks, so they won't mess it up, but prepare to spend a loooong time (i think i was there for 2 hours for a cut)
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