Hi, I just had a few questions for people who color their own hair. First, I was wondering if you use a semi-permanent color regularly or if you use a permanent one? How often do you do it? And if you use a permanent color, do you always put the color throughout all of your hair every time or just on your roots? If you use semi-permanent do you find that it fades very fast? Also, are you generally satisfied with a store bought color and do you find it easy to maintain regularly or is it a big hassle? How many years have you been doing it?... I'd really appreciate any replies about home coloring, thanks! =)

HI , yes i color my hair at home.

I have had it done professionaly and I dont see that big of a difference, I used to do hair 14 yrs ago , but i havent done it in salon a long time but stilll do freinds and family . I find LOreal products very good and easy on your hair, Thats what i use the loreal exellence. I use permanent color , Depends on if its summer or winter i go bettween light and a med brown, I usually apply to roots then last 15 minutes put all through hair , i have never had a problem with over process, I usually color every 6 weeks or so, but you can every 4 weeks , I have even not liked color and done it over same day, I guess it depends too on hair. Good luck to you. Let me know how it comes out ok .


SASSY

Agree with Sassy on just about everything.

Use Loreal Preference in brown/gold box, seems to be richer color than the cheaper loreal, although they both work well.

Usually just do my roots unless I am changing colors.

Every 4-6 weeks, depends on how fast my hair is growing and how many greys are showing!

HI denver is the preference better than the ecellence i didnt know that thanks , I havent used that one, Ill have to try that next time, Thanks for info, Have a great day all.

Sassy

I color my hair at home, too, about every 4 weeks because my hair grows EXTREMELY fast and you can really see the roots if I don't. (I dye it a bit darker, by the way.) What I've found is I leave it on the roots for a few minutes then spread it to the rest of hair to refresh color. Also, I go to Sally's Beauty Supply or Beautyco and get the bottle of color I like and mix it myself with the cream, and it's much cheaper. The salespeople can tell you what to get. In all, it's about five bucks and you get the same color only usually available in salons. (I use Loreal Megabrowns.) Good luck :-)

I color my hair at home. Usually do it every 2-3 months (I'm not covering gray - I just do it to enhance the red in my hair). I use Herbal Essences, but they seem to have discontinued my color.

I don't find it a hassle because it only takes no time at all compared to going to a salon. And it costs SO much less.

I also agree with SassymomNwife...I have used all the brands and like Excellence the best. I think the cream formula is gentler than the liquid colors. (I went back once to the NiceNEasy cause it was cheaper and my hair broke off much more. Never again!) I put it (Excellence) on my roots, wait 15 minutes and add a little water to the bottle, then cover all the hair. Then, I wrap my head with saran wrap so there are no drips and I can be free to do whatever. I have used the new PRE treatment they have in the box, but haven't decided if it is beneficial.

I also use Loreal Excellence. I use the ones from the 'blonde' collection (yellow boxes) I usually do ultimate natural blonde or something like it. I am ALWAYS getting complements! Why spend $100 getting your hair done professionally when $9.00 does it for better? Good luck coloring! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

Wow, thanks for all the responses, they are a big help!. I am seriously thinking about doing it on my own now. But here is my specific problem, just to let you know... My hair has been previously bleached blonde, very bleached blonde, I think it was a triple process. It was the first time I'd ever done anything to my hair and I hated it! So that very day I had the stylist add a darker color, a darkish bright red. I chose red because my natural light ash brown color has a little red in it. Well the red looked amazing on me, it really complemented my skin tone, plus a lot of women in my family are natural red heads, it looked like I was born to be that way haha, I just loved it! Anyway, the stylist had used a semi-permanent red, because she said she didn't want to damage my hair. This color faded a bunch, to a copper. But the copper color has stuck in it, because the hair shaft was open enough to hold the color, that's what was explained to me. I wasn't sure for a while, because of the high cost of a salon, but I finally decided I want to keep coloring it a dark red. It's a few months since I had that done and I've asked the same stylist what she would do if I wanted to do it again, she explained that she would use a semi-permanent color again because she thinks a permanent color would damage my previously bleached hair. I am unsure of this, because I know the semi color would just fade all over again, especially on my roots and I think that would be a waste of money! But I am also afraid of what a permanent color might do and also don't know if it will truly stick. Do any of you know anything about this kind of thing? I am going to make another post asking about it too.... By the way, I have been told that red is the fastest fading color, but also the hardest to remove, that kinda doesn't make sense to me haha. Anyone else use red? Thanks again for all the help!

I have used Excellence 8RB(reddish blonde) for years. I love the color. It is too vibrant for the first few days, then just right for about 10 days, and then it starts to fade. Even faded, it is not bad.
The colorist may be right about your hair. Before you decide to go ahead, consider how you would look in short hair...just in case. Good luck!