First foray into permanent hair coloring -- I want to cover grays but look natural
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Anonymous
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The other post made me start thinking about the increasing amount of gray hair that is invading my head. My natural color is a medium-dark chestnut brown. My hair is long and straight but with some body. I need to cover the grays but I don't want highlights, I just want it to look like my natural hair but without the gray. Last year I had a single-process demi-permanent color done and it made my hair darker and kind of monochromatic. (I would have said it was monochromatic before but I guess it does have natural subtle highlights/variation.) I don't get to the salon that frequently so now I want to go permanent rather than demi, and I'd like to avoid having obvious roots while it grows out -- I don't have THAT much gray so I think this is possible.
My hair is actually one of the things I really like about my appearance so I don't want to f*** it up. Any suggestions for what type of color/process I should look for? Also, any recommendations for a good colorist in Arlington, FC, or Tysons? Thanks so much! |
Anonymous
I am the other poster  . I just remembered what a good friend told me she does to avoid the mono-chrome look....every third or so color session she gets highlights. This way when the conditioning demi-rinse is put over the highlights there will be some natural variation from the underlying highlights. She went gray prematurely so has been coloring her hair since her late 20s. I am new at this at 43.
I used to love the demi-rinse but now I year into it I think all of my natural hair variations have been covered so it is much more monochrome. I think I am going to do one round of highlights..then the demi-rinse through the summer because the sun in summer wreaks havoc on higlights. I'll post a pic of two photos I like... |
Anonymous
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http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/80/dc/90/80dc90f285f78db92d66338416eabf2c.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pinterest.com/pin/257690409901437579/&h=720&w=480&sz=51&tbnid=WxXWjjwVr1gf1M:&tbnh=132&tbnw=88&zoom=1&usg=__S1XT2pnJCVagSnATtjAKR63dE0M=&docid=aEqTDA4Xk_BnoM&sa=X&ei=UKgDU4yZIuKMyQHD6oGAAg&ved=0CCkQ9QEwAQ
http://beautyeditor.ca/2014/01/16/dark-brown-hair-with-highlights-at-home/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/203928689347964869/ http://www.pinterest.com/pin/203928689350442229/ I really like Mila's. My hair is about the same depth. I think on an older woman you really have to tone it down---can't do funky or chunky or a really big contrast or ombre...or you look like some crazy Kate Gosselin bat, etc. |
Anonymous
I just posted in your other thread that Mila's hair could be an inspiration!
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Anonymous
Too funny!! Thanks! I need a pick-me up. I'm going for it...if I regret it--at least it's a change! |
Anonymous
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Natural hair has natural variations in color, both from the sun and from your body. I think you will want highlights and/or lowlights to maintain this variation, but very subtle ones. Think skinny rather than chunky. And you will want the colorist to match the color as closely as possible to your dark roots so the new growth isn't as noticeable, at least for the ones that are still dark.
I get highlights every other visit, and the roots touched up with a permanent color every visit. |
Anonymous
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I have my hair colored at a salon, and have the base color done close to my natural color, so it looks natural and the roots don't show as bad. Then my hairdresser puts in highlights to give the color some dimension. The first time I had it colored, it looked too 'flat' and I hated it.
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Anonymous
| I color my hair, primarily to cover gray, and I use a single-process. My hair has lots of depth without having highlights. OP, do you color your hair at home or have it professionally done? |
Anonymous
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I have been going gray since I was 19 (now 37) and have been getting my hair colored since then. Here are just a couple suggestions:
Highlighting is harsh on some hair types. I am one of those people. My hair does not hold color well. When you highlight, you strip the color away and then add color back. It could fade easliy and you could end up with lighter, brassy highlights which is not a good look. Ask your stylist about panel coloring. They use two different colors in a pattern around your scalp so you have the depth of two different colors. This is really nice and cheaper than highlights becuase it is still considered a one step color. Above all, go to a GOOD place. If you see someone on the street with great color, ask where they get their hair done and go there. Where do you live OP? Do you need recommendations? |
Anonymous
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OP here. Thanks for the inspiration. Those pics are almost exactly what I'm talking about. I will print them out to bring with me to the salon.
To answer the most recent PP's question, I go to the salon. I've done semi-permanent at home but it barely covers anything and washes out so quickly. Last year my hairstylist did a demi-permanent, which lasted longer than the semi-permanent but did wash out eventually. I want to do permanent now bc I want to go back as infrequently as possible. |
Anonymous
OP here. Sure I would love a recommendation. I like my current person for haircuts but she doesn't seem too inspired when it comes to color. I would prefer somewhere in the Arlington, Falls Church, McLean, Tysons area. |
Anonymous
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PAY for this sevice, do not do it at home. Home dyes are harsh on your hair and will ruin it. In the beginning it won't seem like it, but they are not good for you.
I only spend about $60 when I get my hair colored becuase I don't get the blow dry after (whcih adds another $35). I have to get my hair colored every 8-10 weeks, so it adds up. But if you think about it, if you were to wear one shirt, every day, for the next three months, how much would you spend? I kind of see my hair as something I have to "wear" everyday, so I invest in it. (I mean, duh, you wear your hair everyday, but you know what I mean). |
Anonymous
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Do not do this at home! It does not last.
I have chocolate brown hair and do low lights for contrast. My whites also pick up some variation and after a few washes the whites are slightly lighter than my non-whites. |
Anonymous
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I buy a translucent gloss and do it at home. Lasts for about 5 days, but I'm a daily washer. It looks so shiny and beautiful especially on day one....like a Pantene commercial.
I normally do the gloss once a month, when I want to look extra nice. |
Anonymous
Professionally. At a high end Georgetown salon. God---I am horrible with my own beauty treatments--I outsource them all . I can't even paint between the lines for mani/pedis.
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