If you use hair color...

How often do you recolor? And do you use a certain brand all the time, or just whatever is on sale?

So far I have yet to find a brand that doesn't make my scalp itch. I've even gone to the health food store and tried their expensive brand. Not much difference as far as my scalp is concerned although it doesn't have the ammonia smell thank goodness.

I'm not sure if we're allowed to say brandnames here or not. If we're not allowed but you know of a good product that isn't quite as harsh maybe pm me?

I refuse to go gray!!!!

Lynn,
I don't know for sure, but a stylist once told me that the hair color products you could buy over the counter contained certain ingredients that were not present in salon quality dyes.

I had colored my hair myself for years, and when I'd just about destroyed it, finally had it done professionally. It took about 2 hours for the salon to remove the residue before they could re-color.

You might want to try splurging at a salon. My hair has been a lot healthier (my scalp too, for that matter-no more dandruff) since I switched

You know I found this to be true too. I used to color my hair with stuff I'd picked up from the store. Last time I went to the salon and not only is the color better and more natural, but it lasts a lot longer too.

When I use home ones also my scalp itches.. but I do as well go to the salon and I usually never have a bad experience... a one process isn't that bad

Thanks girls. I was afraid of this. A good friend of mine goes to the salon on a monthly basis and spends a small fortune just to have her hair done. I admit the color is beautiful on her and she never has a scalp problem, but unfortunately it is not in my budget to do. But I might call around and see if there is a place close by that is not so expensive, yet still good.

*scratches head*

I do both, go to the salon and spend a fortune every 6-8 wks. AND do base color at home every 3-4 weeks. I just use the Root Coverup Kit, keep on 10 minutes, covers very well. I have never had a scalp problem though. Have heard also that using the darker colors more toxic. I just use the light brown.:)

Lynn how about going to a reputable beauty school, there should be at least one near you. It is very inexpensive and they use professional products. Ask for a person to do your hair that is about to graduate from the school and make sure the instructor is nearby.

Wish you the best! :)

I agree with Altar!

Professional color is the way to go! I didn't have much luck coloring my hair myself, either.

I've colored my hair for years; salons are cool, but I have all kinds of crazy streaks in mine so it's just easier to do it myself. I use root touch up for the main color (cholately brown) and then lots of blond and some red highlights. My hair is short and choppy. My BF loves it! :D

Lynn - - -

If you have a beauty school near you, try them. They are well supervised and you will pay much, much less. My secretary's daughter specialized in color while she was in school and everyone at work who colors, went to her while she was in school. They still go to her, but now that she's established at a salon, it is much more expensive.

I am determined not to go the hair color route. I certainly don't need anything else to maintain! :D

http://static.flickr.com/22/28349768_972189ff37.jpg
I used to dye my hair blue. I had to bleach it first. I'd sometimes dye it pink or orange or whatever.

No matter what you do to your hair I've found one wonderful solution to hydrating it: jajoba oil. It's at the health food stores and a couple of drops on your fingers after a shampoo and conditioning rinse can go a long way.

Good luck!

Hair now:

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/2962/munichlionml1.jpg

Well, I'm on my way to the salon this afternoon, so I'll ask my hair dresser.

I agree with you, it does cost quite a bit to use a salon, and I did mine myself for years. But when I got the point I was kind of three different tones of blonde, i.e. the roots, the middle and the tips (which were extremely blonde), I had to have professional intervention.

This afternoon I'm having it cut, dyed a darker color with a weave to put in some lighter color streaks, and it's about 100 bucks. :( And that's probably fairly reasonable compared to some. One of my cousin's is a hairdresser in an upscale salon, and judging by her car, clothes and home, I would say she makes a pretty good salary.

I agree with Peachy about checking locally for a cosemetology school. But I will ask my hairdresser today what over-the-counter hair dyes she would recommend that might not irritate your scalp. :)

Hmm, I posted a reply before but for some reason it isn't showing up....

The beauty school is an interesting notion, one to think about but for a later time. Right now I'm wondering how to fit in everything else I have to do into my days.

Charlotte, you're so cute with the blue hair, but beautiful in your other picture. As for the jojoba oil, I used to use it quite a lot after a particular bad experience with a perm, LOL.

Hey Jo, I wonder if the salons would sell some of their coloring products? Probably not. Good luck on your new do!!

I've tried both. Salon is expensive but my biggest issue with it is that its time consuming. I prefer to do my own color at home when the mood strikes. I've tried all kinds of products and so far Loreal Ferria leaves my hair in the best condition. The problem is the colors are limited. In general I think all the Loreal color products are kinder to hair.

I agree about Ferria. When I do my own, thats what I use. I like the way the color comes out, doesn't look flat and dull.

However, I think it does make my head itchy, I can't remember!

I was thinking about this thread this morning in our staff meeting. Our Library Director advised that we had a lady in the restroom of our city library coloring her hair! :eek: And she was very indignant when she was informed she could not use the facility for that purpose and was asked to leave. :rolleyes: Makes you really wonder about some people!

Okay now THAT is strange! I can't even think of a reason you would be doing that in the public library! :confused:

We were all pretty bumfuzzled about it too Jo . . . especially since this is a fairly upscale community and we don't have any homeless people.

I know why: she didn't want to ruin her home bathroom!!!

I know that of which I speak.

Voice of experience: I buy cheap, plastic tablecloths and try to cover everything.

__________________________________________________

Sorry, Lynn, as I am currently and have been living in hair-coloring-hell for the past several years, I don't have any suggestions to help you. :(

I worked for a major cosmetics and hair products firm in the 80s.

I was on the business side, not the product development side, but over the years I worked there I learned a few things.

From what I remember the answer to this question has a lot to do with the individual.

As I understood it, there are in fact some differences between the commercial product and the retail product that could make the salon product a better choice for some individuals.

I think the factors involved are what color you are starting with and going to, and what the specific texture and chemistry of your hair is.

I think some people can get results just as good at home with the retail product and some would get better results at a salon.

There are also differences between brands so you might want to try a different brand.

But what do I know! :D

I agree with most of the posters here that a good salon makes all the difference. I could never quite get the color right with the store bought stuff and burned mine once. I have my mine done and a salon that is reasonable or "in the norm for price"(about 140 for cut and color) but I only need it done about every 12 weeks because their products are so good and my hairstylist is REALLY good. So the average is pretty good.

-Nibbles

Okay, back from the salon.

My lady said that it is most likely the ammonia in the products that are irritating your scalp. She said if you used a temporary color, those do not contain ammonia. However, she also said those only really work well if you are going lighter to darker, and not darker to lighter.

She also said there is a line of products called CHI that makes an ammonia-free dye, but she thinks it might only be available in the salon. :(

I did an internet search on that company, but only came up with shampoo and straighteners etc, no dyes.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Really if you can, I would save and scrimp and go to the salon and get it done. I was really shocked at the huge difference it made...

For MANY years I was very happy with Revlon's ammonia-free hair coloring product ... the name eludes me right now. However, as the percentage of gray in my hair increased, it didn't provide enough gray coverage for me.

Chatter, thats why I get the weave in mine. When the gray does come through, it doesn't show as much. The streaks of color make it less noticable, in my opinion.

Those dang gray hairs... :( I really hate them. I don't have too many yet, but gosh dang it, they are a whole different texture than your "regular" hair and stick right out..all coarse. And they don't take the dye well, and when they do it doesn't stick with them as long and GAH!!!

I hear ya, Jody! I never wanted my haircolor to be different, I just didn't want GRAY HAIR! :eek: I know there are products that promise to "cover only the gray" for men but they're lead-based and the men I've seen that use it have a very strange purple halo! If someone could invent something to really change only the gray hairs to look like the rest, they'd be mega-rich super fast!

There is a process called high-low for grey hair, to put in highlights amid the grey. Have only found a few hairdressers who can do it well, and they are not here in Wasteland! But you might try asking about that procedure if you live in a fair sized city/town.

Okay, back from the salon.

My lady said that it is most likely the ammonia in the products that are irritating your scalp. She said if you used a temporary color, those do not contain ammonia. However, she also said those only really work well if you are going lighter to darker, and not darker to lighter.

She also said there is a line of products called CHI that makes an ammonia-free dye, but she thinks it might only be available in the salon. :(

I did an internet search on that company, but only came up with shampoo and straighteners etc, no dyes.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Really if you can, I would save and scrimp and go to the salon and get it done. I was really shocked at the huge difference it made...

Hmmm, well here is the product I've been using. http://www.herbsgardenshealth.com/naturtint_hair_colours.htm and it is ammonia free. The first couple of times I used it was great, but then suddenly my scalp started itching. Maybe I need to rotate products.

And Jo, you and everyone else here have been of great help. :)

I like Ferria too as far as how well it looks. Maybe it's just me. I just have an overly sensitive scalp.

My niece colors her hair, although she doesn't have to, and she told me that despite what it says in the directions she washes her hair directly after coloring and then again the next day otherwise her scalp would itch too. But since I am covering gray hairs I was always afraid to try that, afraid I'd wash out some of the color before it set.

Jo, I love the CHI products . . . their flat iron is second to none!

And you can buy their products at a beauty supply.

One of the ladies I work with does a reverse frost on her hair and it looks wonderful. She likes that much better than just dying all of it.

I guess that is one advantage of being blonde . . . the gray isn't as noticeable and mine is a lot of grey right now, but most people just think it's still my blonde.

Not to make you feel wierd or anything but Charlotte- you are a beautiful woman.. Blue hair or not..

I always thought I wanted to get mine dyed purple. I still do actually.... Yeah i know Im a nut!!

Oooo, Peachy I envy you! All the time I was married, I wondered if I weren't married would I still refuse to go gray - then I got my answer! I just can't do it, even though I think that so many women look wonderful with their hair graying or gray. :o

I can't quite seem to wrap myself around the idea of a reverse frost.

Would that be where you already have the light hair, and they go and put in dark streaks? :confused:

I'm sorry..my brain refuses to cooperate with anything that takes more than a few cells lately.

I can't quite seem to wrap myself around the idea of a reverse frost.

Would that be where you already have the light hair, and they go and put in dark streaks? :confused:

I'm sorry..my brain refuses to cooperate with anything that takes more than a few cells lately.


Jody, I am laughing so hard!!! You can't get your mind around it? I read it, kinda thought about it for 1/3 of a second, and then gave up on even TRYING to understand it! LOL

Actually, the way you describe it makes sense.

For years I colored my hair with the stuff you buy at the store. It was pretty good and I was happy for the most part. Then my OM treated me to getting it done at a real salon that specialized in coloring and OH MY what a difference. My hair was incredible. I got it dyed a wonderful red and the stylist put brown in it which she called low lights. I loved it!!

But, that is very expensive. So the last time I went to the beauty school and for $35 they did the same thing and I was just as pleased with the results. My OM loves the shine and depth of color.

Then, last week I decided to do it myself again. The color is good, but the shine just isn't there. It looks much duller now.

I will go back to the beauty school in a few weeks and let them do it. I have also been using that John Frieda color glaze. I love that stuff!!!

Yes, thank you, Pita, Peachy, and others for the reminder about salons at beauty schools - I had forgotten all about them.

Did you know you can also get discounted massages at some schools that offer massage therapy courses?

I do my own color, but have a stylist who cuts my hair. She told me that the store bought color usually contains a 40 volume developing cream (the white stuff you mix with the color) which is the strongest level. She said this is mainly for really coarse, hard to color hair such as grey hair. If you do not have coarse hair, 40 volume is too strong and may damage finer hair as well as cause the scalp to itch. My hair is fine and thin with little grey and she told me that 10 volume developer would be sufficient to color my hair. She told me that if I wanted to continue to color my own hair, to go to a beauty supply store that is also open to the public (Like Sally Beauty Supply) and purchase salon quality color plus developing creme. I now use my favorite store bought color but substitute the included developing cream with 10 volume. The result is shinier, healthier hair at a fraction of the cost of a salon visit!

Bless you for that information star. I just checked and we have several Sally Beauty Supply stores nearby. I'm going to check into one of them and see if they can advise me. Probably be more expensive than store colors but cheaper than the salons I would imagine.... I hope. :)

Actually I should've remembered that there are supply stores since one of my sister in laws used to buy all her perm solutions and supplies at one of them to do home perms for friends and family. Hmm, she might still keep in contact with some of the stores.

I have had the same problem over the years as you. I've suffered with both over the counter hair color AND salon color.....experimenting with many brands.

FINALLY, I found a GREAT hair color that doesn't even make my scalp feel the slightest bit itchy or red. It's an Italian dye that I get at Whole Foods. It's called:

NATURCOLOR and it's made in Italy by Herbaceuticals.....it's made from plant extracts and has NO ammonia. It's the best thing I've ever found. I'm sensitive to everything. I take it to the salon and my hairstylist uses it on me because any salon dye has me running out the door screaming in about ten minutes.

So, I use this at home every 4-6 weeks....and about every six months I get highlights and I take it with me for my hairdresser to do my roots at the same time as an occasional treat.

It's about $15 bux a box.....well worth it.

Hey Kat that might be worth a try! Do you buy it locally to you or online? I just checked it out online and it's about as much as I've been paying for the color from my health food store. And it's supposed to be one of the best, so they tell me there. :)

hey lynn,

i buy it at whole foods...our other health food stores around don't have this brand.
it's hands down the best, most natural looking dye i've ever used....AND the least toxic. leave it to the italians!

and it doesn't cost a bucketload. i would definitely order it online if i couldn't buy it locally. it covers well. i'm about 75% gray.

I can't quite seem to wrap myself around the idea of a reverse frost.

Would that be where you already have the light hair, and they go and put in dark streaks? :confused:

I'm sorry..my brain refuses to cooperate with anything that takes more than a few cells lately.

Yes, Jo, you are right. She greyed prematurely and didn't want a complete dye. So they pulled her hair through the cap and just dyed the pulled-through hair darker. And it really did just look frosted.

I have auburn hair and hazel eyes and sometimes i just want a change so i end up dying my hair jet black. I have always used Colorstay by Revelon. I buy it at Wal Mart. It's under $3.00. (The key to a non-itchy scalp is getting the first colouring out before you put the conditioner in the first time you put the colour in.) The colour is really rich too so black it's blue and that's what I was looking for.I have never had a salon or school do it because i've had such success with doing it myself . I'd like to try it oneday just for the pleasure of being in a salon and being pampered.

Be careful, emerald, you might think you are getting pampered. I have had such hard luck trying to find a hairdresser with good color skills! Usually come out with it red! Have alot of natural red in my hair. I do preface the visit by saying bleach must be used, as the other colorants just turn it red! But they always want to try their pet products. Still looking for someone I can trust...

But best of luck in your ventures as well!!:)

I used Revlon's ammonia-free hair color, ColorSilk, for many years and I always loved the color, but I stopped using it about 10 years ago because I didn't think it was covering the gray. Well, I don't know if they've changed the formulation or what, but I used it again last month and I'm blown away - totally complete gray coverage until the new growth came in, AND beautiful, soft, rich color that lasted - no brassiness, no red overtones, no red glow around my head in the sun, and no fading!!!

*Happy dance*