NDR: Do you color your own hair?

EdenJaine

So I am naturally a light colored brunette. I have always been blonde until the last 3 years when it turned darker. I want to go lighter, but am afraid to do it myself or "out of a bottle". I have colored my own hair darker, but never lighter. Have any of you done that or have any experience with going lighter, not darker? TIA!

stumpy

No way! I would NEVER color my own hair. Sorry, but I am not good with that sort of thing and I will gladly keep paying someone to highlight and color my hair.

Sweet Sadie Mae

I have tried going from dark to light 3 different times with at home kits and boxes. It does not ever work for me. Orange hair is all I get. DO NOT DO IT. Go to a professional. most likely they will start with hi-lites.

TheWop

Yeah, don't do it yourself.  This is one thing you should always go-pro with. 

ETA: I've never done box color personally, but when I was in cosmetology school we saw and fixed a lot of bad box color jobs. You don't want to end up looking like a cheeta. 

mrs.jacinthe

I've done it myself, but I always go darker and I always use semi-permanent dye in case it goes really south.

If you're wanting to go lighter, you should definitely hire it out ... I feel like there are just too many variables to lighten on my own.

hippie4yahweh

I started box dying lighter and darker depending on my mood when I stopped dropping $150/ month to go neon. But orange is my color! No toner for me, bright and brassy looks excellent with my skin tone. If I were you I'd probably try it, but I'd have a salon appt as a back up lol! If you do try it, SKIP the "ash" tones, I've never seen them look good on anyone!

TheBridesMom

I color my own hair, but it is very dark (other than the parts gray ), and I color it a blackish purple/purplish black/whatever.  I am not going for anything natural.lol

If I was going lighter, I would have a pro do it.

2bjam

I color my own hair all the time, but like PPs... I am going darker or similar to my own shade...

I have had my hair bleached before, I would never have attempted that on my own because I am not fond of the brassy shades that I think I would end up with. If you're going lighter, I'd also recommend going to a pro. 

yelena1223

"Lifting" color is MUCH trickier than putting color down. It needs to be done in a controlled environment with lots of back-up options and supplies. To lift all over you will need a 40volume developer AND probably bleach. The amount of time you leave it on is vital too- too much and ALL of your hair will break off, even if it's the prettiest platinum. Not enough and you'll be mistaken for CarrotHead.

SO- heed the advice of everyone else on here and go Pro on this one. Once you are light enough- you may try the upkeep (bleaching the roots) yourself. But see how you like it first too. The drastic change is often too much for most people.

Highlights are a good way to ease yourself into a lighter color. And more natural.

EdenJaine

Thanks for the advice ladies! You totally backed up what I thought- going dark on your own is mostly OK.... Going lighter- not worth it! So i'll just get it done by my hair lady! Thanks again girls!

 

toothpastechica

Ive done both darker and lighter, as pp mentioned the lighter often goes orange if you are trying to go a lot lighter, I would book an appt. However, if you are doing just a bit lighter I would try it, then go get it fixed if needed. Ive gone from dark brown to lighter reddish brown no problem but the second I throw the word blond (even dark blonde) it turns orange or greyish.

Davescatch

TheBridesMom:

I color my own hair, but it is very dark (other than the parts gray ), and I color it a blackish purple/purplish black/whatever.  I am not going for anything natural.lol

If I was going lighter, I would have a pro do it.

 

THIS - I started coloring my own hair 3 years ago when my husband lost his job (I couldn't justify spending all that money on my hair).  But I am a mousy brown so it's easy to do and my results are usually adequate for what I need.

Good luck!

 

~dt~