DIY Dye Job Recommendations

[HeatherLouWho]

Hi everyone. I am a level five brunette with shorter hair. I did my own color when I was younger. I made a few mistakes over the years but learned some basic rules that kept me out of trouble: stick close to natural shade, no highlights, and no lightening.

About three years ago, I stopped doing my own because a stylist told me that at-home color contains "metallic salts" that can react with the salon product causing the hair to turn into "cotton candy" and break off.

I am sick of paying $60 to get the same results that I used to get for $10, especially since now I have gray hair that requires regular attention.

So, I basically want to know two things. (1) Is cotton-candy hair bit this true? and (2) If so, any product recommendations for at home color so that I can be sure to avoid such horrific results.

 

[gildedangel]

People switch between salon and box all of the time, I have personally never heard of cotton candy hair in modern hair dyes that are approved for use on grey hair. My mom, who has greys too; uses Feria (as do I) and her hair turns out great!

 

[vica]

henna contains metallic salts that react with any hair dye and yes it does make the hair melt (ive seen it happen!!!) but i dont think at home color is any different from the salon color because they both contain the same ingredients (i think box dye is a little stronger though) .... you can go to a beauty supply and buy the dye ( the creamy ones in a tube) and 20 volume peroxide and do your hair at home. its cheaper and you can use however much you need then save the rest instead of having the use the whole box of at-home color. then dye over your roots only instead of applying it to the whole head because dying over the hair that already has permanent color to it makes it dull and dry and hard to lift if you decide to get it bleached. if you want to put haircolor to the rest of the hair, use a 15 or 10 volume with the dye ( u can add .5 oz of water to 1 oz. of 20 v to get 10v) ...hth! goodluck

 

[BEA2LS]

i have been coloring my hair at home for years, and it really is the same color as i used to go to a salon.. (i color it blonde, a lot lighter than my natural color but no bleach)

 

[billy_cakes]

I know that alot of people choose not to believe what hairdressers say but I can only tell you have i have seen first hand as a stylist. both home hair colour and cheap styling products/shampoos/conditioners can have a bad effect on a hair. In worst case senarios the hair has snapped off, or burnt off or been turned into a jelly like substance.

in mild cases the hair and head will just heat up alot and if u have foils in your hair the heat may cause the metals in the hair to burn off and smoke can actually waft out of the foils.

it isnt a risk that i would personally take. but of course it is up to the individual.

ask your stylist to do either a strand test or use their sissors to run along ur hair shaft (this doesnt cut the hair but if there is any residue or salts or metals on the hair it will show them) so they can assess if its safe to colour your hair or if the need to do a deep clarifying teatment first