Permanent color after semi/demi-perm

[kathyp]

I've been using Natural Instincts in Spiced Tea for the past few months. I liked it at first but the second time I colored it came out pretty dark. (And this is the lighter of the two bright reds.) My haircolor isn't bad, but it's pretty flat and dull, though it's almost a month and has toned down noticeably.

This is why I hate semi and demi-perms. After a while the color looks a little flat and blah. I want to go back to something approaching my natural, medium warm brown haircolor, but I know the risks: damaged ends, hot roots -- been there, too many times. I want to get away from NI, too, not just put a neutral brown over what I've got now and hope for the best. How soon can I go back to permanent (usually Excellence or Preference) haircolor?

 

[gildedangel]

The great thing about semi-perms like Natural Insticts (I used Rosewood for awhile myself) is that you can pretty much re-dye your hair in about 4-6 weeks without having much trouble. If you are going to a darker color it will be a lot easier.
I actually dyed my hair two weeks with Feria after I had dyed it with the NI. It came out perfect! I would stick it out at least 4 weeks though. HTH!

 

[kathyp]

I don't really want my hair any darker. Right now it's too dark for my complexion. My natural hair color isn't particularly dark, just average brown with a bit of gold. Too dark hair makes me look witchy.

I used permanent color in a shade close to my own for years, just to cover grays, but this summer I got an itch to go red again, and wanted to do it in a low-risk way. Enter Natural Instincts. I'd used it before, but not any of the reds. (The soft black was a nightmare. Talk about witchy. I had to have it removed at a salon.)