Help me with my hair colour! - YouLookFab Forum

Well, we're several weeks in, and after a few patch jobs on the gray, I am going to have to take a chance on a box of hair colour. I'm fine doing this because I don't stray too far from my natural colour, and I don't have highlights or anything complicated (even from the stylist).

However, I am questioning what sort of shades I should be going with. I've always gone with ash shades to counter my hair's tendency to pull towards red. But the last few times I've coloured, I've found it rather harsh, and I'm reading that this could be the ash tone causing that effect.

My skin leans cool but my hair tends towards warmth naturally and my eyes have both. Advice varies on whether to go cool toned to match, warm toned to balance or neutral ... what do you guys think? I know I need to go around a level 6 or so, even though my pre-gray natural colour is at least a 4, because I can't handle that level of depth and saturation anymore. So it's really just the tone that I'm confused about.

Thanks for any advice you can share!

4 years ago

Roxanna

Veteran

I’d love to see you in a slightly warmer brown - I think the richness would work really well to complement your cool skin tone.

kellygirl

I don't know enough about hair color to know but my skin is warm toned and I always go with warm highlights--copper-y. I did try cellophane or something once with a deep purple and it did me no favors. I would think you would go cool or neutral. Interested to hear what those with more of a clue think! Good luck!

Joy

I was watching Sunday Morning where a commentator was coloring her roots with a kit from her stylist. She was told to think of staying between the lines when coloring as a child and she would do fine.
I think a neutral might be best for you but know nothing about coloring hair.

slim cat

I was watching some youtube videos about hair coloring at home and the suggestion was to use a mix of half neutral and half cool/ash toned light brown.
The ash toned colors could be coming as too harsh.
I'd consider neutral medium or light brown for your experiment - nothing too dark or ashy.
I'm thinking about doing my own low lights but so far too scared to do it...

JAileen

Can you ask your stylist what you should do?

When I dyed my hair, my stylist used a cool color, and then it would gradually warm up.

ETA: We have pretty intense sun here.YMMV.

Helena

Jaileen, that's what mine does too!

Thanks everyone ... It sounds like inching towards warmer (I e. Choosing a neutral tone) might be worth a go ... Thanks!!

Jaime

(website)

Good luck - no advice, getting my color wrong was one reason I stopped trying !

nemosmom

I don’t color, so I am of no help there, but would your stylist provide you with what she uses in a small batch just to get you by for a while longer?

Sal

I used to do home colour but not for a long time now. I would go for something neutral.....I see a true brunette rather than too reddish or too ashy.

Worth an experiment right now I think!!

Bijou

TG this article may be useful:

https://www.mamamia.com.au/how.....r-at-home/

Perhaps starting off with a semi-permanent is the best way to go because if you hate it, you can wash it out pretty quickly with a medicated shampoo.

Gretchen

No advice, just kudos to you for going for it. I’m staring at almost 2 inches of roots, and I’m still scared to try on my own!

Star

My skin tone is cool, I use natural level 5. Natural covers grays best. Do the gray roots first and then the rest, as the grays need longer time.

PS: By Natural I mean Neutral.

Oh and level six does not cover the grays to match the more brown parts of hair.

Thanks everyone! Nemos, my salon is doing touch up kits but I'm nervous about using the hardcore chemicals at home ... I feel like I need something designed for amateurs

Great tips everyone, thank you ... Bijou, good idea on the semi-permanent and thanks for the article, and Star thanks for the tip on the gray coverage!

Appreciate everyone's encouragement!

Anonymous

I'm following along with interest. I wouldn't worry too much about this, Helena. Just go for it - read the instructions, do some on-line research into your colour (I agree a level 5 or 6) and do it! It's only hair, and until you get into your salon, it's a perfect time to experiment a bit !

Lisa, that's a great attitude; thanks and you're right ... it's not like anyone is seeing it anyhow!

I have silver temporary dye coming in my click and collect order for DS - he's decided since his hair is now a super-long mop, it may as well have some colour in it as well!

And yes, I suspect that even when salons are open, it will be a while for me to get an actual appointment ... it's hard enough during normal times ... so it's going to be a while for sure.

I use Loreal Casting which washes out slowly. It is ammonia-free. I prefer it to permanent color that can only grow out.

When I bought my haircolor (Naturtint) it advised neutral for grey coverage. I did level 3 + a warm 5 last time, and bought 4 most recently.
As hair fades it naturally goes redder, then golden, I heard.

Thanks everyone! Star I'll try that one ... I have heard L'oreal is the best for home colour. My stylist told me that their shampoos etc are as good as the salon stuff, too.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

No advice, but wishing you luck! Your hair always looks good

I've tried L'Oreal 7 1/2A Medium Ash Blond ( permanent ) - it covered my grey hair on the back in a decent way ( 30 min on the hair ). However my top hair came slightly reddish or strawberry blond kinda way - no real ash blond color . My hair is medium to dark ash blond plus grey.
Now I'm doing purple shampoo to tone down the color and crazy amount of conditioning. The experience made me feel even more respect to the specialists that mix perfect custom hair colors.
Next time - maybe natural color as a safer choice .

notsaf

Helena, of course, we have similar hair color, too! I need to go spot-on neutral in order not to be too harsh (cool) or too bronzy (warm). I've been doing semi-permanent color at home: that's even something your stylist can have set up for you in a kit, but I've been using ESalon and have been very happy with it. (Just specify that you'd like a semi-permanent formulation and they can accommodate.) I think I will keep using semipermanent in the salon after lockdown: the grow-out is much gentler, as are the chemicals, so it's win-win.

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