For ladies who dye their own hair

[Grasshopper Green]

I dyed my hair about a month ago and my roots are now showing. I think I'm going to keep dying it because I like the color and it also made the amount of grey I have very obvious (and I"m only 27!!). Does anyone have any advice on how the easiest way to just do your roots? I'm afraid if I keep re-dying my whole head that my hair will become strawlike. Also, I have no intention of going to a hair salon to get this done every month.

[SiN]

the easiest way to just do your roots is...

just do them

maybe get one of those haircolour brushes if you don't already have one.

<-- been DIY haircolouring for 10+ years now.

edit - straw? i think with bleaching that's what/when you really need to worry about it. if you're dark/staying dark, i wouldn't worry so much. just use decent dye. and condition like a motherfucker.

[maleficent]

I have too much hair and too little faith in home hair colors (I had an episode where I ended up with magenta hair, so never with the home hair dye again)

What my colorist does, is uses a paint brush for the roots, let's that sit for about 25 minutes (my hair is quite gray - and has been that way since i was 19) then for the last five minutes she'll apply the color to the rest of my hair - -that way it will refresh the color that has faded.

There is one home hair color now that advertises itself for roots - -it might be clairol - i think the only difference is that it comes with less hair color and a little brush.

[veruca]

I just saw the root kit today...I have been dying for 10 plus years..and I do my whole head every time, to keep the color even...and I have great hair..the new dyes that are being made are very gentle and conditioning..as long as you aren't bleaching I wouldn't worry.

[Grasshopper Green]

Nope, not bleaching....I'm a dark brunette and am using a dark red color. I have been using some intensive conditioner since i dyed, because I could tell a difference in the way my hair felt; it's naturally kind of dry and coarse, which is the only reason I have concerns about it getting dried out. I'll have to look for a hair paintbrush then.

[maleficent]

Originally Posted by veruca

I just saw the root kit today...I have been dying for 10 plus years..and I do my whole head every time, to keep the color even...and I have great hair..the new dyes that are being made are very gentle and conditioning..as long as you aren't bleaching I wouldn't worry.

According to package directions, and every colorist I have been to, you don't need to do your whole head every time, unless you switch colors completely. Once you start coloring your hair, it becomes very porous. Five minutes is all it takes to refresh the color if you are sticking with the same color

[darkangel]

I dye my hair just because I get sick of my plain brown. I usually do it a purplish color. I always just do my whole head each time because it seems my haircolor fades REALLY fast. It's so dark and nice the first day, but pretty soon my whole head is back to my natural color. (It seems). I haven't noticed the quality of my hair going down though, but as Sin said, I am dark and staying dark..

[Starlight4]

I've been dying my own hair at home for years. My advice for you to get your roots is to do them first. Brush your hair a lot so that it's nice and smooth and then part your hair a few times (I do 8 partitions) and then run the dye down those lines/partitions and spread it around before you start to dye the rest of your hair. Good luck!

[Demeter]

I've been a DIY hair color girl for 20 years (OMG I'm old!). I just run the applicator nozzle in strips at the scalp & then pat it with gloved fingers. Then just leave it like that until 5 minutes short of the recommended coloring time. Then apply the rest.
I used to be a lot more finicky about parting it & clipping sections, yadda yadda yadda...but I find this ways quicker & does the job.
Some color kits have extra big tubes of conditioner, so you can seal it again one to two weeks after you initially color. This keeps it shiny.
Also, watch which brand you use. When I was 15 I used Nice & Easy & it worked well. Now that I am in my thirties my hair can't handle that kind of damage, I use L'Oreal Preference. Its milder from what I can tell, and doesn't fry my hair.
I use a red dye now, and reds fade the fastest. It takes more care than when I used to bleach to a platinum, but I prefer the color.

[Grasshopper Green]

Thanks for the tips everyone; I'll be re-coloring in the next few days and hopefully I won't have a botched job. I also use Preference, Demeter; my mom recommended it. She said it made her hair feel softer than some of the other brands she's tried, and I was pleased with the initial results.

[maleficent]

Originally Posted by Demeter

I use a red dye now, and reds fade the fastest.

To keep the red from fading faster than it should.. JOhn Frieda makes a really nice shampoo and conditioner (I think they have the other products as well) specifically for Red Hair (tehy also make it for blonde, and light brown and dark brown) It does help retain the color in your hair.

and always do a final rinse of cold water... makes it shinier and it's supposed to help seal in the color.

[Demeter]

Originally Posted by maleficent

To keep the red from fading faster than it should.. JOhn Frieda makes a really nice shampoo and conditioner (I think they have the other products as well) specifically for Red Hair (tehy also make it for blonde, and light brown and dark brown) It does help retain the color in your hair.

and always do a final rinse of cold water... makes it shinier and it's supposed to help seal in the color.

The sucky thing is I find most shampoos for color treated hair have a sunscreen in them (to prevent the fading). I'm allergic to sunscreen & it gives me awful sores. I'll take a gander at it though, thanks.