Do you colour your hair? If yes, do you go to the hairdresser or do your own?

Can you recommend any products? Are you concerned about chemicals?

Oh good thread, I have been thinking about this lately.

I am lucky if I can get to the hairdressers more than 3 times a year. There's just not enough hours in the day for me. Is that really bad? :confused:
I can think of one time I have my hair professionally coloured & loved it the rest has been ho-hum or hate. I mostly do it myself. I just use whatever from the supermarket. I have really long thick hair so a pro colour is a costly excercise as well.

I am concerned about the chemicals in hair colour particularly as I have a sensitive scalp. Has anyone used those natural colours like Henna/watercolour? I think I should give them a go.

I only get professional colour if I've got no bills to pay, consarnit. Or if I want a new look and I'm a bit unsure about doing it myself. Otherwise I get at-home packs and am usually pretty happy with the result.

One thing I'll never do at home again though is blonde tips. In my younger days I tried the bleaching kit with the plastic cap where you pull bits of hair through the little holes...good lord, what a disaster that was. And it took hours! :sleep:

Medusa I've always been interested in natural dyes, especially henna. I think the Body Shop has a good range of these. Would also be interested to know whether anyone has tried them...?

The health food shop sells natural colour too,but I do not know anybody who has tried them.
I have only coloured my hair twice, but I guess one day(when the grey shows up:( ) , I will have to do it regularly.

I too have long (very) thick hair, and colouring it at home was quite messy and the result was not great either, it made my dry hair even drier.

Recently I used the John Frieda Colour Glaze which I thought was pretty good.It gave my hair a nice shine and made it less frizzy too.

They say that for long hair you should use 2 packets of dye but I can usually get away with one if the colour is similar to my natural one. Melbournegirl, you get a better result with practise. Apply the colour in sections to the roots then thru the ends & massage in as much as you can. Remove any dye on your skin (don't forget behind your ears!) straight away to avoid discolouration. I usually leave the colour on for abot 10 min extra than stated on the instructions, except for bleach. If you are going blonde avoid massaging the bleach into your scalp, it will burn. Don't forget the blue/purple rinse to remove the yellow tinge.
I've been every colour, including all the crazy Fudge ones.

OK I have been thinking that need to redo my colour, so I'll suss out the natural options & be the guinea pig.

i get my hair professionally coloured about 4 times a year. that is all i really need. medusa, i do not think it is bad to only go the hairdressers 3 times a year, i only go once more than you!!!!!!

it took me a while til i found the perfect salon that did exactly what i wanted.now i always am happy with the result.i have found once i had a style and colour that i liked, other hairdressers apart from my regular one are able to pick up on my personal style from what is already in my hair and i get a lot better results.

when i go to the hairdressers, i always dress in a style that represents me. this way, the hairdresser picks up on my personal style and does my hair in a way that matches my style. i am also always sure i exagerate exactly what i want. i have found this is very useful to get the perfect hairstyle!

also, i know lush does natural hair colour stuff although i have not tried it.

also, i know lush does natural hair colour stuff although i have not tried it.

BS good one - how could I forgot about Lush? Medusa we can be guinea pigs together - I noticed some nasty regrowth this morning. I'll give Lush a try. Perhaps we can report back with a brand comparison?

They say that for long hair you should use 2 packets of dye but I can usually get away with one if the colour is similar to my natural one. Melbournegirl, you get a better result with practise. Apply the colour in sections to the roots then thru the ends & massage in as much as you can. Remove any dye on your skin (don't forget behind your ears!) straight away to avoid discolouration. I usually leave the colour on for abot 10 min extra than stated on the instructions, except for bleach. If you are going blonde avoid massaging the bleach into your scalp, it will burn. Don't forget the blue/purple rinse to remove the yellow tinge.
I've been every colour, including all the crazy Fudge ones.

OK I have been thinking that need to redo my colour, so I'll suss out the natural options & be the guinea pig.


I did use 2 packets, but I guess it comes down to practise as you said Medusa. So I might start practising with some natural colour options.

Bye the way I do not think it is bad going to the hairdresser only 3 times a year. It might be odd, but I actually dislike going to hairdressers! Some of my friends go there and get pampered and get massages etc. I hate it! When I go, I just go for a dry cut, in and out in about 20 minutes. I know it is strange,but I can't help it.

I reckon I hold the "least times at the hairdresser" title. Once or twice a year max! I cut my own fringe and thankfully even with my long hair, dont suffer much with split ends.

I colour my own hair. I only have a few greys (thank goodness!) and have the best results with the Loreal Feria. They wont cover a heap of greys, but just right for me. It is a permanent colour.

I got my hair coloured at a hairdresser last year and it cost me $100 (+$60 for the cut). Nothing special I have to say! I used to use two boxes of colour but now that I have stuck with the same one, one box is fine so it is a whopping saving. I dont really have any difficulty doing it myself and thankfully the colour I chose is quite close to my natural hair colour. Do remember to clean behind your ears as has been mentioned! Mop up as you go, much easier!

Have come across natural hair tints in trade magazines (one is from Italy but I cant remember name), not sure how effective they would be at covering grey hair though. The usual ones seem to be fine for me but I did actually avoid colouring my hair while I was pregnant.

I found a grey hair at 25, though I have a friend who started getting them in her teens. Her mum went grey very early too. Damn those genes!

I was devastated when mine first popped up - but then I realised, hey, I'm still a spring chicken and it has absolutely nothing to do with how old I feel!

MG re not big on the hairdressers - I reckon that's totally fine. I like it purely for the relaxation factor, but you're not the only one that's not a fan! My boy hates it - has a problem with people touching his head, and absolutely detests massages. Each to their own, I say.

I have my hair coloured (full head of foils) every six weeks. As I have said previously I have a good friend who works at a great salon so it costs me hardly anything. I just pay for the product used and then usually take my friend to lunch or a movie as a form of payment.

I hate it if my colour goes dull and I destest re-growth. Every second time I only have the roots done and a gloss treatment on my natural hair ( I'm 29 and thankfully no greys as yet). My hair is a medium brown but I have blonde foils and find this gives my fine hair a more textured look. My hairdresser also only uses a powder lightener on my hair instead of bleach. She says that this isn't as harsh on the hair and lightens up to three shades.

My hairdresser also gives me a deep conditioning treatment following my colour and I do at least one a week at home.

It would be impossible for me to do my hair at home as I have the foils and highlights etc. My hair looks crap if it's not textured with a few different colours etc because it is so fine.

when i was blonde i would go every 6 - 8 weeks, now that im dark i go about half as often for a colour. So inbetween visits i use the clairol root touch up in dark brown, i have a few highlights through the underneath lengths, not right on the top, so i let them get quite grown out, loving that look at the moment!

Are there any Hairdressers in the house?
Is it true you should have a trim every 6 weeks?

When I had very short hair I had to get it cut every 4 weeks to keep it looking sharp. Now that was painful & costly. I used to bleach it Platnium myself.
I just discovered my first grey hairs a couple of months ago. I have to get serious about permanant colour now.

I get blonde highlights done professionally, I have finally found my bestest ever hairdresser, she knows exactly what looks good on me. I have to get the colour done regularly though, that is 4-6 weeks, otherwise regrowth is yucky, so it is expensive. PCC, this is going to sound like a stupid question, but can you just get your roots done if you only get highlights done, and not the overall head of colour?

My hair is kinda high maintenance - I have to get it coloured every 4-5 weeks, and usually get it cut every second visit (8-10 weeks).

I've done it myself tons of times but the colour I have at the moment is a bit tricky to achieve on my own.

Have to say I do not care about chemicals. They are only on my head for half an hour once a month.

I'm a little high maintenance when it comes to my hair too! :rollthoseeyes:

I'm blonde (naturally but started dying it when I was young and it's never been the same, should've listened to mum!) and I go to the salon every 6-8 weeks for both a cut and colour. I get foils done every second or third time depending on what the hairdresser thinks (I've been going to her for years so she is very honest and only does what she thinks I need). Also doesn't cost me too much as I have been with her for so long. So cut, colour, blowdry and style normally under $100. :dance:

I've tried every colour on my hair but always go back to blonde - suits my skin tones best. Never had a drama with the chemicals, but when I used to dye my own hair at home, they never looked as good as a salon dye. Plus my hair is super thick I used to need 2-3 packets just to get even coverage - all too much hard work really!

I get blonde highlights done professionally, I have finally found my bestest ever hairdresser, she knows exactly what looks good on me. I have to get the colour done regularly though, that is 4-6 weeks, otherwise regrowth is yucky, so it is expensive. PCC, this is going to sound like a stupid question, but can you just get your roots done if you only get highlights done, and not the overall head of colour?

i know it said PCC...but (he he) i use to have blonde foils also so i know what you mean, you should only really be getting your roots done, if they bleach/lighten the lengths every time its going to dry your hair out like crazy.

Thanks for clearing that one up for me PS!

My bestie is a hairdresser, i used to get my hair done every 4-5weeks and that included blonde foils roots & freshen up on the blonde ends. And every 2nd time i'd get this and brown colour on the rest of my roots and a freshen up on the ends. Now that her boss has upped the price of everything by at least $20-$30 i only go when i really need to, as my foils are only caramel and very fine which is what i intended so i wouldn't "have to go" so frequently. I probably go about 3-4 times a year now.

She also cuts my hair at her home and i giver her $20.00 or whatever buy her somethign special.

I have coloured my own hair for the past 5 years. Presently I use Loreal Excellence as I find it relatively gentle on my hair and lasts approx. 5-6 weeks.
As I travel frequently it is easier to maintain my own hair colour. :makeup:

I get my hair coloured every 6 weeks at my hairdresser. Usually just to get my roots touched-up but every few months to get a whole head of colour as it can fade.

I have chocolate brown hair, with a dark brown in the under-layer or my hair to add texture, and a halo or light-chocolate brown foils underneath, near the first layer of my hair (does that make sense!?) :rollthoseeyes: so when my hair is up, the foils show, but can hardy be seen when I wear my hair down.

I also get my eyebrows tinted when I have my eyebrows done at the Estee Lauder Brow Bar in the DJ's beauty hall in Sydney. I have naturally light hair, so this helps so I match !

I only dye my hair one to two shades lighter as it is less damaging. Plus your hair stays healthy without having to invest in so much products to keep hair looking nice and shiny. I've read lots about the natural hair dyes but havent ever tried any myself, i've been using the garnier ones and its practical and does the job nicely.

I used to have blonde foils/colour over my natural mousy brown hair up until about Oct last year, had my natural colour plus a bit of reddish-brown put back by in my hair by my hairdresser with a filler to make it stay. Since then I have been using the same colour that my HD friend uses on her hair. She actually told me to do it myself as its so easy - and to cut costs. The brand is a permanent by Nouvelle its from pro hair shops, I mix the colour and 10 vol developer and leave on for 35mins.It leaves my hair so soft and natural looking.

This is great, it works really well for me, catches the odd greys (until they grown out- that is) and does not fade as much as the chemist brands - even after a week long in salt, sun and chlorine water.

I would recommend this as this works best for me. :r: :chuckle: :kissing: :worship:

I just recently started getting my hair coloured (half head foils) again after a few years break.

I have very dark brown hair naturally so I add some lighter brown / blonde foils to give me some light as dark hair tends to wash me out quite a bit.

I dont visit the salon as regularly as i should but thats usually due to the $$ factor (and a bit of lazy factor too!)

I love getting pampered at the salon...on the hunt for a cheaper salon so i can afford the up keep

OK so I went to the Health food shop & got a natural colour yesterday.
Naturstyle Intense Permant Hair Colourant in 4G Golden Chesnut $20.
It has no Ammonia or Resorcinol but does contain 6% Hydrogen Peroxide & 7% Quaternary Ammonium Compounds. To cover greys you need the peroxide.
You apply this one to dry hair which I found a little difficult as I have a lot of it. Would use 2 packs if I was changing my colour. The solution still made my scalp tingle a little but it did not burn or make my eyes water like the normal ones do. I have a sensitive flakey scalp. It still has the Hair colour smell. The colour took really well & even. I thought it might be patchy. My hair is super glossy if a little dark but I think after I wash it again tomorrow it will be fine. :spin:

Thanks Medusa for roadtesting the natural haircolour. So it did not leave your hair dry?
Would you recommend it?
My hair is very thick( similar to yours) I probably would have to use 2 packs?

No my hair feels great.
I got a coulour similar to my own hair as I just wanted to cover some grey & gloss it up. My ends tend to sunbleach a bit brassy. I thought I may need 2 as it does not spread as well thru dry hair (my hair was dirty too) & it is not as creamy as some. I just put it all thru sections then smoothed it thru my lengths as best I could then massaged it all in. Worked well. If you were going to do a big colour change, I'd get 2 packets.

I have had the same all-over dark brown for ages, which I do myself with a semi (Country Colours, very natural) every 3 weeks. However when I was in the hairdresser today I mentioned that I might like to go to a lighter dark brown (eg chocolate rather than almost black) and she booked me in for next week. She said I'd have to have all-over foils. WHY? I do not want the foiled look. I spent my teenage years with stripy and/or highlighted hair, and I like having block all-over colour. Does anyone know why I would need to have foils, instead of having it lightened all over? My hair's only coloured with tone-on-tone semis, so it's not like it needs to be full-scale stripped back. Anyone?

I have had the same all-over dark brown for ages, which I do myself with a semi (Country Colours, very natural) every 3 weeks. However when I was in the hairdresser today I mentioned that I might like to go to a lighter dark brown (eg chocolate rather than almost black) and she booked me in for next week. She said I'd have to have all-over foils. WHY? I do not want the foiled look. I spent my teenage years with stripy and/or highlighted hair, and I like having block all-over colour. Does anyone know why I would need to have foils, instead of having it lightened all over? My hair's only coloured with tone-on-tone semis, so it's not like it needs to be full-scale stripped back. Anyone?

I think the hairdresser is thinking along the lines of very fine foils to lighten the overall appearance, depending on how fine she does the foils and if they are right on the top layer of your hair will depend if you get the stripey look.

Maybe suggest to her lightening the hair a shade or 2 and then going over with a choc brown..? If you do go down the fine highlights road and you are feeling to stripey you can always go over the foils with a light brown and that will give a really nice golden/warmish look.

Let us know how you get on. :hearts:

I have had the same all-over dark brown for ages, which I do myself with a semi (Country Colours, very natural) every 3 weeks. However when I was in the hairdresser today I mentioned that I might like to go to a lighter dark brown (eg chocolate rather than almost black) and she booked me in for next week. She said I'd have to have all-over foils. WHY? I do not want the foiled look. I spent my teenage years with stripy and/or highlighted hair, and I like having block all-over colour. Does anyone know why I would need to have foils, instead of having it lightened all over? My hair's only coloured with tone-on-tone semis, so it's not like it needs to be full-scale stripped back. Anyone?


I think to go any lighter than what you currently are the hairdresser needs to use bleach and foils were recommended as they are less damaging than a full bleach of say a shade or 2 or 3 lighter. I am also enjoying a block dark brown colour after being stripey with highlights/foils most of my life (my natural hair colour is is mousy brown but going darker as I get older) and wouldnt dream of going back to blonde (not just yet anyway)!:waving: :music:

Hey KK, long time no post! Where you been girl???

Hey KK, long time no post! Where you been girl???
I know.... Ive been so busy, been house hunting and working flat out, catching up all before the break - hadnt had much of a chance to get on the pc and visit my dear friends at adore!! Sorry, but now :dunce: :waving: I am back and have missed all you gals!

Good to have you back:penguin:, make sure you update us on all your news xo

(sorry for bumping the colour thread gals, carry on!)

Finally getting my foils done this Saturday after soooo long! Very excited - love getting my hair done :D

Well, it took me another week to do hair colour - with such long hair it is damn tedious!

Despite a super result this morning, a huge gripe (or should that be blunder?). I do my colour in the laundry and a spattering of colour must have found its way to the top of the washing machine where I dumped the sheets this morning. My duck egg blue 500 thread count Egyptian Cotton sheets now have a lovely stain of Feria Chocolate Gold!:explode:

Oh dear. That's gotta make you mad!:saber:

I did mine on Saturday and somewhere along the line I've scratched my head (I think) and now I have 2 fingernails coloured dark brownish. Nothing I try is getting it off! It looks real odd.

Oh dear. That's gotta make you mad!:saber:

I did mine on Saturday and somewhere along the line I've scratched my head (I think) and now I have 2 fingernails coloured dark brownish. Nothing I try is getting it off! It looks real odd.

Me too! Convinced my left glove pinkie finger had a hole in it, got a dark nail that looks like I am a major chain smoker! On with the polish tonight!

Time for a change and given my penchant presently for all things chocolate in colour, I have moved on from Blue Black to Darkest Brown. Although the colour is less dramatic I am really pleased with the result.
This new shade has not specifically impacted on my usual makeup colours, however, it opens up opportunities for introducing new shades to my wardrobe.:clapping:

It definetly does Charasmatic, i had a few more foils put through my dark choc brown hair, it just looks that much more golden, makes you feel more..glowie! If thats a word, am on a missin to get revlon molten metal eyshadow in bronze and the bedroom eyes powder liner to compliment my look for the weekend coming..yay :glee:

It definetly does Charasmatic, i had a few more foils put through my dark choc brown hair, it just looks that much more golden, makes you feel more..glowie! If thats a word, am on a missin to get revlon molten metal eyshadow in bronze and the bedroom eyes powder liner to compliment my look for the weekend coming..yay :glee:

PS, you will look absolutely fabulous!!! :hearts:

I bought the Feria Chocolate Gold when I was last in the city. I'm waiting until I get regrowth to try this one - I can't wait it looks yummy.

I bought the Feria Chocolate Gold when I was last in the city. I'm waiting until I get regrowth to try this one - I can't wait it looks yummy.

That's the one I use Jaime! Have been that colour for about a year. Shows up just a touch darker on my hair. I used to be a "dark auburn brown" girl but really like this slightly lighter look and tone.

Charismatic, so glad you like your new hair colour - bet you will love the fact that it gives you more wardrobe options!

Yeah thats the colour I used to use too Luisa. I've got one in that's like a chocolate mahogany brown, it was a little darker than I'd have liked, but over time its lightening up quite well.

Yeah thats the colour I used to use too Luisa. I've got one in that's like a chocolate mahogany brown, it was a little darker than I'd have liked, but over time its lightening up quite well.


You will like the new colour Jaime. Just be sure to follow the directions for a new hair colour as you will have to change all your hair colour not just the roots. I just use mine on my roots and then comb through to the ends for the last few mins. Have been really happy with this one so recolouring is so much easier too!

Oh I always do it all over - I don't think I have ever just touched up my roots, I'm scared it's going to look strange!

Oh I always do it all over - I don't think I have ever just touched up my roots, I'm scared it's going to look strange!


I used to do this to but was told by a hairdresser that by doing this what you are doing is getting too much of a colour build up on the lower layers. If you think about it it is true as hair grows from the root. My last five mins with colour on lower ends is just to refresh ( and i have really long hair!). See how you go down the track.

Ok I will keep it in mind once I've tried the new colour :)

Luisa's right jaime , colour build up not good

[Charismatic, so glad you like your new hair colour - bet you will love the fact that it gives you more wardrobe options![/QUOTE]

LB how could I complain! :clapping:
I have noted a few of you girls use Loreal Feria. I have tried this range and found the product too chemically overpowering and harsh on my locks. :shockedhair:
Instead I use Loreal Preference ( High Shine ) the formula is just perfect for my hair. :p

There are just so many to choose from out there! There's bound to be a brand/formula that doesn't suit everyone but its good when you find one you like :)

There are just so many to choose from out there! There's bound to be a brand/formula that doesn't suit everyone but its good when you find one you like :)

Jaime I agree.
It further confirms why this forum is so successful, because of and despite of our differences we have the ability to share such a broad range of knowledge and ideas.:glee:

I have noted a few of you girls use Loreal Feria. I have tried this range and found the product too chemically overpowering and harsh on my locks. :shockedhair:
Instead I use Loreal Preference ( High Shine ) the formula is just perfect for my hair. :p

I used to find that with the Loreal Excellence and Decore Colour Natural (they grey covering ones). Whoa, way too harsh. I find the Loreal Feria just right, not sure the addition of that fragrance oil does do much though!

The one in my hair now is Loreal Excellence, and when I was applying it I nearly passed out from the fumes!! It was by far the strongest smelling I've ever used. I couldn't go back in the bathroom for a good half an hour!

If you have a lot of hair & usually have to buy 2 packs of colour to do your hair, then try L'Oreal Superior Preference. I was surprised how generous the pack was. I have quite long, thick hair but I had solution to spare and the tube of conditioner would have lasted me 3 uses. :) I went Tahiti, dark brown.

I use a brown permanent colour from a salon pro shop and it's called Nouvelle - it is made in Italy and is great for my hair The colour is 5R (5.4) result comes up a rich dark mahogany brown (lovely in the sun) on my naturally light brown hair. I redo the roots every month-2 months depending on how soon the lighter hair and a few greys at the front show through- best thing with this colour is it doesn't fade nearly half as much as the ones I used to get from the mainstream brands form the chemist/Priceline - so I would highly reccommend this - a bonus the cost is also lower - $17 for a 100ml tube of colour and approx $5 for 250ml of 3% 10 vol creme peroxide developer - this lasts me 2 full applications or 4-5 root touchups.:o :) :typing: :typing:

:typing: Loreal Supior Preference for me! I've tried feria, but it was too strong for my hair. I might have choosed the wrong shade though... I love the conditioners you get with hair colourants, as I find they make my hair super soft and shiny. I use Preference in the shade alaska, however sometimes I find the colour isnt even all over. I think thats my fault though, as Im no expert, and from the sun I naturally have lighter bits of hair then others. A few proffesional foils help in the part, and then Im very happy hehe sooooo much cheaper then getting all your hair coloured everytime your at the hairdresses-which is wat I used to do!!!

ry L'Oreal Superior Preference. I went Tahiti, dark brown.

Medusa this is a rally good colour! :D

Well I just coloured my hair with the Feria Chocolate Gold I bought ages ago...hair hasn't dried yet so I can't tell the colour. It was by far the messiest session I've ever done... kept dropping the bottle and missing my head when I squirted it! lol

Does anyone else lose a lot of hair when they DIY? I'm astounded by the handful of hair I have just lost....

Well I just coloured my hair with the Feria Chocolate Gold I bought ages ago...hair hasn't dried yet so I can't tell the colour. It was by far the messiest session I've ever done... kept dropping the bottle and missing my head when I squirted it! lol

Does anyone else lose a lot of hair when they DIY? I'm astounded by the handful of hair I have just lost....

Yes jaime I lose heaps. I comb the conditioner through my hair and I always get heaps of strands coming out in the comb. I also tend to lose hair when it's being coloured at the hairdressers.

[Charismatic, so glad you like your new hair colour - bet you will love the fact that it gives you more wardrobe options!

LB how could I complain! :clapping:
I have noted a few of you girls use Loreal Feria. I have tried this range and found the product too chemically overpowering and harsh on my locks. :shockedhair:
Instead I use Loreal Preference ( High Shine ) the formula is just perfect for my hair. :p[/QUOTE]

I use loreal superior preference too - I'm in the number 9 range of blondes. I used to use hollywood light blonde which is a fantastic, rich light blonde- I always had comments on the colour from hairdressers, asking if it was natural, or if i had it professionally done. It is about 1shade lighter than my natural locks. I have now moved to the same level of lightness but a beige tone - its called bakail beige or something like that. This cooler tone is more like my natural tone, not so bright and gold. I am really loving this - matches my eyebrows perfectly!

For the blonde adorables who dye their hair with neutral or cooler blondes, my hairdresser gave me a useful tip the other day: she said it is hard to colour at home in ash tones without it looking too ashy, even grey. She recommended using a neutral colour then applying a toner afterwards.

hey sapphire.. i agree with the toner!

my hairdresser puts a conditioning toner through my hair after she's coloured it for me - it can look a bit grey/dark after the toner but after the first wash (with my purple shampoo for blonde hair of course!) it looks fabu! :hearts:

Yes jaime I lose heaps. I comb the conditioner through my hair and I always get heaps of strands coming out in the comb. I also tend to lose hair when it's being coloured at the hairdressers.


Same, but I have been losing heaps since the beginning of the year, this time of year I tend to lose alot anyway, when I wash or colour it's even more... my hair is thinner but still looks thick and full (people say)because it is naturally wavy and has layers cut... BUT it's a wonder there is any hair left on my head!!!!!!!

Oh good I'm glad I'm not the only one - I was worried I was just losing my hair....I lose a bit at the hairdresser too when they colour it and I get embarrassed...

Everytime I wash my hair, I would probably loose about a 50c size ball of hair (eww I know!) each time. Is this normal ?

Everytime I wash my hair, I would probably loose about a 50c size ball of hair (eww I know!) each time. Is this normal ?

I lose about that too, so hope that is normal, I think it's just this time of year, but it's nothing compared to how much I lost when each of my kids was about 4-6months old and I was breastfeeding... I was in tears about the amount I was losing back then and I've been through that 3 times, and each happened for months- it does grow back though.
Remember when they colour hair they are handling the hair more and it is like 3 normal hair washes - I guess?? :typing: :typing: :typing:

Do you think it has something to do with having your hair coloured ? My mums a retired hairdresser I remember her saying to me a while ago that you tend to loose more hair when its coloured ? I have thick hair and quiet alot of it, so the lose isnt that noticeable. Maybe the fact that my hair is dark brown I notice it more from when I was blonde... You should see my all white bathroom. Strands of chocolate brown hair everywhere ! Im for ever cleaning it. I even vaccum my bathroom & the bathtub !

Do you think it has something to do with having your hair coloured ? My mums a retired hairdresser I remember her saying to me a while ago that you tend to loose more hair when its coloured ? I have thick hair and quiet alot of it, so the lose isnt that noticeable. Maybe the fact that my hair is dark brown I notice it more from when I was blonde... You should see my all white bathroom. Strands of chocolate brown hair everywhere ! Im for ever cleaning it. I even vaccum my bathroom & the bathtub !

I don't know....... but thinking about it are you saying maybe the chemicals we put on our hair/scalp may affect the amount we are losing - ir more loss? I too recently went from 'blonde foils only' colouring to all over dark brown colouring and I have noticed it is more now on my white tiles too, you could still notice the blonde but the brown is definitely more noticable - Note to self - will never do white tiles on the floor again- and don't worry about vaccuming the bathroom - I do it too usually twice a week otherwise I would be there forever collecting my long brown hairs from the floor!!!

Do you think it has something to do with having your hair coloured ? My mums a retired hairdresser I remember her saying to me a while ago that you tend to loose more hair when its coloured ? I have thick hair and quiet alot of it, so the lose isnt that noticeable. Maybe the fact that my hair is dark brown I notice it more from when I was blonde... You should see my all white bathroom. Strands of chocolate brown hair everywhere ! Im for ever cleaning it. I even vaccum my bathroom & the bathtub !

Me too! I'm constantly bitching about my bathroom needing to be cleaned because it's forever covered in hair! I think perhaps it does have something to do with hair being coloured, because I colour my hair more than any of my friends and their hair doesn't fall out nearly as much as mine. If mine fell out any more I'd be very worried, because as it is I think I'm losing just about as much hair as I can cope with. Oh well, I'm not gonna stop colouring it!

I'm getting a cut and colour on the weekend and will be sure to ask for a violet based dark brown, rather than the usual choc brown which ends up with the yuk red washout look. So excited!!!

hey sapphire.. i agree with the toner!

my hairdresser puts a conditioning toner through my hair after she's coloured it for me - it can look a bit grey/dark after the toner but after the first wash (with my purple shampoo for blonde hair of course!) it looks fabu! :hearts:

I find my beige colour does look a bit too grey/ashy when I first put it in and I am always so tempted to wash it the next day but resist, not wanting to make the new colour fade/become vulnerable too soon. I find by the second or third wash the colour is looking much better. I also use a purple-tinted conditioner, though it is not as strong as a toner. At the moment I use the kms conditioner with Redken Clear Moisture shampoo. I love Redken (especially the Clear Moisture range) and tried their blonde range but it is not quite moisturizing enough, alas! Kms is good, as is the loreal blonde/toner range although my hairdresser told me the loreal blonde range is not good over long periods of time if your hair is dry – as it needs more tender loving care!

Nattieb, do you use a special at-home toner, aside from your usual blonde shampoos etc? Any recommendations?

I also lose a lot of hair – I am so glad this discussion popped up because I get a bit paranoid about it. I lose about 20-50 cent-sized dollop – at least that is what I pull out of the plug, which means I probably lost more but it goes down the drain and then falls to the floor when I comb and style it. I do not colour that often though – maybe 3-4 times a year. And I eat well, so I do not think it is a nutrition thing. Who knows?

I'm getting a cut and colour on the weekend and will be sure to ask for a violet based dark brown, rather than the usual choc brown which ends up with the yuk red washout look. So excited!!!

OMG celestefay it will make such a difference if you have a cool complexion. I couldn't believe I had gone through life with a red-based brown - I didn't even know there was such a thing as a violet-based brown until not too long ago! I too hate the red washout look (and even when it's freshly coloured, it throws off red in the sun). Now I'm violet baby!

I've actually wondered whether we brunettes could use a violet shampoo/conditioner to tone down the red in our dark brown hair?

I've actually wondered whether we brunettes could use a violet shampoo/conditioner to tone down the red in our dark brown hair?

Good question! Does anyone know? Also, any way of telling with the DIY colour kits which ones are violet based (if any?)

Good question! Does anyone know? Also, any way of telling with the DIY colour kits which ones are violet based (if any?)

Luisa the L'Oreal Castings one I just used (in shade "darkest brown") appears to be a fairly cool dark brown, but yeah, I don't think I've ever seen a home colour that describes itself as a "cool" or "violet-based" dark brown!

I chose the Feria Chocolate Gold as I thought it had gold rather than red toning (and the pic on the front certainly indicated that). I do like the colour but it still has a distinct redness about it on my hair. I think Loreal Preference has a good "brown" range which I will check out. I need to steer clear of darkest brown though, tends to look almost black on me and as I age I am trying to go (only slightly) lighter(while keeping my long hair of course!!) Lol!

I chose the Feria Chocolate Gold as I thought it had gold rather than red toning (and the pic on the front certainly indicated that). I do like the colour but it still has a distinct redness about it on my hair. I think Loreal Preference has a good "brown" range which I will check out. I need to steer clear of darkest brown though, tends to look almost black on me and as I age I am trying to go (only slightly) lighter(while keeping my long hair of course!!) Lol!

Yeah I would definitely be going the "gold brown" as opposed to "red brown" too, but unfortunately I only like semis as they're a lot kinder to my hair.....but the range in semis is rather limited! It is quite difficult to get a good, strong, rich brown at home that isn't too dark though.

I chose the Feria Chocolate Gold as I thought it had gold rather than red toning (and the pic on the front certainly indicated that). I do like the colour but it still has a distinct redness about it on my hair. I think Loreal Preference has a good "brown" range which I will check out. I need to steer clear of darkest brown though, tends to look almost black on me and as I age I am trying to go (only slightly) lighter(while keeping my long hair of course!!) Lol!

I have found that too Luisa. The box shows it more chocolate goldy, whereas my hair now has more of a chocolate reddish tinge to it when you catch it in the light.

I just put a colour in my hair (now I'm waiting for it to develop) and woah man I nearly passed out from the fumes! Had to stick the fan on and open the window..

I just put a colour in my hair (now I'm waiting for it to develop) and woah man I nearly passed out from the fumes! Had to stick the fan on and open the window..

Poor thing! Yeah, some of them are really bad.

What colour are you doing J?

I chose the Feria Chocolate Gold as I thought it had gold rather than red toning (and the pic on the front certainly indicated that). I do like the colour but it still has a distinct redness about it on my hair. I think Loreal Preference has a good "brown" range which I will check out. I need to steer clear of darkest brown though, tends to look almost black on me and as I age I am trying to go (only slightly) lighter(while keeping my long hair of course!!) Lol!

LB - No matter what colour I dye my hair, I always get a red undertone, there is no escaping it =(

OMG celestefay it will make such a difference if you have a cool complexion. I couldn't believe I had gone through life with a red-based brown - I didn't even know there was such a thing as a violet-based brown until not too long ago! I too hate the red washout look (and even when it's freshly coloured, it throws off red in the sun). Now I'm violet baby!

I've actually wondered whether we brunettes could use a violet shampoo/conditioner to tone down the red in our dark brown hair?

I hate it when it looks red/faded brown, realy really annoys me!

Ive been getting a 'blue kicker' put in with my dark brown colour and its making a difference and use a toner (designed for blond hair) every now and then to tone it down.

Poor thing! Yeah, some of them are really bad.

What colour are you doing J?

I have a really vibrant bright red in my hair :chuckle: meh no one knows me in this town yet so I don't care what it looks like!

I have a really vibrant bright red in my hair :chuckle: meh no one knows me in this town yet so I don't care what it looks like!

Oooooh, lovely! And do redheads have more fun?

absolutely!

red goes faster too :chuckle:

You'll have to post pictures on facebook Jaime! I would love to see what you look like w/ red hair!

I'll see what I can do ;)

I just put a colour in my hair (now I'm waiting for it to develop) and woah man I nearly passed out from the fumes! Had to stick the fan on and open the window..

I use loreal often and those are really fumy - makes my eyes water and my head dizzy!

I use loreal often and those are really fumy - makes my eyes water and my head dizzy!

I used Schwarzkopf Live.... I won't buy it again purely for that reason :shakehead: oh and it seemed to take forever to rinse out!!

I have reddish brown colour in my hair - it's actually called "light copper brown" but it's quite dark on my naturally dark blonde/mousy brown locks and as it just needed a little lightness to it - I:typing: had a kit I did the foils with that mascara brush from the L'Oreal colouer experte pack I used about a year ago... it turned out great will have to do more to go a bit lighter for summer...:typing::chuckle:

I find my beige colour does look a bit too grey/ashy when I first put it in and I am always so tempted to wash it the next day but resist, not wanting to make the new colour fade/become vulnerable too soon. I find by the second or third wash the colour is looking much better. I also use a purple-tinted conditioner, though it is not as strong as a toner. At the moment I use the kms conditioner with Redken Clear Moisture shampoo. I love Redken (especially the Clear Moisture range) and tried their blonde range but it is not quite moisturizing enough, alas! Kms is good, as is the loreal blonde/toner range although my hairdresser told me the loreal blonde range is not good over long periods of time if your hair is dry – as it needs more tender loving care!

Nattieb, do you use a special at-home toner, aside from your usual blonde shampoos etc? Any recommendations?

I also lose a lot of hair – I am so glad this discussion popped up because I get a bit paranoid about it. I lose about 20-50 cent-sized dollop – at least that is what I pull out of the plug, which means I probably lost more but it goes down the drain and then falls to the floor when I comb and style it. I do not colour that often though – maybe 3-4 times a year. And I eat well, so I do not think it is a nutrition thing. Who knows?

We don't brush our hair as much as we used to so the average 100 hairs a day normal shedding can amount to 300 or more when we handle it next(washing, colouring etc). Also the dark hair theory would be correct as they stand out more compared to fair hair. Remind yourself that if you have been growing your hair the actual amount of hair would seem greater, compared to when you had 100 hairs of shorter hair naturally shedding.

We don't brush our hair as much as we used to so the average 100 hairs a day normal shedding can amount to 300 when we handle it next(washing, colouring etc). Also the dark hair theory would be correct as they stand out more compared to fair hair. Remind yourself that if you have been growing your hair the actual amount of hair would seem greater, compared to when you had 100 hairs of shorter hair naturally shedding.

I think the brushing thing is so true. I tend to stress when I see how much hair comes out when I wash it, but then I remember that I can go one or two days without brushing my hair other than using my fingers. If I had brushed it, that hair would have come out in the brush and not in the shower. :)

If anything colouring your hair makes it appear thicker as it swells the hairshaft. If you overprocess your hair with colouring you hair actually snaps off and doesn't fall out from the roots.( not that we would do that ladies as we're far too educated now! Unlike the eighties when I permed my bleached white hair and it felt like slime and broke off in all places! I just wanted to see how far my hair could go!! ehem! yeah right!!) Colouring your hair will not make your hair fall out from the roots.( unless you are unfortunate to have an allergic reaction- hardly heard of these days)The hair follicle is under the skin in the dermis layer and only hormonal, dietary, stress etc will make your hair fall out from the scalp.
I'm just glad I'm a female and lucky not to inherit male pattern baldness. Poor guys, it sad when you know somebody real young and they start to loose their hair at a very young age. Here we are with our crowning glories. We should be so lucky.:glee::glee::glee:

Unlike the eighties when I permed my bleached white hair and it felt like slime and broke off in all places!

Would you believe that there are STILL people who do this?

Would you believe that there are STILL people who do this?

:chuckle::chuckle:Oh I know Rosie. You spot them now and then and feel sorry for them. I so hate that wash and wear frizzy perm look with the bleached ends.The worse thing is it looks so ageing! I mean these people have daughters, sisters, aunts and mothers and so why aren't they being honest and telling them they look like crap!!??!!

I just coloured my hair with Loreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss in Iced Chocolate - turned out quite well! :) I am dying my hair temporary colours, as I'm sick of having the upkeep of permanent colour. So hopefully the temporary colours will mask the growing out stage!

I just coloured my hair with Loreal Paris Casting Creme Gloss in Iced Chocolate - !

Good colour emmy. :whipcrack: This range is really nourishing.

Yes I'm really pleased with the results - one of the only colours I have tried that is one colour all over (other at homes i've done are streaky and uneven). Have you tried the casting creme gloss range charismatic?

Emmy I have just bought the Iced Chocolate , but I have not used it yet. I tried the Colour Gloss in another colour before (can't remember which one, a darker brown I think) and I was quite happy with the result. Just hated the smell :vomit::chuckle:

How dark is the Iced Chocolate??? As much as I love the Casting range (have been using it for absolute yonks!), I always find the colours really dark. I've looked at Iced Chocolate a couple of times but tend to go for Dark Brown - however this is a tad too dark. :chuckle: Would love to give Iced Choc a go if it's a dark-but-not-too-dark brown.

Yes I'm really pleased with the results - one of the only colours I have tried that is one colour all over (other at homes i've done are streaky and uneven). Have you tried the casting creme gloss range charismatic?

Yes emmy, the Blue Black. I actually used it last week and my hair feels really healthy and conditioned.
I had not used Castings for quite some time and the new formula is impressive. I had been using the Loreal Excellance Range which is ok but I felt it was drying my hair.

Emmy I have just bought the Iced Chocolate , but I have not used it yet. I tried the Colour Gloss in another colour before (can't remember which one, a darker brown I think) and I was quite happy with the result. Just hated the smell :vomit::chuckle:

:chuckle: the conditioner they give you isn't very nice! its smelly, but the actual chemicals aren't too bad.

How dark is the Iced Chocolate??? As much as I love the Casting range (have been using it for absolute yonks!), I always find the colours really dark. I've looked at Iced Chocolate a couple of times but tend to go for Dark Brown - however this is a tad too dark. :chuckle: Would love to give Iced Choc a go if it's a dark-but-not-too-dark brown.

Oz,I had a minor freak out yesterday afternoon that it was too dark. Iced Chocolate is quite a dark colour, and on me, it came out darker than the box said. On my pale skin, I looked a bit washed out last night, so next time will try a shade lighter.

Yes emmy, the Blue Black. I actually used it last week and my hair feels really healthy and conditioned.
I had not used Castings for quite some time and the new formula is impressive. I had been using the Loreal Excellance Range which is ok but I felt it was drying my hair.

Yeh my hair feels really conditioned as well.

Are temporary colours better for your hair than permanent? (i.e/ are the premanent colours more stripping/drying of your hair)

Yeh my hair feels really conditioned as well.

Are temporary colours better for your hair than permanent? (i.e/ are the premanent colours more stripping/drying of your hair)

I find the permanent colours more stripping on my hair.

the shaft of the hair is opened up more for permanent colour , so it will therefore last longer
semi's [depending on the amount of ammonia] will allow some colour to penetrate , so it would/should be kinder to your hair

many semi's do turn out darker than appears on the box

The Excellence is a very good permanent colour for covering grey hair but it is very drying, even with the protective serum. My mum uses this one.

Thanks for the advice girls! :) I kinda thought the semis/temporary colours would be kinder on my hair, but just thought I'd check (as I am going to be dying my hair more often)

I used the L'oreal Colour Gloss in Iced Chocolate today and it is quite dark. I normally have dark brown hair, this made it even darker, but I am happy with the result. This time I did not mind the smell either. Last time I used it in a different shade, and I found the smell overpowering.

Thats great Isabella! How long are you finding the colour by Loreal lasting?

I found it quite long lasting,probably 8 weeks or longer. I did not really notice, since there is no regrowth, it just seems to happen gradually. Also I wash my hair only every 4th day, so that helps too I guess.

Oh that helps so much then! I am washing every day! :chuckle:

Oh ! :chuckle:
I used to wash my hair everyday years ago, but luckily nowadays I get away with less. Makes a huge difference when you have thick longish hair which takes hours to dry.:rollthoseeyes:

Yeah I wash mine so often because it's short now and I notice it gets oily really quickly. Oh well, I'll just have to top up thecolour more often! :)

I am thinking of going the home colouring route this year - I really need to save money. But I like the time out............

I am thinking of going the home colouring route this year - I really need to save money. But I like the time out............


Yeah it is cheaper colouring at home, but it is also messy and inconvenient. I colour at home because I hate going to the hairdresser.:chuckle:

I hate the feeling of inferiority I get there (they are all young, gorgeous & perfectly groomed) but they are lovely people, the salon is a wonderful space, and I get to sit and do nothing for a few hours, with no-one nagging at me to do this, or watch that, or whatever. That's what I pay for..........

I feel inferior too Rosie going to the hairdresser. And i go to an upmarket one, where I feel worse, but a cheaper hairdresser never gets my hair right. Oh well. I do my own colour at home cos its cheaper.

It is cheaper, and convenient to just do it yourself rather than booking an appointment and waiting until you have to go... but it is always SOOO messy for me!:whistle: I currently have a stain on my bathroom door I cant get off :chuckle:

I mostly colour mine at home too - I can't justify the $60 cost for a salon semi when I can do the exact same thing at home for $10. It is messy and annoying, although I have gotten it down to a fine art. I love the convenience though - I can do it at 10pm when I have something on the next day!

Jaime, my entire floor is covered in stains from hair dye! And its nice timber ones! :whistle: I have also recently thrown out a t-shirt because it was stained. I have also stained many towels and my nice Sussan bath robe. I'm such a Klutz! :chuckle:

When I did hair at home I had specific towels and a specific outfit. I'd buy stuff to clean the bathroom with ready for the night I did it.:chuckle:

Maybe I should take a leaf outta your book Rosie! :chuckle:

Oh it was fabulous, let me tell you! An old pair of hubby's painting trackies, an old painting flannelette shirt (several sizes too big), and 3 towels, in a light colour, purely for hair colouring night. It was great, and such a sexy look!:chuckle:

When I did hair at home I had specific towels and a specific outfit. I'd buy stuff to clean the bathroom with ready for the night I did it.:chuckle:

yep I have a specific towel, and a specific top. Its a boob tube I can just pull downwards when I'm ready to hop into the shower - doesn't require pulling over your head!

I really want to dye my hair a dark blonde (via hairdresser) but i'm worried i'm going to damage my hair!
Not to mention the hassels of re growth and everything..

What's your natural colour LMV? If you go to a reputable salon, they will be able to advise you on the best way to go. The biggest thing though, as you say, is regrowth.

What's your natural colour LMV? If you go to a reputable salon, they will be able to advise you on the best way to go. The biggest thing though, as you say, is regrowth.

I'm naturally light to meduim brown. My hair used to be golden when i was little but the older i got, the darker it went!

Thought you might be interested in a new generation hair colour that's about to be launched by Proctor and Gamble in the Nice N Easy range. Best thing is the application time - down to 10 mins, oh and it's good for your hair!

http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/news/printNewsBis.asp?id=82631

Thought you might be interested in a new generation hair colour that's about to be launched by Proctor and Gamble in the Nice N Easy range. Best thing is the application time - down to 10 mins, oh and it's good for your hair!

http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/news/printNewsBis.asp?id=82631

Looks fab! So, we should be expecting to see it on the shelves in Australia by about, ohhh, 2014?

Looks fab! So, we should be expecting to see it on the shelves in Australia by about, ohhh, 2014?

:chuckle: If we're lucky!

I'm naturally light to meduim brown. My hair used to be golden when i was little but the older i got, the darker it went!

Maybe you could try a 1/2 head of foils... that's what I do and the regrowth is much less of a problem. I am super lazy when it comes to booking into the hairdressers, so if I can handle the regrowth, then anyone can.

Maybe you could try a 1/2 head of foils... that's what I do and the regrowth is much less of a problem. I am super lazy when it comes to booking into the hairdressers, so if I can handle the regrowth, then anyone can.

i normally have a half head of foils too , also don't go ultra blonde , i went blonder & the regrowth was a killer & it was only about a shade difference

I'm naturally light to meduim brown. My hair used to be golden when i was little but the older i got, the darker it went!

Miss V your hair would look gorgeous with foils/highlights. Nothing too bright but some graduating shades would look perfect with your lovely delicate complexion.

Miss V your hair would look gorgeous with foils/highlights. Nothing too bright but some graduating shades would look perfect with your lovely delicate complexion.

Perhaps that is what i should do.
The next time i get my hair cut i'll ask my hairdresser, it won't be for a while though, i've only just gotten my hair cut!

I got my hair coloured tonight, it looks much better! Although, it's warmer than I wanted - I asked for a neutral deep brown, one that is on the cooler side so that it won't fade to red. This one is already throwing off red. GRRRRRR.

I got my hair coloured tonight, it looks much better! Although, it's warmer than I wanted - I asked for a neutral deep brown, one that is on the cooler side so that it won't fade to red. This one is already throwing off red. GRRRRRR.

Ask for blue kicker to be added to your colour Oz, i have same prob, natural colour is quite warm so it shows through in most of my colours, so my h/d adds a blue kicker and its just neutralises the redness, voila!

I got my hair coloured tonight, it looks much better! Although, it's warmer than I wanted - I asked for a neutral deep brown, one that is on the cooler side so that it won't fade to red. This one is already throwing off red. GRRRRRR.

Yeah - i got mine done - a gloosy chocolate brown - my problem is regardless of waht colour my hair is, I have these weird natural red highlights that I can never get rid of.

Yeah - i got mine done - a gloosy chocolate brown - my problem is regardless of waht colour my hair is, I have these weird natural red highlights that I can never get rid of.

Me too! Mum always says how 'beautiful' they are but I really don't dig it.

I am due for a colour and am thinking of getting rid of the blonde bits (already) - but I am thinking, do I just get them dyed brown again, or do I get them coloured lilac or something?!

And - if I do just do it all a dark brown - I am sooooo tempted to do it myself at home... although I know I won't be as happy with the result (and mess) paying $100+ for a plain colour seems exhorbitant!! But who am I kidding... I know I'll still pay :(

Me too! Mum always says how 'beautiful' they are but I really don't dig it.

I am due for a colour and am thinking of getting rid of the blonde bits (already) - but I am thinking, do I just get them dyed brown again, or do I get them coloured lilac or something?!

And - if I do just do it all a dark brown - I am sooooo tempted to do it myself at home... although I know I won't be as happy with the result (and mess) paying $100+ for a plain colour seems exhorbitant!! But who am I kidding... I know I'll still pay :(

Babe, if you do it yourself it won't get rid of the light bits. I have had this same prob. Go get an all over at the hairdresser then after taht you can DIY.

Good one. I will. I'll book it in for a day when I have something on and see how they can straighten this 'do!!

They ended up just doing a sem in mine last night and it's all gone and covered and so happy with the result - and you would pay a lot less than me with a semi and your short hair, I always pay so much cos they tend to have to use 3 lots of colour. Would def not be over 100$.

Yeah - i got mine done - a gloosy chocolate brown - my problem is regardless of waht colour my hair is, I have these weird natural red highlights that I can never get rid of.

Same here! The last time I got my hair professionally coloured (all over) was about 3 years ago. I was such a regular with all the hair colouring thing. I spent about 4 years at the same salon & wanted a chocolate brown - no reds or anything. So my hairdresser would do a chocolate brown, but I always ended up leaving the salon with red glowing off the top of my head. And it would stay like that for about a month. She said that it was because my hair tends to throw a lot of red, so she said she would counteract that by adding a little deep purple. It did help a bit, but still - too much red for me.

I have never been able to go to a professional salon where they've gotten the colour exactly how I want it - I've been to a few different ones, but they always get it wrong! So I've stuck with my natural colour the past couple of years - plain old boring dark brown. But at least I'm not glowing red though lol!

Good one. I will. I'll book it in for a day when I have something on and see how they can straighten this 'do!!
Straighten! You're tired of the curly pob?

Same here! The last time I got my hair professionally coloured (all over) was about 3 years ago. I was such a regular with all the hair colouring thing. I spent about 4 years at the same salon & wanted a chocolate brown - no reds or anything. So my hairdresser would do a chocolate brown, but I always ended up leaving the salon with red glowing off the top of my head. And it would stay like that for about a month. She said that it was because my hair tends to throw a lot of red, so she said she would counteract that by adding a little deep purple. It did help a bit, but still - too much red for me.

I have never been able to go to a professional salon where they've gotten the colour exactly how I want it - I've been to a few different ones, but they always get it wrong! So I've stuck with my natural colour the past couple of years - plain old boring dark brown. But at least I'm not glowing red though lol!

Oh my God bluemelon you have to read this.....this is why I never ask for "chocolate brown" anymore! It's from FruityBeauty:
April 12, 2007
Chocolate brown hair dye: Actually is red hair dye.
I went to a Schwarzkopf (hard to spell) lunch yesterday where I learned something very interesting that you all might like to know before you go out and dye your hair dark for the woolly wild winter that awaits.

Here's how my thought process went:

... Oh I do like live colour, it's such a good virgin colourist's home hair colour... what about when I used it at 12 when my hair was still naturally lovely and Gemma Ward blonde and then I went and put in that stupid red shade and had rank, pissy orange, uneven hair for most of year seven just because all the popular girls who had mood rings and Kuta Lines jackets and rolled school skirts were dyeing their hair stupid red shades... fool... ohh, that's a nice shade he's showing... Dreamy chocolate... Looks very nice for winter.... what's that he's saying? Any hair dye with the word chocolate in it is red-based? Nooooo... Really? Noooo... but that's CRAZY TALK... Surely it's a true brown! I mean, I've been asking for 'chocolate brown' for years and it's never been red... Oh. He's right. It did always fade to a crap red colour eventually... Ahh, I see, it's that it's a warm tone, and any warm brown tone has to have red in it to be warm...So basically, if I want a non-red brown I should ask for deep brown, or dark brown... Interesting, very interestiOHMYGODTHOSEMENAREBRINGINGOUTCAKE.

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My hair definitely doesn't fade to a red like colour.

Mine always does, really badly. I have HEAPS of red in my hair and it always shows through if I'm in the sun or if my colour has faded. It's not ginger thank God - but it's close. :shakehead: I hate it.

Yeah I always have red bits but that's been with any colour I have tried.

Yeah when mine fades, the redness lessens, but there's still red in it though. It's weird.

I know the brand Matrix brought out a coffee coloured range - my cousin's salon uses it. It had colours like Mocha, Latte etc, which sounded nice, but I'm just going to take a break for a while from all the colouring. The home colourings I used to do turned out better lol!

I hate doing it myself - I have far too much hair, it's so thick, and also when it's long, it's a nightmare. Always looks 485734878 times better when done at a salon.

Straighten! You're tired of the curly pob?




I miss having the OPTION of straightening my hair. I wear it curly most of the time anyway, but it's nice being able to change the look. I can't straighten the curly pob myself cos the lengths at the back are so different - I would never be able to get them all nice and straight - but would like to see how the hairdressers can do it. Just for a look-see!

Yeah when mine fades, the redness lessens, but there's still red in it though. It's weird.

I know the brand Matrix brought out a coffee coloured range - my cousin's salon uses it. It had colours like Mocha, Latte etc, which sounded nice, but I'm just going to take a break for a while from all the colouring. The home colourings I used to do turned out better lol!
Oooh those colours sound great. LOL not that the names really have all that much bearing on the colour. Yeah some of my home colours have turned out better than salon colours too, especially if you end up with a dud HD.

I hate doing it myself - I have far too much hair, it's so thick, and also when it's long, it's a nightmare. Always looks 485734878 times better when done at a salon.

I never did my own when it was long either, WAY too much bother.

I miss having the OPTION of straightening my hair. I wear it curly most of the time anyway, but it's nice being able to change the look. I can't straighten the curly pob myself cos the lengths at the back are so different - I would never be able to get them all nice and straight - but would like to see how the hairdressers can do it. Just for a look-see!

Yeah I can understand that, although I must say that if I had curly hair I'd wear it curly all the time! I looove curly hair!

nah trust me, if you had curly hair you'd hate it as much as I do!

Yeah I have a friend who has curly hair and instead of scrunching it up and really making it work, she just pulls it flat into a ponytail. I guess it gets a bit annoying after a while!

And getting curly hair to look shiny and healthy and not dry is a chore in itself.

Yeah, my hair is very thick and curly/wavy too. The hair straightening iron has become my best friend over the past few years. I've been using a ceramic one which has a tourmaline coating & this really helps smooth out my hair and actually helps to seal the moisture in, so my hair is actually healthier when I use it than when I don't. Plus it is so much more manageable when it is straight and smooth. I used to do the scrunching thing quite a bit, but don't anymore. Just doesn't sit right anymore!

I bought Loreal Feria in Pure Burgundy Auburn and Pure Amber Auburn....because I couldn't pick just one :redcheeks:...
I'm off to do the Burgundy Auburn one now I think!

Hope it turns out really well jaime!

This morning I dyed my hair (definately needed it!) Light Brown from the L'oreal Casting Creme Gloss Range. I am continually impressed from this range! (I have also tried the Chocolate Brown). Gives very good coverage, lasts as long as it says it does and the colours come out well. I found the Chocolate Brown to be too red for my hair, but the Light Brown is fantastic! Very close to my natural hair colour. This range is my Holy Grail of at home colouring! :clapping:

I use Castings in the Black and love it to bits!

Is there only one Castings in the Loreal range guys or is it called Castings Cream Gloss?

Had an awful experience with my usual Feria and am looking for a change.

what happened Luisa? Was it the Chocolate Gold?

Yep! After using this colour for two years, I used it the day before my party and was scared all my hair would fall out.

Something looked wrong from the start, when I mixed the colour and deveoper it appeared a lot runnier than usual. Applied it to my hair anyway and within minutes started to experience the most awful burning on my scalp and the colour felt really hot.

What made it worse was I was focused on colour dripping absolutely everywhere, ruining a nice bra I had on and colouring the skin on my face and back because I could not keep up with mopping up the drips. Had had enough after 10 minutes and rinsed it out, extremely thankful I still had my hair!

must have been a dodgy batch. What a shame :shakehead:
I went off the Chocolate Gold....I didn't like the way it turned brassy after a while. Having said that, I have just put a reddish tint in :chuckle:

Oh my god! What an awful exprerience! Do you know why it happened?
Not sure about the names of Casting/Casting Creme Gloss - all the ones I've come across are Casting Creme Gloss's. But I would definately recommend them!

Thanks guys, yes it was a frightening experience. Should have realised something was wrong when I mixed it. Have the batch number and feel I need to email them about it.

Will look out for the Castings. Can you tell me the colour of the box?

Thanks guys, yes it was a frightening experience. Should have realised something was wrong when I mixed it. Have the batch number and feel I need to email them about it.


good idea, there might be more out there

It is a white box with purple/pink on the front and the left side of the box on the front has hair down the side. Cant miss it in the supermarket - nice packaging compared to others!

Thanks Em, will look out for it soon as my 10 minute botch job did everything but colour my HAIR!:shakehead:

Let us know how you go :waving: xo

I will guys, thanks for your help and concern xo

Oh dear! Good thing you got it off quicksmart.

I'm going back to dark brown today, after a summer of auburn and caramel. I think I prefer it darker though, whenever I try to add warmth it just goes red.

Is there only one Castings in the Loreal range guys or is it called Castings Cream Gloss?

Had an awful experience with my usual Feria and am looking for a change.

What a terrible experience with the Feria!!! I would have been terrified!!!!!

Luisa there is only one Castings, but they recently reformulated a little bit and changed their packaging slightly. In most shops they carry a combination of old and new packaging, but it's basically the same product. I think the old one is just called Castings while the new one is Castings Creme Gloss. The new one gives a better shine I think, but the old one is easier to use with the "twist and snap" mechanism. I love Castings and have used it forever - I use "Jamaica" in the old one and "Dark Brown" in the new one. They do come up darker than the picture though, Dark Brown on me comes up very dark.

Thanks Oz!:waving:

Going to be fun "deciding" on a colour!:penguin:

Luisa B you poor thing - and before your party! :hugs:

I have a quick question - does anyone know how the Loreal Casting range is re the blonde colours?

No idea Saph, but I'd imagine your hair would have to be pretty pale for any of the semis to make much of a difference...

No idea Saph, but I'd imagine your hair would have to be pretty pale for any of the semis to make much of a difference...

That's what I thought. :)

That is a scary experience with the Feria, Luisa. I have only recently starting to colour and now I am worried.

I use the L'oreal Casting Creme Gloss as well. Last time I got Iced Chocolate, this time I got Dark Brown again I agree with Oz, it is very dark.

I would recommend the Light Brown Isabella and Oz :waving: It is still dark! Or perhaps the Medium Brown?

I would recommend the Light Brown Isabella and Oz :waving: It is still dark! Or perhaps the Medium Brown?

Nah the lightest I can go is Iced Chocolate and it still doesn't make my roots dark enough, darn it all :shakehead:

I would recommend the Light Brown Isabella and Oz :waving: It is still dark! Or perhaps the Medium Brown?

Thanks Emmy.:waving: I have never seen the Medium Brown. I was thinking the Light Brown might be too light for my naturally dark brown hair? Dunno.

No, the light brown won't be too light. (from my experience) I have fairly dark hair naturally too and the light brown brings it closer naturally than the chocolate brown. If you're worried about whether its too light, I would recommend trying Medium Brown. They are temporary colours as you probably know, so if you dont like them its not permanent! :chuckle:
I would actually like them to make a lighter brown than Light Brown - do they?

[QUOTE=emmy;95048] They are temporary colours as you probably know, so if you dont like them its not permanent! :chuckle:/QUOTE]

I thought the Castings Gloss was a permanent colour? As I do it so infrequently, I was looking for a permanent colour. Any other ideas girls?

Yes the castings creme gloss only last 28 washes.

Not for me then.:tears:

Any other suggestions for a gentle, effective permanent colour to cover a handful of greys?

got my hair done today....very much on the blonde side!

i got my hair done yesterday too, i also got it quite blonde. dont you love that feeling when you've just had a hair cut :glee:

Picked up the Garnier Nutrisse in Chocolate. This one says it is a no drip cream. Fingers crossed!

Hope it goes well :waving:

Me too, though I wont be doing it anytime soon. Just unpacked the groceries from the massive shop this morning and I am sore!

I hate hate HATED dying my own hair when it was long! Took so long to muster up the energy to do it!

I hate hate HATED dying my own hair when it was long! Took so long to muster up the energy to do it!

:chuckle: That's why mine wont be happening any time soon Oz!:shakehead:

:chuckle: Thats why i love colouring my hair when its short!!