Do you color your hair?
I’m actually pretty lucky-although my mom started going silver at 25, I’m in my late 30’s and still only have a few strands of gray here and there. However I have been “fashion” dying my hair with some red highlights for the last year or so.
It’s fun and it’s frivolous, but it’s something I do just for me.
I have always gone to the hairdresser to have my hair colored. One of my best friends is a stylist here in town~so of course I have her do my hair. It’s not only because of our friendship, and my desire to support local, independent businesses–but also because the idea of coloring my own hair was pretty intimidating.
But that has changed! A month or so back I got the opportunity to be in an online commercial for the new Fat Foam hair color by SAMY that is being sold exclusively at Walmart ($8.97-and with $.97 shipping if you buy online).
I traveled down to New York City (along with fellow Walmart Moms Tara of Deal Seeking Mom & Erika of Chic Shopper Chick) and spent a day filming-it was really amazing experience! There was wardrobe, and professional makeup, and about 20 other folks who made it all happen.
Look! I'm on camera!
Wow, that's a lot of people and equipment
Of course as part of it I got to use-for the first time ever-home hair color. In front of a room full of people. On film.
No pressure or anything eh?
I remember watching my mom dye her hair at home when I was a kid. It was not a neat and clean process! Plus there was that time she turned it Navy Blue by mistake. . . uh, but we won’t talk about that (right mom?).
I have to say-this really was easy to use-and I’m not just saying that because I was paid to. You really just shook the stuff up, applied it with your fingers and away you went!
The color was nice and dark (I used the dark brown shade) and it not only covered the red highlighting I had in, but it also obliterated the few gray strands that I had.
I was especially interested to see if I had any color leakage afterward, so I checked my pillow in the morning-no dye rubbed off. I also paid special attention in the shower that morning-the water ran completely clear so no trouble there either.
Some tips for dying your own hair:
1: Read the directions before you start doing ANYTHING. The director (obviously a male) was a bit surprised when he learned I’d have to wait 30 minutes before rinsing the dye out. They had to rearrange the shooting schedule and start filming Erika while I waited 🙂
2: Clean off any color that gets on your skin as soon as possible. The foam did go where I put it, but I put some of it on my skin by accident! And if you use another product it could be drippier and you might have more issues with that.
3: Consider putting a thin trail of vaseline all along your hairline to protect your skin from any stray color. This will help with #2.
4: Wear older clothes and cover yourself well with an old towel.
My end verdict on hair coloring? I think that doing it at home can be a big win budget wise-there are just so many great colors & easy products out there.
To be honest though, as long as the budget allows I am going to support my friend and her small independently owned shop by having her color my hair. If the budget grows tighter I am happy to know that I have a frugal and effective alternative out there.
So what about you?
Do any of you color your hair at home? Is it something you’ve always done, or have you started as a money saving measure more recently? What tips do you have to make coloring your own hair easier and more economical?
Disclaimer: I was compensated as talent for my part in the Samy Fat Foam hair color online commercial, and for sharing my experiences here. All opinions expressed are my own.
***This is a sponsored post***
I’ve been colouring my hair at home for years – first highlights, then blonde (and blonder). I took deep breath about 3 years ago and tried out dark auburn – a hairdresser I trusted had told me I could carry off this colour years ago. He was right, and I do enjoy it. Auburn is much tougher to maintain than blonde, though. It was the fashion here for a while – and perhaps it still is, I don’t care – for blondes to let their dark roots show. I don’t think it will ever be fashionable for redheads to let their grey roots show. I could be wrong – I’d be happy to hear it! Also, when I wanted to go straight back to blonde, I realised it was a big step and so went to a hairdresser to have it done. Surprise! He said it couldn’t be done – not if you don’t want to risk orange hair (NOOO). I’d have to go dark brown (ick) and then lighted up from there. So be it. I’ll stick with auburn for a while longer and then make that transition. Having said ALL this, I definitely think home hair colour is the way to go if you want to be frugal, especially if you’re hiding grey hair. I never could predict just how soon my roots would show and couldn’t get last minute appointments when they did. Far better to be in control of the colour myself. And…I’ve even had a go at cutting my own hair: http://shelleyshouse.blogspot.com/2008/05/i-did-it-to-myself.html
Hello Jenn,
I color my hair on my own often, I have had lowlights put in when I can 1. afford it or 2. I am in the mood for a change. I am greying at a faster rate than before so my hair is resistance to most dyes, I have been a dishwater blonde since I was 3, so the silvery grey blends in. I use a plastic bag to wrap my hair when I do it at home and event hough I do my hair at home, I try to use a better quality brand. I have had poor results in the past with trying to save with other brans so I use what works for me which is about $16.00 each time, however the cost is significantly less than a professional. I am currently preparing for the lowlights again, I like a bit of a dramatic effect from time to time and ready for a change:)
I put old towels on the floor to catch drips. It never fails that I drip something on the floor by accident.
I am 29 and I’m going gray early. *sigh* However I have been coloring my own hair for about 4 years now with whatever brand I find on sale and have found that it’s not as hard as people make it sound. Honestly, it’s getting over the first time fear that is the hardest!
I have colored my hair at home for years. I can’t justify the money it costs to have it done in a salon. We are a one-income family & money is always tight. I’ve never had a problem with coloring it on my own & find it easy to do. I think even if I could afford it I’d rather spend that extra $ elsewhere. I’m a frugal gal! =0)
Shhh I have been coloring my hair for a long time. I have naturally strawberry blonde hair but it used to be much more red when I was younger and a few grey hairs are trying to poke through. The blonder it gets the more washed out I look. I have very fair red head skin so the more red I have in my hair the better it looks. Red however is the hardest color to keep. I had my hair done in a salon several times, and really I get the same and some times better results at home.
I have found that a demi- color works best for me. I get it at a beauty supply store and I can mix up the exact amount I need and not have to use the entire package for touch ups. Another great thing about the demi-color is that it fades out and does not leave the root line, and I think it is more gentle to my hair.
I have one tee shirt that I use when I color my hair and a few old ugly towels that go on the floor.
I paid $90 once to have my hair done in a salon and she missed a spot in the back and then when I left I ran my hand on the nape of my neck and I got red dye on my fingers that she forgot to rinse out! The other times before that I got the same color and results as I did at home. The demi-color at the beauty salon is only about $8.00 that is a bit difference for the same or better results!
I have not tried Fat Hair but I have tried other at home dyes that you get at Discount or Drug Stores and they are good but I like that I can control how much I put on mine and that it is a demi.
Interesting! I’ve never heard of the Demi. Thanks for telling us about it.
This is my BIG tip – I only re-do my roots, so I divide the box to use for 2 applications. I measure out very exactly half the dye and half the activator into a glass bowl, stir well and apply in thin sections with a dye brush. I cover my basin and vanity top with a large plastic bin liner that I cut open. I put a thick layer of face cream around my hairline. A hair clip keeps hair in sections. I have made my own hair salon cloak with thin lining. It costs me half the price of the dye box and a fraction the costs of a salon colour treatment!
Great tip Nadene!
Great tips! I love the idea to use a thick layer of face cream around your hairline – I used vaseline once and I broke out like nobody’s business from all the grease. I will try the face cream next time!
I’ve done my own hair at home for years, both coloring and cutting and receive many compliments on it. I don’t usually admit it, though, because once people know I do it at home they often do one or both of these things: They find some minor flaw in my hair that they apparently didn’t notice when they thought it had been professionally done, and/or recommend their “great” stylist (!) So I don’t tell. I use an inexpensive coloring, Colorsilk by Revlon for about $3. Although the package doesn’t recommend it, I pour a bit of the developer into a glass dish, add a bit of the colorant and mix and apply to my roots. Each box lasts for 3 applications and my roots are never showing.
Shadmax-isn’t it funny how people react when something isn’t as expensive as they think it is? The same sort of reaction can hold true for bargain or thrifted clothing. People are strange.
Great tip about the roots too!
my dark blonde hair started turning silver in my late 20’s..fortunately I love silver hair..but it has not as yet turned white..which i really look forward to..its about 3/4 silver or gray..I prefer the word silver…from time to time it starts to look a little drab..and when it does, I make mixture of hydrogen peroxide and water..1/2 & 1/2…spray it on my hair, leave for 15 mins..and it brightens it up…the other day I decided I wanted to step it up..so I got one of those little petite frost and tip kits…basically the old pull your hair thru the cap routine…I only used it on the part of my hair that i could easily see..and that was already quite light..I pulled it thru the cap..did not put the bleach all the way to the very bottom of the strand to avoid leaking thru the cap..left it on 15 mins..checked it, 15 mins more..etc..so on, until it was as light as i wanted it…didnt do a tremendous amount of hair..just a moderate amt pulled thru..and as i said..right in the front and sides…it is beautiful….blends well w the rest of my hair…it was fairly easy because i didnt try to lighten hair that was dark..and i was able to watch it closely…it saved me about 100 dollars…I may get highlights 2 x a yr..to brighten my gray hair…this will last for at least 6 months…but dont try to do something really complicated…keep it simple..leave the really drastic bleaching for the professionals..at least thats my opinion…
I never used to bother coz grey hair doesn’t bother me. In fact, my friend who used to do “my colors” back in the day, told me I am the one that goes grey the best. 🙂 BUT I have cowlicks and aging hair and the two can be pretty ornery if the Sandwich Generation issues of life are keeping me too busy to get it cut. A good friend pointed out that coloring your hair actually “damages” it in a GOOD way, making it easier to work with. I didn’t know if she was right, so I gave it a try with Loreal w/o ammonia and nasty smelling stuff. 🙂 She WAS right. It makes my hair more manageable AND it does look nice. I only do it every 2-3 months, so I never have to figure out how to do the roots. I just do the whole shebang and I’m happy.