[Riverwild]

I have a question about hair dye.

I am getting waaaaaay gray. It's along the sides of my forehead and spread through my hair. The strands are sticking up everywhere, like wire. I miss my old hair. It used to appear dark blonde with natural highlights but it had brown and red and light blond all through it. It got lighter during the summer because I was out all day in the sun.

What should I look for in a hair coloring package to get natural looking color? I see so many people who dye their hair and it's all one color and just doesn'tlook natural and I don't want that. I also don't want to change my color drastically, just get rid of the gray and have some natural looking highlights and not have to pay a professional to do it.

I have waist length hair so should I buy two or three boxes of the stuff?

Is there such a coloring system that does what I want at home?

Hepppp meeeee!

[CarolM]

First off, don't buy a dye - buy a rinse. The grey will end up lighter than the rest of your darker hair giving you highlights. I loved that stage. Once you're mostly grey you pretty much have to go with dye which I found pretty much did away with the highlights. If you're out in the sun a lot, the dye will lighten up the exposed strands.

I can't tell you about quantity because I'm a chicken and go to the hairdressers.

C

[karousel]

When I was younger my girlfriends and I used to color our hair just for fun. I needed to use 2 boxes each time and my hair was only half way down my back. I'd say pick up three boxes so that you have them if needed. Last year I started coloring my hair to hide the gray. So far each time I have had multiple colors in my hair but I think that may be something that varies from person to person? I do know my natural blond highlights, the few that I actually had, are gone ever since I started coloring my hair.

[PolarExpress]

I'd go for the rinse instead of the dye, too, until you know for sure what color to use. My hair is nearly to my waist, and fairly thick, so when I color it, I need 3 boxes of goo. My gray hairs come out corkscrew curly, too, which is fine unless they're in the short stage of "growing out".

[agate]

I'd skip it and get a wig myself.

I've never tried coloring my hair though I've been tempted, and when I was, people always told me to get a rinse, not a dye--as CarolM said.

I didn't know if the color would come off on my bedding and clothes and didn't want to chance it. I didn't want the added expense and bother. And I didn't know what the chemicals involved would do to my hair.

Also, I've seen too many people whose hair color changes didn't look natural.

With a wig at least you know the color in advance, and you can always replace the wig if you don't like it.

I don't mind my gray hair. If other people mind it, too bad.

[Twinkletoes]

What agate said! I began coloring my hair probably 15 years ago and once you start, you can't quit!!!

I have a very bald brother who, when someone asked him why he didn't get a toupee', said, "Why? I don't have to look at my head."

RW, I'm impressed at how long your hair must be to reach your waist. I mean, you're about 7 feet tall, so that's a L-O-N-G ponytail!!!

[Riverwild]

OK, so I went and looked at the hair stuff at the stores yesterday. I didn't know there was a difference between dyes, but now I see one is a permanent color change and one is a color change that washes out after X number of shampoos. Some of them are gone after 6-8 washes and some up to 24 and the permanent ones do NOT wash out, just fade in color but stay until the hair grows out completely?

(can you tell I never had exposure to this girly stuff? I've been in the woods too long!)

I'm going through a total makeover on my own, no professionals involved. I'm fixing teeth, buying clothes, painting my nails, tossed out all the 20 year old makeup and bought new products and I am on a freakin' diet! I might even tweeze my eyebrows and cut my hair, although the man is against the haircut... )

When I am done, I'll do a before and after show for y'all! Thanks for the heads up on the hair stuff!

[AfterMyNap]

Listen heah! Spend the money once to have it done for you at a decent salon, a good technician will help you know the best products, shades and methods for your hair type.

You'll want to have your ends trimmed too, it makes a difference.

If you don't have one, now is definitely the time to get a handheld shower head for rinsing your carpet. It's a lot of hair and will need extremely good rinsing!

Also, ask around, there may be a little outfit out of someone's home who would give you a huge deal.

It might be time to teach the man how to use foil!

[Riverwild]

LOL! I ain't letting him anywhere near my head with foil and dye!

I'd go the pro route but it goes against every grain in my body to spend that much money on vanity! Everything I bought so far has been on sale. We be po yanno.

I'm hoping that today will mark the start of prosperity for us. It's the last day of court for the custody stuff and I am hoping that we won't be spending thousands on the lawyer after today! We will know in about 4 hours!

[AfterMyNap]

Well, my friend, you and I have that much in common but I very much prefer not to learn the hard way on such things.

Thank goodness the court odyssey is almost over, I admire your diligence.