I've been dealing with very dry ends as I have been letting the last color job grow out. The best thing I've done is I stopped using the hair dryer unless I just MUST. But if that's not possible, the best product I've used is FrizEase shampoo, conditioner, and leavin-in serun. The price is reasonable, too. I have found the best buy for it at Target. I have gotten the silkiest, softest results from it over anything else I've used. BITY

Be careful about "hiding" numbers...if he finds out, how will he react? What worked for me was to pick something else that I was willing to "downgrade" to a less expensive model/version to show that I was willing to compromise to get what I really wanted (in your case, the more expensive cabinets). It didn't have to be the same amount, it just had to be something that would affect the "bottom line" at least somewhat. Of course, this is all b/w you and him. If this is your "forever" kitchen, maybe your DH will be willing to go along with what you really want, knowing that you "won't be doing this again!" As to my kitchen, we seem to be on track, finally. We've had a couple of hiccups the last week or so, but we're still moving forward (insulation issue, 6" wall that's really 7-1/4" deep--ouch for clearance issue). As someone on my "Round 2" thread said, I'm guessing they can't wait to get done w/our kitchen since we're so "picky"...we just want it done RIGHT with no surprises down the line (like uninsulated walls!)

Thanks for responding Tami. I don't like to put anyone on the spot or sound demanding. Thanks Stacy, I did not know that about them having peroxide in them. I've Googled and Googled and get conflicting writing. Some say Cello is for vibrant color and some say it is subtle. Some say cover gray and some say it will take to gray differently than the rest of the hair. The sales people are no help even in the professional retail outlets. I had one experience with Cellophane in a salon in the 80s. The hairdresser and I communicated well. The owner came over and tried to tell her she was doing it all wrong and to make a long story short my hair came out Ronald McDonald orange instead of burgundy. The hairdresser seemed irked with the owner and was mum about it. I was horrified with the results but the owner insisted it was perfect. I went back to complain since my job told me they were going to fire me unless I got rid of it (as if I liked it any better than they did). They couldn't get it all out and tried numerous things. I had faded dull orange hair until it grew out. Despite that experience, I was thinking that if I did it myself I could do a good job of it. I just want the gray to blend in better and I thought a translucent color would do it. I tried researching it. I was thinking of a cool blond color to match my highlights.

I've no idea whether has to do with tipping, just my subjective spontaneous thoughts I was cleaning houses too in my youth(interesting how all these random jobs enrich one's experience), I know what a hard labor it is, and I forgive my cleaning lady driving me nuts with coming whenever she pleases, etc, because she's a nice person and a good cleaning lady and we grew attached. And of course I give her/her helpers Christmas gift and Easter gift yet a great stylist-it's a level or artistry there. it's rarer. I embarrassed myself once by kissing a hand of my previous hair stylist in NYC(the one who recommended the current salon)...I don't know what I was thinking, I was just so happy and grateful to him I took his hand and kissed it. He looked very touched but very overwhelmed. The public was slightly puzzled)) I like my cleaning lady but I'm not kissing her hand when overcame by emotion)) Her hands have less of this magic power of transformation. I had several great stylists in my life-I lost them only when either they moved or I moved away, and life taught me to ask for their reference on the next stylist wherever I go, in within their powers of course to give me that info. In NYC I had to take a train and then subway to get to my stylist Here, it's an hour drive without traffic and minimum two hours with. It's very tiresome to even to go there, to that salon of theirs. Yet I go(much rarer than I should, because far away, and to save money), and I tip, and as you already know- I sometimes do silly things like kissing a stylist's hand in public)) It's not like I'm crazy to tip, of course, it's a lot of money. And they're much more affluent folks, these salon owners, than I could ever be. Like, they don't need this tip to survive. At all. Not on this top of the mountain they were able to get to. But they're special kind of artists. That's how it is. Great stylist-whole different level. It's a very hard and often ungrateful job that takes years and passion to master and there's huge talent involved, in their case, a talent I was lucky to meet and am not about to loose until it depends on me It's customarily to tip here-okay then I'll tip It's not customarily to kiss one's hand)) especially-not for a woman to kiss a man's hand. In public. lol. I'm just chanelling my appreciation in a culture-appropriate way)))