Buy a color lighter than your own, never try to match the box. Get a neutral, it will say it on the box. If you have a Sally beauty supply around, buy Gray Magic and put four drops in the over the counter hair color. Shake it up and apply to roots only if it's a permanent dye. If you need the rest of the hair done to brighten it up, then just add it for the last ten minutes. Any more will make it too dark. I worked in the industry for years and owned a salon so these are a few hints to a good hair coloring job.

Yayagal - I've never heard of Gray Magic; what is it? Helps with pesty roots showing?

I buy Gray Magic from Walmart - $4 for a box of 2. I have very coarse hair and when I add this to my hair color, it covers the gray like 'magic'!

Years ago I tried to color my hair myself. It became even drier and harder to manage. I don't remember not feeling happy with the color though.
I know people who always color their hair themselves, but I am not one of them. If you search around, you should be able to find an affordable salon. Save money else where.
I invest a lot of money in color and cut. But, I really don't have hobbies so I view this as a hobby. If your hair doesn't look good, it is hard for the rest of you to look good.

"I invest a lot of money in color and cut." So do I.

"If your hair doesn't look good, it is hard for the rest of you to look good." I agree wholeheartedly!

Gray Magic is a product that, when added to your hair color, results in the gray getting better coverage that will hold longer. I get it at Sally Beauty but I just read on this post that you can get it at Walmart. It's only to add to otc dyes, not any semi or temp color.

I'm reading a novel by Dennis Lehane. His photo is on the back of the book. He still has a bit of redish hair front-center, and the sides are grey. That made it easy to cover either the red or the grey with my hand. It is amazing how his face appears to 'age' when I cover the front and see only the grey!

You can also try using only 1/2 of the developer & covering your hair with a plastic grocery bag while it's processing (it keeps the air from oxidizing the color).

& the best, the very best, thing I ever found for making dried-straw hair soft & silky is The Australian Three Minute Miracle.

don't know if it's still around, but I know the "Aussie" products are still available.

I have home colored my hair for years~~~it is #63 Light Brown Sugar(says it is Light golden brown) by Nutrisse. My hair is very grey, I am sure. This color is a shade or two less that what I was back in the day~~~my hair grows very fast, I have to get a cut and color every month. I get lots of compliments on my hair, most people think it is my real color and can not believe the shine and highlites. Not sure how it turns out that way when I just use the one color.

I have wanted to grow it out and stop the maddness of coloring, but as posters have said if your hair does not look good, you do not feel good. My hair has grown very frezzy over the years, the color gives it body and shine so I will not quit for quite awhile I am sure;)

This thread reinforces my choice to continue to invest in salon hair coloring. At times I think how much time I could save buying a box at the drugstore but can't imagine I'd get good results.

Like Sylvia, I put plastic over my hair when it's in the "waiting phase". My best tip? Be sure to comb it all the way through, from roots to ends. I only color to cover the grey, but there are times I've gone way more dramatic than my natural color (if I dye it Light Golden/Red/Blone range, it stays close to the same). It can be fun, if it is what you intend. One time, I did a red, really red, and I heard everything from you look like a movie star!--to--don't worry it'll grow out. And when the boss began to comment I said, nope! I didn't do it for you! I knew it would've been, um, less than appreciative? Yea, that's it, less than appreciative.

:)

I have gotten asked all my life "what do you call that color". I always shrugged and said, red? Everyone thought it came out of a box. It did not--God gave me this color..now at 52 I feel I still have the right to the color God gave me and lucky for me Clairol makes it!! As I get older the root line becomes more pronounced faster. Everyone always told me coloring made their hair feel thicker and gave it body. That is not my experience. My hair is my hair and nothing seems to effect it. If you haven't tired OTC then I would say you really do not know if you NEED to drop the chunk of change on your hair that you are. I have been getting $10 haircuts a few times a year, and coloring every other month and I bet I get at least one compliment a week on my hair. I am not a fan of hair colors that are not natural. I think it is very obvious when a person chooses a color that isn't close to what nature gave them. I stick to what mine always was and it seems to be working for me.

"I still have the right to the color God gave me and lucky for me Clairol makes it!!"

Amen!

I am so fortunate to have inherited my hair from my mom, whose hair became salt and pepper gray which really flattered her face.
My hair is graying nicely and I get compliments on it.

I've been coloring my hair at home monthly for at least 20 years with no problems (I'm 56). It turns out great and I get complements on it. I can imagine that I've saved literally thousands of dollars on salon prices--I'm just too frugal to pay such costs and prefer to put my money elsewhere. I use Preference by L'Oreal, either the chestnut or the medium golden brown. One is a bit darker and has a bit more red tones to it, but they are enough alike so that no one notices if I change one to the other.

In the last 6 months, I made the decision to go natural and honestly I love the freedom it gives me. I will be73 this year and felt it was past time for me to do it. I didn't want to be one of the old times with the hair color that didn't look natural. I wish I had done it sooner......

To quote Sylviatexas...."I still have the right to the color God gave me and lucky for me Clairol makes it!!"
I totally agree and will always color my hair. I'm 73 and get plenty of compliments on my hair being my natural dark brown color.

I don't mind some grays. I tortured myself for years keeping my hair platinum blonde. Hubby loved it. But the touch-ups were awful, the expense, the stink and my scalp was burning, I'd have scabs on my scalp days afterwards! Now I never worry about my roots showing. Call me Nature Girl. I'm 60 and proud of it!!

after I lost my hair from chemo and radiation, it came back
in white. I went from mostly brown to white! Now there is
some brown coming back, it's darker than the stark white is
was. I feel that it makes me look at least 10 years older.

With my cancer, I don't feel I need to add more chemicals
to my body. no more chemicals! lol PLUS who really wants
to touch up the skunk roots every 2 weeks. not me, and
the chemicals really scare to use them that much!

When I hit 70 I hope I am ready to quit pretending..but I am not there yet. I think it also depends on the way you "gray". Mine is not attractive and I really find it bothers me that people do not know I am/was a natural red head. I used to have to deal with a lot of ribbing about it. It is part of my identity. My dearly departed MIL had the most beautiful WHITE hair. I never knew her any other way but her sons sure have fun stories of the few years she fought the battle. If mine were white--not ick gray I might let it go some day but it isn't. I hoped it would go brown but that didn't happen either. I just got back from Sally and have my Gray Magic..the box says 10 drops per oz. Yayagirl said only 4. I will start slow with the four.

I use a whole packet of Gray Magic per bottle of hair color, when I do mine.

I looked at Wally World for the gray magic. No luck. Next trip to the "big city" I hope to remember to stop at Sally's.

I went natural 16 years ago when my grandson was born That's how I can remember.
Enjoy my snowball natural color and always get compliments and people asking what I put on it :o)

Gray Magic: I suppose it depends on the color one is going for..the bottle says the more drops the darker it could turn out. "packet"? I bought a small box with a bottle in it that comes out in drops. The gal at the store said one bottle is good for about 40 applications. I can't say I had any adverse effects but I am not sure how I would know if it helped. Like a previous poster I go back and forth between two colors and sometimes I process longer than others depending on all the usual variables. I am happy with last nights results this I know.