At 36, I have noticed that middle age is trying it’s best to creep up on me. One minute I was in black velvet hot pants clubbing until the early hours. I blink and the next thing I know I am happiest whilst perusing soft furnishings on a Saturday afternoon and know everything there is to know about mortgages. How did that happen??
One of the side effects of “growing up” is that the odd grey colourless hair has started to creep through. Not a lot I hasten to add, just the odd one or two. I last had my hair coloured before Christmas at a discount price of £85. I cannot afford that again for a while.
Recently I have noticed that the grey colourless hairs have started covert action again taking up strategic positions ready for a full head on attack. I don’t think so Sunshine!
So yesterday evening I got home from work and opened Avon’s Advanced Techniques Medium Brown Hair Dye after of course a 24 hr test patch. Price £6. I have not dyed my own hair for about 3 years. It is not a job I enjoy or am any good at. My aim is to hide the grey and try not to change my own hair colour too drastically.. oh and to try and keep the bathroom undamaged.
So what do we think? It does look a bit patchy in this picture as the sun is shinning only on part of my hair.
£6 is a lot cheaper than £85, plus in Brochure 10 (Fergie, Black Eyed Peas on the front) Page 24 they are selling them for £3.50 each on special offer. (I ordered another for stock today.)
So my hints for dyeing your own hair
1) Take 2 old towels in with you – 1 to stand on and 1 to have for after the rinse off.
2) Take a big crocodile clip in with you to the bathroom so longer hair can be put up to stop dye getting your neck during the development period.
3) Have an extra pair of plastic gloves. You need 1 pair (supplied) for applying the dye and I prefer to have another pair for rinsing my hair after. TOP TIP I ‘borrow’ gloves from the petrol station forecourt.
4) Have cotton wool and an astringent cleaner (toner works very well) for after application to remove dye from forehead ear and nape of neck etc.
5) If safe to do so, do it naked. That way no dye gets on anything that cannot be cleaned.
6) Oh yes and open a window, the stuff reeks!
Frugally yours
Abigail
X
P.S. 48 Hrs until Pay Day.
I went quite grey early thirties so have been having my hair dyed since then. I always used to do it myself then after a few years I had a mega reactions - burnt scalp and straw hair. Asked the home visit hairdresser to sort it out which she did after a while. I now pay her £30 every 12 weeks for lowlights (pulled through ye olde plastic cap - murder but worth it.
ReplyDeleteGreat job Abigail! I too suffer from some stray colourless hairs so I feel your pain! Another top tip for you - rub vaseline or equivalent along your hairline and tops of your ears before you start - this stops the hair dye staining your skin :o) Easy wiped off when your rinsing the colour away.
ReplyDeleteBest Wishes
Frugal Wife
It looks good!
ReplyDeleteYou did a good job Abigail. My daughter is just finishing her second year in college doing hairdressing. I hate colouring my own hair so now get her to do it for me and she does a good job : )
ReplyDeleteIt looks terrific ... very glossy & about to be shaken in a carefree manner!
ReplyDeleteI used to get my hair cut & coloured every month ... 100 quid! Madness, so now I colour it myself using some L'Oreal colours which I buy when they are 2 for whatever ... I am not too bothered about the shade cleverly using any lighter ones for the summer & darker ones for the winter as that would illustrate natural changes the seasons might make. I get my hair cut about 3x a year & wear it in a coil or an untidy Gibson.
Anne in Cambridge
Your hair looks really nice - very shiny and good condition. I love the colour. I've ordered a medium ash blonde from Avon (£3.50 as you say) and have ordered hair dye from Avon before and found it excellent value - much cheaper than going to the salon, of course, too.
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog, so I've quite a bit of reading to catch up with