I have been working myself up to a hair cut for several months now. My hair has been in a dry and straggly mess for a long time and I knew the only answer was to get it cut into a bob. If you've followed my hair history, you'll already know that I've had a bit of a chequered past when it comes to salon visits, so going for a radical cut with a new hairdresser was always going to be nerve-wracking. Would I end up with another mushroom?
Fortunately the hairdresser I had today was lovely and once I realised she was a makeup fanatic too, I began to relax. I was also very relieved that she didn't tell me off for leaving it a year since my last cut or point and laugh at my shocking grey roots.
I'm really pleased with the results and I'm hopeful that it will be fine when I wash and style it myself. The only thing I need to do now is decide what to do about the colour. I really wanted to just colour the roots but the old colour on the length has once again faded to that tell-tale gingery brown. I keep wondering about just letting the grey come through but I suspect it will look more middle-aged frump than edgy skunk! I should probably do a bit of research the alternatives to block colour for disguising grey. Does anyone know whether permanent colour at the hairdressers is just as likely to suffer from the brassy fading as DIY box dyes?
oh i wish i could help you regarding your colour questions. I am having a hard time deciding what to do with my hair, but most of all having a hard time to deal with my greys which are there no fail after 4 weeks. such a dilemma: if i colour myself i will colour the whole every month while it's only the roots which need doing. and if i colour the whole month every month, my poor hair is suffering the damage of permanent hair dye when it's not needed. i know i know that hair colour is probably the easiest thing to change as you get a certain age (much easier than wrinkles, loss of elasticy and what not) but it's still a nightmare and i dont think i've reached the point of wanting to pay £60 a month to have my roots re done :( xx
ReplyDeleteThe upkeep and cost is definitely a consideration. I don't have an endless budget so I'd have to cut back on the makeup to fund the hairdresser visits. Boooo!! x
DeleteI know there are products for highlighted blondes that help reduce brassiness (I'm thinking of a certain violet-toned John Freida line) - would those work on your hair as well? I'm by no means a coloring expert, I just thought since the issue is brassiness it might work for both colors!
ReplyDeleteI need to investigate this. I know there are shampoos like the Aveda one that enhance brown tones but I'm not sure whether it would help in my case. I have used the John Frieda brunette shampoo and conditioner to help when I've stripped the colour out before.
DeleteI'm seriously contemplating Just for Men hair dye. I'm not even 40 and have grays coming in right around my bangs and part line - even my dad commented on them.
ReplyDeleteI'm eyeing the one called "Autostop" that you don't even have to mix and it has no ammonia or peroxide which is good for me as I've got very dry hair.
I've contemplated Just for Men before as it looks a lot easier to use than the usual box dyes!
DeleteGood cut!! It looks lovely & fresh:)
ReplyDeleteHow about highlights? They're great at disguising a bit of grey without having to dye it all & your hair is long enough for it to still look perfectly natural. I tried it myself, but my boyish cut is too short and the result reminded me of spotted cat. I guess I'm about ten years your senior though and I must say that the grey hasn't really spread fast. As long as I still look more brown than grey I'm going to spare my head the nasty chemicals. Perhaps you should just wait & see how the grey progresses?
Thank you! I've considered highlights before. Particularly getting ones underneath my parting so the regrowth isn't obvious. Cost is the thing that has put me off in the past. I might need to spend the makeup budget on hair maintenance! Eeep!
DeleteThats a very nice cut, really suits you, you have a very fresh and youthful look about you xx
ReplyDeleteAh, thank you Replica. I'm going to cling on to that compliment as today I feel about a 100 (that'll be the school holiday then)! xx
DeleteI think that you really suit this sort of cut, and it looks beautiful on you. I am embracing my grey (it is the only way that I can afford all my skincare!)
ReplyDeleteThanks Jan. I understand what you mean about it enabling you to afford the skincare. I think I need to re-evaluate my 'beauty' budget so that I don't end up hair that betrays a youthful face!! x
DeleteLovely cut! It really suits you.
ReplyDeleteI would either go for a balyiage colour or use a vegetable dye. Vegetable dyes generally have amazing tenacity on grey hair and are also easy to top up. I can sympathise because I am in mid 'to grey or not to grey' debate. I'm 37 but my greys suggest otherwise! What to do?
I'm with you Fragrant Witch, I'm 36 and I think I have a fairly heavy sprinkling of grey for my age. My Mum is completely silver white now and it happened to her early too. I try and imagine that patch at my parting being throughout my hair, which it would be without all the dye I've used. It's a scary thought!
DeleteI really like your haircut! It suits your face shape well! I've always wanted a bob like this, but as I am not big on styling my hair at all (i literally just wash and go...no brushing required!! :P), I don't think I could pull it off.
ReplyDeleteYou have the same approach to styling as me Becca. I find this style works fine whether I blowdry or leave it to dry naturally. I'm all for a messy bob ;)
DeleteVery cute cut! It looks really good on you!
ReplyDeleteI love your cut, it works for you:) I have had long hair past shoulders for so long and so afraid to go for a shorter cut.
ReplyDeleteBeyond a certain point my hair just stops growing and becomes straggly. I think if my hair was long and lush, I would find it hard to go for the chop but it feels so much better that it's a good change.
DeleteIt's nice to change our look once in a while. Your haircut looks good on you, fresh and youthful. Two thumbs up.
ReplyDeleteThanks Reena :)
Delete<3 This haircut looks amazing from you. I hear from hairdresses that their dye doesn't get brassy but for all I know that could just be them trying to make more money
ReplyDeleteThanks E-A. It's hard to know, isn't it. I know I could buy salon colour from Sally's. I've looked before though and it's much more confusing than the pre-measured box kits!
DeleteGorgeous! x
ReplyDeleteThanks Claire x
DeleteOh you found a gem there! Hope you can hang on to her - Looks great. x
ReplyDeleteI'm thrilled to have found someone I'm happy with. Loved that she was on my level with makeup too :D x
DeleteGreat haircut! I switched from home dye to professional, and I definitely don't find my hair is as prone to brassiness with professional dye (I currently have red hair). Which shade you dye your hair will influence how brassy it gets - I would think with an ashy or neutral shade and proper toning you shouldn't have any problem with professional dyes.
ReplyDeleteThank you TheKindlyOne, that is really useful. I prefer to go for a more ashy brown so hopefully a salon mix would be contain less red which I think fades to ginger on my grey hairs.
DeleteYour haircut looks great! Simple yet sophisticated. As for hair dyes...even dyes from the salon will turn brassy, though perhaps not as easily as home dyes. As others have said, highlights/balayage are great solutions for roots/greys. I've finally given up and embraced (or at least stopped resisting) the gray, but I had highlights and low lights for years, which I loved. If you have the money and can stand to spend the time it takes in the salon, the results are really nice and root re-growth is less obvious. Good luck with the decision!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sam. The highlights/balayage route in something I'm really interested. I suppose I should at least try it once to see if I could stand the maintenance!
DeleteDelurking in Atlanta to say LOVE the hair. It makes your eyes pop and looks very chic and cool. Summer fab!
ReplyDeleteBeth
Thank you so much for delurking Beth and thank you for the lovely compliment. Hopefully my new cut with coax the sun out...eventually!
DeleteHey, am I right in thinking your MK/Bucks based? If so I would love to know which hairdresser you use as it sounds like you would recomend one?
ReplyDeleteI haven't found a hairdresser I've liked enough to go back to for the last few years
I personally think a good cut/ colour is crucial for looking one's best. I'm into skincare and makeup but I always think what use is a 10th taupe or black eyeshadow if the hair doesn't look its best... Noone will notice the shadow bur everyone will notice the hair... I think highlights/lowlights are best left to a hairdresser but a uni colour you could do at home. Do you know you can buy a lot of the colours at a salon? They are a bit more expensive than the drugstore ones but Better quality and they come in a big tube. You can then buy a large bottle of developer and do salon colour at home. A tube should last you 4x. Goldwell, wella and l'oreal colours can be bought at salons and salon supply stores. Hope that's helpful. Laura
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