DU hair colorists/hair stylists: need advice

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

I colored my hair at home (I just don't have money to go to a salon right now) in a very nice auburn (red) tint. It looks great on the first three inches of my hair (roots down) and it covered my gray hair, but the problem is that the color didn't take AT ALL in some of my lower portion of my head. It literally looks like I've forgotten to dye strips of hair (which have remained blonde), while some other strips of my blonde bottom half have become strawberry blonde. I thought about chopping my hair off (my hair is well below my shoulder).

Any tips? It really looks awkward, but I absolutely love the hair color on top of my head (not so much after 3 inches).

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. Did you use temporary, semi-permanent, or permanent color? I would suggest PMing MrsGrumpy asap

And don't feel bad. In college I stupidly tried to put red henna on my hair after I had bleached it out with peroxide. I wound up looking like a punk hot pink and gold tabby cat.

Editing to add. Those home hair color kits have 800 number hotlines on the side of the box. I would suggest calling them.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

2. Permanent Nutrisse

I called the number and was told I didn't keep it long enough (I had it on for 40 minutes). The 800 number help line was totally useless.

[Shakespeare]

4. They may be right.

I'm a natural blonde, and use color to cover gray streaks in my hair (and have gotten good enough at it over the years that my stylists compliment me on it). I have to leave it on for 60 minutes for my hair to absorb all the color.

If I were you, I'd do a second go-round with the same color, and be very careful to get the ends saturated (which may be why it didn't "take" all the way down the first time), being sure to leave it on for about 60 minutes. If you're worried about it being hard on your hair, use one of the John Frieda deep conditioners for color treated red hair (his line's really good) a couple of days after you re-color.

[amitten]

3. The best idea is to buy one of those tinted conditioners.

You can google for different brands, but I know ArtTec has some great ones.

They really do deposit subtle color, and help to "blend" hair that is uneven in color. Some people even use them to blend their gray hair, and it works. These products deposit color temporarily and don't damage hair, nor do they come off on clothing.

Just find a color close to the color you dyed your hair, and you're good.