Calling ItalianHairColor!

[mayerling]

Dear ItalianHairColor, I need your help

I decided to dye my own hair - because going to a stylist in the UK costs a fortune - but I'm not completely happy with the outcome. My stylist back home told me that she uses L' Oreal 8 and 8.1 (http://www.loreal-paris.co.uk/hair-colour/all-over-color/excellence/natural-blonde.aspx) for my colour so I thought I'd do the same. I'm not very happy with the colour she's given me - it's too dark - so I thought I'd just use 8 since 8.1 is darker (by the way, she told me I had to go dark because lighter colours won't hide the white hairs; is that true? I find it hard to believe that all the really blonde women I see have no white hair whatsoever!) .

Anyway, so I dyed it on Sunday and it's still too dark for my liking (see picture 1). I'd rather go lighter (see picture 2 - I know I had highlights there, but you get what I mean about the basic tone; it's much lighter). So what colour would you suggest I use, keeping in mind the colour my hair is right now and the colour I'd like it to be (and the fact that I'd like to cover the whites)? It doesn't have to be L' Oreal again. I'm open to experimentation. Also, how soon can I dye it? Is it 3 weeks?

Help!!!

p.s. sorry I can't upload pics for some reason, so I'm doing pdfs instead.

 

[mayerling]

{bump}

 

[Skippy123]

I haven't seen her in AGES on PS, but maybe I haven't been in the right threads.
eta: I guess she last posted in Sept? I guess she has been posting. sorry, I guess I hang out in different threads. lol

 

[ame]

If you have colored hair you cannot lighten that with another random box of dye. You will need highlights or some kind of lightening product. Regular hair dye, even high lift, won't do it.

If going back and asking for her to fix it for you--not sure how long ago this was done, you might be past your "fix for free window"--you can try to fade it at home by washing it with Prell a few times and then deep condition to see if you can fade it a bit.

 

[mayerling]

Thanks for the advice, ame! Does this mean that even if I try the next shade down to try to go a shade lighter that wouldn't work because my current colour is darker?

 

[ame]

Correct. And it might also darken what you have now, because you're laying more on top of it. Even though it's a lighter shade number, it's going over what you have as another layer. If anything changes it would be your untouched roots if you have any showing yet. And that would be lighter than the rest of your hair.

I would start with the Prell and deep condition and then see how it looks.

 

[Miss Sparkly]

I'm not sure how color works where you are, but here there are different levels of developers that you can purchase. The lowest level is for color deposit only and then as you go up in levels the others offer lift with color deposit, so it is possible to go lighter.

http://www.amazon.com/Colorful-Products-Neutral-Protein-Filler/dp/B003Y5XJU6/ref=pd_sim_bt_3

This protein filler is amazing for even color.

http://www.hairfinder.com/tips/haircolor_level.htm

Here is a good explanation of developer levels. When buying box color you really don't know what you are getting and for that reason I prefer to go to Sally Beauty and buy my color and developer separately

 

[mayerling]

Thanks for the replies, ame and Sparkly Blonde.

It sounds like the only way to go lighter and be relatively safe doing it is to get my hair done at a salon. I may give it a shot.