Hair Dye

I use Feria (Brazilian Brown) and always get tons of compliments. It has a little tube that makes the smell way less stinky than other brands. People always think I get it done, I think it has a lot of depth to the color.

I like L'Oreal. Easy to use, hard to mess up.

I love Clairol natural instincts. It leaves my hair feeling better than it did before I dyed and does not damage it.

If you are not well versed in "home-hair coloring" - please use a semi-permanent color one first. These fade away over time and don't leave you with big fat roots showing. Plus if you are not happy with the results you are not stuck trying to fix it. I use Clairol products mostly but I buy from the supply stores and not the usual drug stores (much cheaper and professional quality). My hair tends to be on the dry side (and curly) so I recommend a brand called "Ion" they have a line of products made especially for color treated hair and the after color sealer (conditioner) is wonderful for the dry problem. I have years worth of experience in this department so contact me if you want specifics.

M. F
Good Luck

As far as brands go, I have used L'Oreal, mostly, and have had great luck. I don't know how different your new color will be from your natural shade - are you going darker? Lighter? I would be careful to not stray too far away from your color now. The box will show you the shades that are recommended for your hair color. I have dyed my hair A LOT over the years and only twice did I end up with a color disaster. (Once, hair turned green, cuz I went lighter and my hair was in bad shape to begin with. Once, I ended up pink when I tried going from light to really dark with red tones). Another thing to remember is that the color that shows up right away will lessen in intensity and fade a little over the next week or so. For example, if you are going with an auburn shade, it may show up pretty red at first, but slowly change to more of the shade you might have wanted. So, don't freak out if it's a little too much at first. If you are kind of a newbie at this, definitely do the strand test. Also, when I'm getting my hair cut and the topic of home dyes comes up, I've been told several times that Ferria(sp?) has bits of metal in them to add the shine and intense color, so they are very damaging to the hair. Good luck and happy coloring!!

I agree with Susan O.
Love using L'Oreal!!!

I love Garnier Nutrisse. It always leaves my hair smelling good and super soft.

I love L'Oreal's Preference To Go because it only takes 10 minutes to set. Other brands take 35 to 45 minutes that you have to sit there with this wet drippy mess on your head before you can rinse it out.

Find a reputable salon. You really don't want to mess with the home versions of color - you'll either have to go to a salon to get your hair fixed later anyway, or just be miserable while it grows out. And I don't mean a possible bad color choice, although that is certainly possible, I mean the damage that you'll be doing to your hair. Those models you see on the home color commercials with long, luscious, thick and shiny hair? You can bet they have never, EVER allowed home color anywhere near their heads. Just sayin'... I know that sometimes it seems a practical option because salon treatments can be pricey, but still, it just isn't worth it. If you're looking for a change on a budget, go to the aforementioned salon and tell the stylist that you're looking to really change your cut to something fabulous but obviously different than what you walked it with and then sit back and enjoy the scalp massages and any complimentary services (such as snacks, drinks, hand massage - all of which are offered at the salon I go to for free). :) Either way, good luck to you and I hope you're happy with your results.

I love Garnier Nutrisse. Love the fact it has fruit oil in it which makes my hair smell great and soft. I have dye my hair since I was in college and that was over 18 years ago. I always have great compliment on my hair since I stick in the blond area whether it is honey blond to lighter blond. People think it is natural color since my root color said I am light brown. I did get experimental one time and went as a readhead. However it tend turn a little orange at first and then I wait a few day and dyed again and love the color on me. I used L'Oreal Couleur Experte in Cherry Condial which is a light red color with blond highlight. It more time consuming but it is worth it with different looks. I got lucky and never had a bad hair dye. Just follow the instruction and make sure you never leave it longer than the time limit it set cuz it can turn the color brassy. Plus the fact the economy is still in a hard times... it makes sense to color your hair in the comfy of your home than pay lot of bucks and gas to go to a salon. Also if you have a friend that has experience in coloring in her hair, you can ask her to help you since it is your first time and she can teach you the ropes of coloring your hair plus she can do the back of your hair which can be hard to do and miss some spot that would have been missed. Hope this help.