Browse any home hair color aisle and you’ll quickly realize the options are truly limitless, which can be, well, truly FRIGHTENING. Over the past couple of years, I’ve read handfuls of your success stories and/or nightmarish recollections regarding at-home hair color. Unfortunately, it can be hit or miss when it comes to coloring your hair in the confines of your own bathroom.
However, one at-home hair color brand that receives nothing but praise is Frederic Frekkai Salon Color. Have any of you tried it?
My lovely friend Metalia (who was previously a hair color virgin) decided to take the plunge and color her medium brown hair with Frederic Fekkai’s Medium Auburn at-home hair color. Her hilarious, step-by-step documentation can be found here.
Doesn’t she look beautiful? Bravo, Metalia. You are an auburn goddess.
Does Metalia’s at-home transformation (as well as the crappy economy) make you want to give expensive salon hair color appointments the boot? Here are some great tips from Nicole Lynne at Studio Two, a Patrick McIvor Color Studio for a DIY job that looks professional.
“I suggest working with two colors – one that matches your target shade and another semi permanent color that is roughly two shades lighter than the targeted color. This will correct the issue of having a light base with overly darkened ends which is a common culprit of at home haircoloring,” explains Lynne.
DIY Application:
· Apply the darker color at the base of the hair shaft and process for about 20 minutes (or half of the time the manufacture’s directions require).
· Apply the lighter shade to the mid-shaft and ends and process for the remaining time required for base color.
For example, if your base color needs to process for 40 minutes, after 20 minutes, apply the lighter color from mid-length to ends and process until the 40 minutes is complete.
“Applying the lighter color with minimal processing time to the mid-lengths and ends, corrects the issue of over processing the ends which avoids the effect of a lighter base color with harsh, dark ends,” adds Lynne.
Lynne also suggests using Matrix BIOLAGE colorcarethérapie Delicate Care for multi-processed and color-treated hair in between coloring sessions. The concentrated, fade-fighting formula features an eco-select antioxidant complex of Acai Berry and conditioning Argan Oil from Morocco that rejuvenates hair for a smooth texture and brilliant color. Plus, Biolage products are never tested on animals and packaged in 100% recyclable materials.
Kerri Anne
January 13, 2010 at 4:24 pmI love the term “hair color virgin.” Along the same lines I think I could be deemed a “hair color tramp.”
Metalia looks lovely!
.-= Kerri Anne´s last blog ..A Year Complete =-.
Mary
January 13, 2010 at 5:11 pmIt’s a lot easier to dye your hair at home when you don’t have any gray. Some of us have quite a bit of gray (even though we aren’t old per se =) and to get good gray coverage from home hair color is nearly impossible. Also home hair color is best for when you want your hair to be one color all over, no highlights or low lights etc. It’s just so much easier to go to a salon – that is my “splurge” root touch-ups every 5 weeks and highlights/lowlights every 3 months or so. I could never do that at home.
Pamela
January 13, 2010 at 10:03 pmReally pretty color Metalia, thanks for sharing.
One of my goals for 2010 is to find an at-home coloring system that covers my greys. I shoot high in life.
Also, not sure if it’s just me, but when I click on the “you might also like” photos at the end of your site, it does not re-direct. I have always used these in the past without a problem. Last weird thing about your web site since I’m bitching: There is double type in the right column making it totally unreadable. The twitter updates literally appear right on top of your archive dates all the way up to your “product” category. Does anyone else have this issue?
Mia
January 14, 2010 at 1:33 amMetalia’s hair looks great! It doesn’t look like a DIY job at all, and it’s a very pretty color. As a blonde, at home hair coloring terrifies me. I’ve done it in the past with horrendous results. I would LOVE to hear from anyone who lightens their to blonde at home successfully!
Oh, and I’m the saving issue as Pamela with double type on the column to the right.
Claudia
January 14, 2010 at 9:52 amI tried the Frederic Fekkai and while I thought it was a really nice at-home coloring experience, it dried my hair out. When I went for a trim with my regular hair dresser about 6 weeks later, she commented on how frizzed and dry it seemed. She also stressed how important it is to use a sulfate-free shampoo if you color your hair.
Tavia
January 14, 2010 at 11:07 amI love her look and her new color. She look really pretty. I never dyed my hair, I’m a natural blonde but sometimes I want to be a platinum blonde…:)
Sarah
January 14, 2010 at 11:40 amHey Claudia!
You’re right, sulfate-free shampoos make a huge difference. The Matrix shampoo I mentioned in the post is sulfate-free, btw. :)
hazeldazel
January 15, 2010 at 12:38 pmi guess i’m confused – is Nicole Lynne saying to use a darker permanent color at the roots, and then a lighter semi-permanent color to the ends? Wouldn’t the color at the ends gradually washout so it ends up not even?
Absquatulate
January 18, 2010 at 7:15 amI might live in a lower-priced area for salons, because if the recommendation is to buy two boxes of $30 haircolor, for another $50 I can get the dye done professionally with a cut, blowdry, and a glass of wine to boot. And that’s at the expensive place.
All this to say how much does a color,cut and dry cost in other areas? (I live in western Massachusetts, hardly an urban paradise. :)
Kim
January 18, 2010 at 7:31 amI used Brass Free Brunettes by Natural Instincts (you linked to it here a couple months ago). I loved it, and it was easy and inexpensive. It also didn’t dry out my hair.
Rachel
January 26, 2010 at 11:09 amI tried the Fekkai in medium blond after reading the comments users posted on the Sephora site. I’m a medium-to-light brown, and wanted to go lighter, and normally wouldn’t have picked such a light shade, but users said the colors came out pretty dark. It came out exactly right, and the pre-color treatment really prevented my ends from getting too light and dry. I got a very natural dark blond with no brass, and the non-drippiness made application way easier than other at-home brands.
john1alpha
September 26, 2010 at 3:18 amhttp://www.sempreaggiornati.com
QueenA
August 9, 2011 at 9:17 amA few years ago I was turned on to Frederic Fekkai products by a friend and while they are OK – they are not the best products for my type of hair.
I have color treated hair and I live in SUNNY and HOT Texas. My hair needs lots of help. Instead of Fekkai, I use Shielo’s Color Protect Conditioner and Shielo Shampoo. My hair is my “trademark” and always receives many compliments. Even though it may seem a little expensive, it only takes a little bit so one bottle can last a long time. 1 bottle of the Shielo Shampoo last a lot longer than a bottle of Fekkai. Look at your hair, don’t you think it is worth it?
cass
August 24, 2011 at 11:30 pmi use an ammonia free DIY hair colour. all i have to do is add water. the easiest thing in the world. no hassles. its calles Atlantis Water Clour by Original & Mineral. http://www.facebook.com/originalmineralofficial#!/originalmineralofficial the best thing ever
Poinkcherlyn
December 10, 2011 at 6:52 amyou will like with confident online