No advice, but I'd like to wish you good luck.

My advice is... don't. ;)

I suck at coloring my own hair, but I'm still working on it. Things you need to know:
1) Grey is color-resistant. You cannot cover it with a semi-permanent color. You must use a permanent color.
2) Nice-N-Easy probably gives the best grey coverage of drugstore available box colors, but the dimension of the color isn't as nice as something like Feria (then again, Feria didn't cover my grey at all).
3) Pick a color quite a bit lighter than what you think you need. Remember when I dyed my hair BLACK with the medium brown dye? Gah.
4) I'll be praying for ya. ;)

I've colored my hair since high school. It's easy to do. It's much easier to fix color that is too light than too dark, so start light. Leave it on gray hair much longer than you think you should. Unless it has "ash" in the color name, you will get some red tones.

Hair color scares me. Being blonde, my grey hair doesn't isn't terribly prominent, so I pretend it isn't there. Hey, it works for me. If I ever think about coloring my own hair, I just go back and read Mir's posts about coloring hers. That cures me right away.

I have colored my hair myself many times. It isn't hard and is pretty easy in terms of clean up. That being said just be sure of the color you want before you dye it.
Also, I am not sure how well it is about matching your normal hair color if that is what you are looking for, it might be easier to have someone do it professionally

If your hair has lots of gray in it, store bought color won't color it well. Trust me.

I prefer to have my hair colored at the salon, but recent finance issues have meant a cut back on the personal grooming expenses - which means I've been coloring my own hair at home.

It's not hard at all. Wear old clothes. Wear the gloves you get with the kit. Use a mirror to make sure you get all of the back of your head. Don't even think about using half the kit and saving it for later.

I use a double process kit that comes with a full head application of color plus a highlighting kit. I forget who makes it [might be L'Oreal], but it works pretty well.

RE: Nice n Easy - this stuff makes my hair feel like straw.

I'm not coloring over gray (that I know of) but I color all the time. Two colors I can vouch for are Feria Creme Brulee and another brand- Desert Sunrise (the lady has bad 70's looking short cut on cover of box).

The former is darker than the latter. I fancy myself a blonde.

Have a towel you don't mind getting stained handy, and DO the color test where you cut a little of your hair and dye the strand to see if you like it.

I've never done the allergy tests because it's never been a problem-- I'm too busy with spine and liver issues to have a reaction.

If you use Feria, it smells REALLY bad-- you wouldn't think so given the box and the beautiful model but it smells much worse during application than the others I've used, so have an open window nearby.

You've hit on one of my areas of expertise! If you mess it up, you can drive down tomorrow and we'll devise a way to fix it!!

I color my hair all the time now. I did have it professionally done, and while I love the pampering, I have two kids in Catholic School/Presbyterian Pre-School, so it's not always in the budget. I've given up trying to get those natural looking beautiful red and burgundy highlights in my hair and instead have found a color (by trial and error mostly) that is close to my own natural color and have stuck with it. I agree that too light is easier to fix than too dark. Too red/burgundy is also hardier to fix than too light. And if you are looking to cover gray, gotta go with the permanent ones.

I used L'Oreal for years, because I'm worth it. What color is your hair? Mine's dark, and no matter what color I get, as someone said above, it comes out with some reddish tinge to it. That seems to be the nature of the brunette beast. In any event, if you have a lot of grey or if your hair grows quickly, you'll need to do recolor within 5 weeks. At least, I did. I wouldn't try highlighting using an over the counter color.

Wear an old shirt and drape an old towel around your shoulders. Keep an old washcloth wet and ready to catch any drips. Even with the cool applicators, you can drip and I've found it stains my bathroom cabinets! Who knew?

FYI, I recently started going to a salon for highlights, and I am amazed at how much healthier and happier my hair is now from THEIR hair color. IMHO, there really is a difference.

Good luck!

I think you should go Emmylou Harris. Her beautiful heather-locks have defined her image in her later (and better) years. I'm a big fan of the gray.

If you figure a good way of doing it - send me an email! I've been trying to pluck up courage for this for a couple years now - although recently it seems to be coming more urgent!!!!

My best advice is go pay somebody skilled to do it, but if you can't afford it, or don't have time, I'd say stick with a color close to your own.

People that dye their own hair drastically different colors tend to look like they dyed their own hair. (not always, but you know what I mean).

I would advise you to stop, drop, and roll to the nearest salon. Seriously, this is not the corner to cut when budgeting. It is way too serious of an issue!

I'm with R*Belle. I have, however, highlighted my own hair and that was a LONG time ago. But the full color press I think is a salon job. It is the price we pay for beauty. Sigh... Let us know which route you take!

last time i tried that i turned my hair taupe. that was about 12 years ago... never again. sorry. and... good luck! : )

ROTFL at all your answers. I started to color mine when I was 13 with a box of Sun-In (ack!). That was 22 years ago and I've been coloring my own hair ever since. ;)

I have gone to salons about 4 or 5 times over the years for color but mine turns out just as good as theirs so why waste the big bucks they charge to do it?

Now, what you do depends on how much gray you have, where it's at, and whether you want to 'change' your color or just cover up gray.

Coloring is so fun though you find yourself addicted. LOL. Idgie (friedgreentomatoes.blogspot) and I have a bit too much fun with our color. ;) (I have to color about 2-3 weeks because of my genes and the fast rate of growth).

I used to color my own hair for many years and stopped about 3 yrs ago. I am brunette; dark brown to black. My advice - unless you are brunette don't do it. I can spot a "home job" a mile away because it seems those with light color hair turn brassy. Bad, bad!
I had great results with L'oreal Feria.
And you must use a permanent color because as others have all ready said, gray is resistant.
Once you color, you'll need to touch up the roots.
When those roots start coming in holy moses! It will look like you have more than you started with. But only touch up the roots.
Do talk to your stylist. Mine was always great about advice.
Good luck!

I've used Preference by L'Oreal for more than 10 years no, about every 4 weeks....and I have loads of gray! Just keep it on the max. time. Also, it colors my hair EXACTLY as the box shows! Part your hair in small sections like you've seen stylists do a hundred times...and you'll be fine! Not that tough! Call the 800 number,too...they're really helpful.
P.S. One of the top stylists in Indy has complimented me many times on my color and said 'its okay if you tell people I did it...' :)

Can't help ya Busy Mom - this 43 year old was blessed with natural long lasting brown. I've never colored it before & I hope not to have to anytime soon! damn I'm lucky!

I'll vote for DON'T. You can always tell who colors her own hair...
(you always have the BEST post titles!)

Since I've never seen you, I would like to see you as a blonde. Then you can give the lie to all those jokes about blondes being dumb, because nobody smarter 'n' you.

the first year or so i colored my hair i chose a color just a bit brighter than my natural color. over the years i got braver and braver until i discovered that i love this inhumanly violet red color and that it looks decent on me.

important is to choose the right color groupings to go with your skin color.

you can go to sally's beauty supply and look at the color charts that they sell. you can ask for guidance and some can tell you things like "definitely DO NOT chose a red/orange etc. base"

anything blonde or orangey turns me a weird sallow color. the more violet undertones for me, the better... but you have to find out which is true for you.

if you have a trusted hairstylist you may want to let them suggest a color/brand. or you may want to let them do it for you (the better to foust the blame for that first scary time!) i think l'oreal feria makes a great haircolor, and to maintain it i use the dove for color treated hair shampoo and conditioner

good luck, and happy coloring!

I have three bottle of Loreal's Twany Auburn under my bathroom sink if you want 'em. After coloring my hair for two years and hating to see the roots showing after a few weeks, I now pay Niki to do high & low lights twice a year instead. IMHO she's worth 100 Loreal bottles.

No advice, but good luck with it. I've never done it on my own hair, but I have done my daughters. Pretty simple. Just make sure you wear old, old clothes.

I'm vote for you going to the salon. The hair color is much less harsh on your hair and they can do a much better job of keeping it from staining your ear lobes, the back of your neck, etc.! Also, you get a trim or cut at the same time! Good luck in whatever you decide to do! Oh, and hope you are feeling better?!

Oooh, post pictures! Please!

To add my 50 cents. I use Clairol Balsam Color. Put it on your dry dirty hair, leave it in for 20+- minutes, take a shower and wash it out. I color my hair behind a locked door, neked. I do have a nasty beach towel I drop on the floor just.in.case a drop hits the floor. (For the record, it's never happened.) Way cheaper than the salon but if you can afford a salon color, it's worth the money. Leaves your hair feeling much softer.

All I can add is that all those people are right about the red, going lighter, etc... They also make touch up kits now where you can just do the roots. That is very helpful.

I don't have gray hair, that I've noticed...yet. Nor do I color frequently. But I have tried Nice N' Easy (without thoroughly reading the box before buying it...it was cheap, so I grabbed it and then noticed later that it was more specifically for the grays). It worked well for me, and actually left my hair fairly soft. I've also tried the Natural Instincts (I think) stuff by Clairol. That works too. But I'm blonde, so it's easy to color for me.

The major tip I can think of is put vaselline around your forhead and ears...any area of your skin that you don't want the dye to stain. And with most dyes, the longer you leave them in, the better. I took the time they had in the directions and just added 15-20 minutes to it.

The new issue of Ladies Home Journal has a big article about how to go about it.

Start out by going to your local beauty supply and/or Walmart and pick up some of those metal clips you sometimes see your stylist section off your hair with. The ones that are like 4-5in. long and slightly curved. Aside from the dye, also buy a comb with large teeth. I know this sounds like a lot, but it will help when dying your own hair.
When you are ready to start, change into a shirt that you don't mind ruining.
The instructions that they provide are pretty fail-proof. They tell you to start at the front (which is true) but if you don't have something to hold back your hair, you are swatting yourself in the face with dye, not fun. So start with the front section and apply at the roots, and kind of squeedgie the dye towards the ends with your hand, and then run the comb through it. Twist the section up in a glorified bun and clip the hair out of the way. Work backwards from there repeating the squirt, squeegie, comb and clip. If there is any dye left I usually unclip my hair and squirt it all over and rub it in, make a mohawk just for laughs and then clip it back in a french twist for the next 20-30 mins. I have extremely thick hair, and this is the only way I can assure that I get it all covered with one bottle.
Good Luck!

I use Hydrience and love it. I used to go to the salon, but have a lot of friends who do it themselves, and I decided to try it. I love it, and my gray is usually gone for at least 5-6 weeks before needing a touchup. Good luck!

Being commenter number 34, I really couldn't advise you since I don't think the cartoon image on your blog is any clue.

I've been coloring my hair for years. So after many failures, here is the best advice I can give: Good color costs alot. Find a good salon and be prepared to hyperventilate when you pay the bill. The whole process usually runs anywhere from $150.00 to $400.00 tip not included depending on single or two step process. Trust me when I say just suck it up and pay the money because you will love the new you.

I have no advice for you, unfortunately. I am planning to start coloring my hair for the first time ever next month. I am thinking a deep auburn. I've always wanted to be a red head. I can't look at this gray another day!

I have to add my voice to the don't do it crowd. I did it. Can you say disaster?

I've been coloring mine for longer than I care to remember.I've tried a few brands and now stick with L'Oreal Excellence.It's really not that hard. I've switched colors a few time, going redder than my natural color, and people have been surprised when I've confessed to being a natural brunette, so I don't think the color looks too fake. Having missed a spot now and then, I always comb in through once I've applied it. And I will confess that my curly hair hides most mistakes. So I say, go ahead and give it a try!

I would say, if you have never done this before, have a pro do it. At least the first time. Ask around for recommendations.

I am a firm believer that everyone looks their best when they go with what Mother Nature done gave them. My wife colored her hair for years and years and finally decided to let it be it's natural gray about nine or ten years ago. To this day she gets people, strangers, hair salon folk, farm animals (ok, no farm animals. yet.) praising her on how great her hair looks. I think it's gorgeous and now it's starting to get all silvery. It's fabuloso!

So I guess that's a "No" vote.

I have grey (or mutant blondes as I call them) and I used to color my own until I did a really bad job and it took 14 months to grow out. I now pay someone. If money is tight I just have to wait a little longer. Much better plus it made such a mess at home!

Be careful. Don't want to startle the Busy family with something too shocking.

Go to Dillard's in Tullahoma and let my daughter, Becca, do your color. She's the best and I'm not just saying that cuz she's mine. She really is THAT good :)

I do my own hair all the time. No highlights unless my SIL does them cause I did them once and instead of blonde they were yellow. Ick lol. I went away from highlights though and go for dark brown or soft black. I use performing preference and have for years and I have tried others but they has to be a reason I keep going back to this one lol.

If you want to cover grey and keep your colour, and use store bought hair colour, go have your colour matched at a salon.

If you turn your hair bad colours such as fuschia and magenta due to the use of Nizoral in red hair...it will take a couple of dye jobs to get you back to, you know, auburn. This is where colour matching comes in handy....having recurring scalp issues and red hair kinda alerts you to the dangers of not having a colour match.

If you want truer colour....not fake...get it done at a salon and get some highlights.

Don't drink copious amounts of red wine before starting the dying process. You might forget one of the steps and the dye job might not work right. Not that I know this from personal experience or anything.

I'm over 50% gray, and I color my own hair all the time. I use the semi-permanent color every 4-6 weeks or so. That way, my gray looks like highlights, and it isn't so obvious as it is growing out. I like coloring it myself, and I save money - which I can use for the salon for when I really jack it up!

No problem at all; I just let my husband color my hair...he does a wonderful job! I use semi permanant hair color and leave it in twice as long as recomended; it covers the gray and it lasts as long as the permanant color. Just make sure to go a shade or two lighter than your normal hair color.