Give Up On Red?

Thanks Kuroneko, please see my recent post about Clairol's advice. Sorry it's taken so long, I have been ill.

The double RR dye, no matter the brand, looks great in subdued light but cherry plum in brighter light/sunlight. I posted what Clairol told me to do about adding medium golden brown to tone down the plum.

The red (a 4RR) is gorgeous when not in bright light with hair that is all gray showing up as very dark brown streaks--a lovely effect. If I could only get my hair the way it was in the photo posted here it would be great! That was taken about 3 years ago.

Other then L'Oreal products, my hair does take red very well and the Clairol stuff really holds up after several shampoos.

BTW, I think your hair color is lovely and goes very well with your complexion. What do you use?

I've used that shade before. I liked it a lot. It would start off a really brilliant red on me, almost like a gothy burgundy or blood-red, and fade after a couple of weeks to more of an auburn. I still have a box of it around unused, bought because I had a coupon, and have been tempted to use it.

goreygirl wrote: I notice that Hydrience has a shade "Intense Dark Auburn" that is a 3RR. Double red dye and a 3, which is usually translated as darkest brown. That is, if this is the same coding as L'Oreal uses. Dark hair with an auburn glow would look great. It's just that I know that once I go that dark, it will stay that way for a long time.

I notice that Hydrience has a shade "Intense Dark Auburn" that is a 3RR. Double red dye and a 3, which is usually translated as darkest brown. That is, if this is the same coding as L'Oreal uses. Dark hair with an auburn glow would look great. It's just that I know that once I go that dark, it will stay that way for a long time.

All color eventually fades though, and there is a product on the 'net that lightens color about 2 shades if it's too dark. Easy to use, just mixes with water. I believe it's only sold through the website.

It seems a lot of folks who opt for dark brown love Hydrience's "Sable Cove". Again, could try that and get an auburn glaze or something.

Still searching, open to ideas and might just go ahead and do something. Great to get others' opinions, it really helps.

One of my thoughts as well. One salon many years ago had gotten my hair to a dark brown (not the intended color since we were going for auburn) but when it hit any kind of light there was a beautiful red glow. Kinda kept people wondering what color the hair really was!

Without going to a salon (we need the money for necessities right now so am forced to go the home route) it will be tricky. Most of the really intense reds say "not for use on more then 25% grey) My hair is at most 70%, in spite of the fact a colorist was saying it was 100%. No way, even I could see that. Checked it against the "grey percentage" chart and it was just under 70.

The intense reds would be OK to use now since very little of my roots have grown back in but the effect later on when I just have to touch up roots might be too bright cherry! Or worse, eggplant, like one of the strand tests when my grey was 2 inches turned out to be.

Think I'll hit the stores today to see what's available. One thing--no more Excellence. One shampoo and it was gone. And now the greys are showing up, despite there claim of guaranteed coverage. This never happened with any other brand. And it's been only 3 weeks since my hair was done.

Sorry for the long post. OK, those who read my Excellence post know that the auburn in their "light auburn" simply disappeared after one shampoo. First time such a drastic thing ever happened with any brand, so that is the first and last time for Excellence.

I love dark red or auburn especially because it does wonders for my complexion and blue eyes. Funny, last year when a salon put Redken on my hair it was darkish brown and had red highlights. As I washed it, it turned more and more red, instead of the opposite. To this day no one has figured out why. Then I did a dumb thing and went to another salon who used Goldwell products and it was bye bye red.

I've pumped up the excellence with Redken's Injection in Red. Beautiful, but it keeps needing to be refreshed every 2nd or 3rd shampoo. Plus, I know that the dye will build and the hair will not be as shiny with continued use.

Should I just give up trying to be red/auburn? I have seen myself (via a wig) in a very dark brown and it was also great for my skin and eyes, although nowhere near as good an affect as dark red. They say women over 40 shouldn't go dark (dark brown was my natural color) but not to brag but my skin, body etc. look nowhere near my actual age. Even my face only has slight wrinkling. Our family tends to show age more slowly. Even my brother looks about 10 years younger. We seem to have the right genes in that area, at least!

Since red/auburn is such high maintenance, should I dye my hair the dark brown and use some of the temporary colors on the market for "tipping" or placing a few red strands here and there for effect? I kinda like the idea of dark hair that looks like there is some blood red on it (I'm weird, I know, but what do you expect from someone who got married on Halloween?). Got the idea from European hair magazines. It seems US publications aren't as adventuresome, and Europeans have access to a LOT of over the counter color products, including Schwarzkopf, that we don't have here.

My favorite clothes are usually black velvet so besides the red which looks marvelous with the black this should also look great.

Please, any suggestions? Besides, Halloween is coming!!! Thanks guys for any ideas. Please, no wigs. They are SO uncomfortable. No matter what, it always feels like I am wearing a hat!