Any Hair Stylists Here? Question on Demi Permanent Hair Color
 

Just wondering...can anybody give me advice on demi permanent hair color?

I've read that it lasts 28 shampoos or so which would require reapplication about as often as I redo my permanent hair color as I shampoo every day.

My hair is probably 35 to 40% gray, maybe more. :) I'd like to grow it out to see how it would look if I went au naturel. I work in a corporate environment where "oldies" are aged out so if it turns out to be so gray that it makes me look "old" I'd keep coloring.

But I'm hoping that by using a demi permanent color, I could grow out and cut off the permanent color so I'd have my real hair, covered by a temporary color that washes away every 28 days or so. Then, if I could time it to a vacation, I could test out how I like my real hair.

Am I properly understanding how this works? (My sister let her gray grow out and loves it but she works in nursing where gray hair isn't an issue.)

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Cathy

Not a hair stylist here. Are you talking about DIY demi permanent or salon done? My friend has the salon demi permanent done and loves it. But as far as I know she plans on continuing indefinitely. I used to do the DYI permanent coloring and over the years it damaged my hair so badly that I had no choice but to stop. Just went 'cold turkey'. Love the results and no more fuss and muss.

Hi NJQ, I am talking about DYI. I'd rather spend the money on fabric! :)

I'd love to go cold turkey but have to keep up the image until they get rid of me. And if I think I can get away with the gray, I need to grow it out gracefully.

Thanks for the reply.

I'm not a stylist or colorist, but have a question and possible suggestion.

What color is your hair? Is it dark?

If your hair is dark, what you can do is to start coloring it lighter. The lighter shades don't cover the grey as much (at least not my grey) but it colors it a bit - which translates to lighter highlights (in my hair at least).

My hair is naturally darkest brown (this >< close to black) and my grey is a pretty silvery grey. I'm still 50/50 though and I don't like the look of "salt and pepper". So I color my hair with a softer brown (Loreal Preference #6 1/2 G) which has gold (not red) highlights. The gold highlights are picked up well by my grey. I recently went without coloring for much longer than I care to admit (or remember) and other than the 50% dark hair in my roots - the 50% grey hair in my roots was not as noticeable.

I would caution against using a color with red highlights though as the red tends to turn the grey FUSCIA!! Yeah ... ask me how I know!!

I let my hair go back naturally a couple of years ago. I was using semi-permanent hair coloring when hey discontinued the line that I was using. I never took the time to find a new line. My hair is white now and just can't stand the thought of having to deal with the white roots if my hair is colored again. That is one block of time that I don't have to deal with on a monthly basis anymore.

I"m going back white. my hair dresser put color on at my request (thought i might get a job interview, never did) and i can't continue to afford to color my hair. she used such dark brown i never was fully happy. So now she just pulled some hair through a cap the last two times. From now on i'm getting it cut but no more color. even though this color is supposed to be permanent, it lightens over time and shampoos. even with special shampoo.

I've tried the DIY, will not ever do it again. It fries your hair! Spend a little of the fabric money and have a professional do it, you won't be sorry. One hair color product is not good for everyone. Different textures, call for different products!

I have used the demi from L'Orleal and loved it. I am about 40% gray and it nicely highlighted those strands to a rich soft golden highlight. My hair was softer as well and I loved the way it faded overtime. I made the mistake of using permanent the last time - never again. I am going back to the demi - someday I would love to not do it at all.

you will not get the coverage with a demi hair color that you do with a permanant color---it will also fade faster--but there will be some permanant staining especially on the grey hair--so is about as hard to grow out---I am a retired hairstylist and have been a "natural' redhead sindce I was 17 and have no desire at 76 to be anything else---I do use the permanant type of color---if the 'demi' does last 28 day you will still have 'roots'---hair grows an aveage of 1/2 inch a month---there really is not a 'temporary' color that last 28 days--it last one shampooo---that's why iit is called temporary---I would talk to my hairstylist --explain what you want to do and he-or she should be able to help
Good luck!!!!

I have never used this product but I used to color my hair all the time. About 10 yrs ago I decided that I would go all natural. My hair is still a bit darker gray in the back but mostly white around my face. I earned this gray hair and I am keeping it. If your company would phase you out because of a hair color maybe you need to get a different job.
It is sad that someone judges your performance by your looks and not your knowledge.

Let me share my experience. My scalp could never handle all over permanent haircolor. Hairdresser used to pull some hair through a frosting cap, then deposit permanent color on the strands to camoflage. Worked well for years then I had just too much gray to contend with. I started doing the 28 day haircolor. Had great coverage but it eventually ruined my towels and my hair. Started to break right off. Not sure it was the color or just the severe stress I was under (or both). So in an effort to get my hair healthy again, I stopped all chemical processes. Wow what a shock, and still is. Took about 6-7 months for it all be be cut off. I thought I would be pure white, but the gray is much darker than I anticipated. I get a lot of compliments, but at 59, I'm still not so sure. But, when I think of sitting there while processing and the financial aspect....I can now spend that time quilting and money buying even more fabric.

yes red over white will produce pink[fuscia]The law of color is the same no-matter which medieum you apply it to.hair is a medieum.i am an ex hairstylist.and i got pink a few times befor that sunk in.if you paint a white wall red it will be pink with just one coat.but with many coats it will be red and also fuscia has a little blue pigment mixed in.most haircolors are a combination of all 3 primary colors.a nice hair color contains 3 parts yellow,2 parts red and 1 part blue.this gives an attractive brown color.the ratio is the same for blond or black and in between.demi-permanet is just a different volume developer.the actual chemical is the same.demi means -sort of permanet....love to talk color.

you probably used the dump and rub method.just dump it on and rub it in.this is damaging to the hair.just color the regrowth and apply a shampoo cap the the rest after the first processing is complete.leave on for 5-10 minutes and shampoo out.a shampoo cap is ,take the rest of the color in you color bottle and add about 1/2 tsp of shampoo and also 1/4 cup water.roll the bottle around to mix and then dump and rub.leave in 5-10 min and shampoo out.

Some women's salt and pepper hair makes them look soo much more attractive - than the colored stuff they were wearing.

One woman was a blue-eyed blond that went from blond to salt and pepper - her coloring looked so much more vivid with her natural color - she still wears it short and spikey - but the natural color is so much better for her.

Another was another blue-eyed person that was using a dark brown with a reddish tint to it - it looked nice - but when she went 'natural' - her skin looked brighter (she has good coloring, anyway, and uses make up well) - but now she looks regal.

I colored my hair for years, and last summer decided to stop. My hairstylist colored it a few shades lighter, then just gave me some highlights blend with the gray as it grew out. Then he cut it short and I just love it. I got lucky and it's a pretty shade and soft texture. Now if only my DH could get at least a couple of gray hairs!

I don't know about that one, but I use Loreal, works great!

I also use Loreal. Last time I used Med. reddish brown, well it was red! I called cust. service toll free # and they sent me a $10 coupon for another. I got Med. brown this time and used it today. It is dark brown, almost black! I grew the gray color out before this, and it was 50/50 salt and pepper, pretty well distributed throughout. I got compliments, but at 59, I think I looked too old! So, I feel better when I color. May have to spend money on hair color in a shop next time.

A demi-permanet color lasts for about 28 shampoos, but, the color does not all wash out, it stains the hair and the idea is to lighten up the color just a little each time you shampoo, the only way to really find out is to have a conciltation on with a professional, we often book clients in my salon for just a consultation. As for putting a dark color in your hair and wishing to go lighter, you must use a color remover before you try to achieve a lighter color, then you most often need to apply a color to get at least something close to the color you would like. Just a suggestion here, but before I let my hair drow out to gtey, I would go to a wig shop and try on grey shades just to see what I thought of it.

Thank you all for the replies and suggestions. I have an appointment for a cut tomorrow and will talk talk to my stylist. I'm sure she'll point me in the right direction. So I appreciate the suggestions that I get a professional opinion.

I'm the brown haired one in the family (two blondes, a redhead and me). My true color is light ash brown. Anyway, my blonde sister who let her hair go natural said that her skin looks so much brighter than she'd expected. She said that she never realized how beige she looked. Just what you said, bearisgray.

Thanks again,
Cathy

No hair color execpt a rinse will completely wash out.Demi color and permanent is 2 different things. There is basicly 4 types of hair color.permanent,demi, temporary and rinse.If you are now using a perm.color and want to try to go natural, demi is a step in that direction.AlthoughI do not like or use demi color,You will have to retouch as often as it will fade off and roots will show.But the up-side is you will be growing and cutting the permanent color off and can lighten ,because we lighten naturally this softens our looks as we get a little older.Maybe you could do one of those little short cuts and get the younger edge.You are on the right road, Be careful in color choice as you already know if you color.Color on color can be darker than you intended.Another idea is getting low lights in a lighter color than you use now and blend into your color. This can help while you are growing off permanent color.Keeping a younger image and growing color out graceful is best in small steps if you do it yourself.You can go into a beauty supply house and they will offer their advise and advise you on products.

I had got colored highlights to my hair at home but they had a very bad reaction so I just stopped using it. If you wish to use temporary hair color they I suggest you just skip the hair color altogether and put in colored Tape Extensions to add highlights to your hair without any chemical colors as this is the safest way.

Retired hairdresser here......look into ash tones to cut down on red hi lites....I have dark Brn hair and use loreal lite ash blonde and get a lovely med blonde-brown without the red undertones...... When I was younger and worked in salon was a fire engine redhead...loved it,but not now with wrinkles! Need a softer look!

it's so weird when an old thread just suddenly gets resurrected like this. ;)

Years ago I grew my hair out by using a temporary hair color by Clairol. It is all white now and looks great. Some people have a problem with yellow in their grey hair.
Go to a Sally's beauty supply and check out different products. There is a liquid color that only lasts from shampoo to shampoo but don't remember what it is called.
I used to be a hairdresser but let both my CA and AZ licenses drop years ago.
Never heard of Demi.

Demi-permanent is color that washed out in about 28 shampoos.