Dying my hair

Decided to do an experiment...

Disclaimer: I've never dyed my hair...  Unless dipping my tips in highly concentrated red coolaid and sealing it in with a curling iron counts... I did that once in high school.  

So please, if you are rather attached to your hair, don't try this at home.

Step 1: 

Spend weeks researching, just to be led to the conclusion that until you do it, you won't really ever know how it will turn out.

Step 2: Choose the Dye! 

I wanted to experiment with lightening my hair, but I didn't want the "bleached blond" look, so I avoided bleach.  I have A LOT of red in my hair, so I knew there was a high probability of it turning orange/yellow.  I knew nothing about brands of dye, etc. So I went to the drug store and bought Revlon ultra light ash blonde lightner/dye (I chose the one that looked platinum blonde on the front, bc/ I knew that it would help counteract some of the yellow/orange that comes from the red in your hair.)  

Step 3: Just Do It!

I started on a Friday night, so that I would have plenty of time to perform emergency fixes when it didn't turn out.

I did it just how they show you in the instructions...  Except I left it on a little longer... I only did so because when it came time to wash my hair, it was looking pretty brassy, so I tried leaving it on for like 3 more minutes... which just made it worse.

It turned out quite a bit brassy (actually, I think SUNSHINE YELLOW is a good way to describe it).  

James said he liked it... That just tells you how crazy it was...

Step 4: Discover Toners

I decided to sleep on it and look at it again in the morning so I would have a fresh view.  

It was still YELLOW.

I did a Google search that was something like: "fix yellow hair"

People talked a lot about toners, and purple shampoo, so I did a search and discovered Sally's Beauty Supply.

Can I just say... That store... How.. I didn't... WOW
I now love Sally's.
I went into the store closest to me, and was given the ultra light ash toner and a 20% developer.

(Funny story: the girl who manages there is (purely by coincidence) named Sally). 

I applied the toner once, and I've been using the purple shampoo/conditioner.

Ya, I know, still pretty yellow!  But that's okay.

Things to do differently next time:

Use a high-quality lightener first.  I've already decided on an oil based lightener that I'll use (I'm not ready to travel down the path of powder bleach...).  The last stuff I used was supposed to bring you down 5 shades, and this new product will bring you down 8 shades.

Right off the bat I'm going to be putting a purple packet into the lightener to counteract the yellows and oranges.  I fully expect the stuff I'll be putting onto my hair will be visibly purple.

I will not dye my entire head of hair again.  Next time it is going to be liberal highlights.  I'm going to rotate different sections, and make a couple batches with different strength developers (probably 20% and 30%) so there are variable shades.

Despite these changes I'm sure I will still end up needing the toner as well.