Several years ago I decided to let the natural gray grow in. I got some help from local hair stylist by getting "baby highlights" (tiny foil sections of highlights) done to let the gray come in and not have distinct line of demarcation from stopping dye. Absolutely loved it but also when I started playing with fun non-traditional dyes like Manic Panic. So then I would paint in Manic Panic colors and have "unicorn hair." Super fun and I kept doing that for quite a while. THEN I got a bit stupid and tried Splat hair color. Unlike Manic Panic it is permanent AND you bleach hair first. I only did the grayest section (my part) and front with the bleach for a very short time. Then did the color. It was really quite fun but left blue/green pigment in hair for good.
Then I found Overtone color conditioners and started playing with their colors like Purple for Brown Hair, Blue for Brown Hair, and Pink. I fell in LOVE because my hair came out super soft and I had fun color that gradually faded away. (Pink/Red/Purple colors seem to "stain" more than other colors but the blue on my hair made the natural brown color almost black when I used it.)
Then I did a really stupid thing and tried Color Oops to get the Splat color out of my hair- since it had grown out quite a bit and there was a weird line of greenish/blue several inches from the scalp. OMG I should have read the instructions all the way through because Color Oops requires literally one of the rinses being 20 minutes and to make matters worse- the SMELL-- icky sulfurous, chemically smell that stayed for at least a week every time my hair got wet. Bleck!!! I would have rather tried bleaching out the color vs. this option and it didn't work well either. I ended up having to use permanent hair dye (orange/red toned) to hide the hideous green tint that this left.
Before I did the Color Oops, I had started dabbling in the "normal" hair colors from Overtone because both of our sons will be getting married this summer and having fun, punky hair is not a deal breaker for them but I thought I would "try" to be normal.
I was quite pleased with the success of using Chocolate Brown on my hair but it was a little light, ineffective on the grays. So I started using Espresso Brown on the roots which seems to turn the grays into a blondish highlight as it fades-- you can still see difference between "gray" and Overtone lengths but it's definitely blurred.
Then I recently had a friend ask me about my henna thoughts. She had tried Chocolate Brown Overtone on her hair and didn't have much success so I told her I would try to share my process with photo before and after.
Before: There are some "pink" hues to some of my grays because I had mixed Espresso Brown with some of the Pink for Brown Hair together during a more recent "dye". The last time I did Overtone was March 4-- just Espresso Brown on the roots at first and then a mix of Espresso Brown and Chocolate Brown on the rest of the length after about 30 minutes. So there's a section on just gray (virgin), just Espresso Brown and then the Espresso Brown/Pink lengths.
My process. I find that dampening my hair helps the Overtone sink in better. So I at least wet my hair before starting. Today I actually used their shampoo called The Fader to maybe "open up" the cuticle so dye will sink in. PSA wear plastic gloves to prevent hands from staining. Then I used color brush (2 inch one purchased from Sally's Beauty Supply) to "paint the roots"- starting with the area I usually wear my part. I continue to paint the crown of my head and sides only at the roots being careful to carefully paint very front of hairline. Then a pop a plastic cap overtop, wipe off any places I got it on my face (micellar water on a cotton pad works well.) I do "whatever" for about 30 minutes then pop the plastic cap off and then apply color to rest of lengths. Today I used Chocolate Brown. When I am doing lengths. I basically only apply to crown lengths and side lengths- not the back of my hair which is still dark brown. With the lengths- after applying glob of color conditioner I "smoosh" it into lengths with my gloved hands. I'm not super careful but just try to get plenty of product on the rest of the hair that had roots done. (So basically I am only applying Overtone to hair that if I were to do a partial ponytail it would be a slant from ears up to top back of head.) I then pop the plastic cap back on. Wait another 30 minutes and rinse out. I find that slightly wetting hair, then working that through with gloved hands helps remove better. So I add a little water to make conditioner creamier then rinse and kind of repeat this until it feels mostly done. I then grab a conditioner (today I used Fanola Nutri Care Mask) to "seal" the color in. Another option would be ACV rinse. (Acid on hair makes cuticle seal down.)
I use dark colored towels for my hair because I know I will have some staining from using Overtone regularly. I also use dark pillow cases for my pillow.
So here are the before photos.
