Coloring hair? Red? Advice Needed!

[adrowningfish]

So, I've been wanting to dye my hair red for years, but I don't want to bleach it, or have it turn orange. (Right now, I have golden blonde hair. Like Jennifer Aniston's.) I know it's possible to achieve the look I want without bleaching it or going to a salon, but I just don't know what product(s) to use.

The shade I like is like an "ashen" red. Not really orangey, or fire-truck-ish. Not bright or overwhelming. And not nessesarily strawberry blonde. It almost has a pinkish undertone or something. Like this:
http://0.tqn.com/d/beauty/1/0/V/9/1/red_hair_christina_hendricks.jpg

Most boxed dyes (though picturing an ashen red), seem to turn everyone's hair orange (based on reviews). So what can I do, besides go to a salon, to get my hair this color? Can I put a purple/blue toner over red hair dye? Or something?

Would mixing a purple/blue semi-permanent dye (like manic panic or special effects) in with my shampoo/conditioner help tone down/cool the orange tones I'll get from a box dye? :o

[catamonica]

I tried Cinnamon. But someone online said they used oil mixed with it. It does make your hair red. If I would have used oil, I could have covered the roots better. I'm not sure how long you would have to leave it on. Maybe 45 minutes. It
does work. And best of all its a natural product.

[adrowningfish]

Has anyone here on LHC been able to achieve this color? Or know someone who has?

[Diamond.Eyes]

If your starting color is dark you will have to bleach it first. Hair dye doesn't make hair lighter, it only deposits color so you would have to pre-lighten it if you want red hair that light. A natural looking shade of red is very hard to achieve by yourself. Blue and purple tones would make the red a lot more unnatural looking and I don't think I've heard of an "ash red" color...My advice would be to go see a hair dresser. :flower:

[adrowningfish]

I just don't want it to turn orange or anything.

[aisha.christine]

Unfortunately, red is a warm color, so you can't really get it ashy. If you insist on doing it at home, I would try a reddish blonde hair dye, like L'Oreal 8RB. Truthfully, I would go see a hair dresser and ask for their opinion on it. Take a few pictures of the color you want for reference.

[UltraBella]

This is probably the closest pic I have of when my hair was similar to the picture you linked. I would consider that color in the photo you provided to be a level 8 CR - copper red. I would suggest finding a beauty supply store that stocks semi and demi colors and doing a patch test or two before you jump into a whole head application.


http://i908.photobucket.com/albums/ac282/beyondbeauty76/IMG_0446.jpg

[starlamelissa]

Damn why cant I figure out how to load a photo?!?!?! I have christina hendricks style red hair. Its copper red, so orange tones are in it. I color with revlon 42 on my roots every 3 weeks, and rarely I boost the color on my length with a diluted glaze of manic panic pillarbox red and special effects atomic orange.

Getting red from blonde is a journey, and I went to a salon I trusted for a while, but have been able to maintain my red myself for the past 2 or 3 years.

UGH seriously LHC. Why cant I figure your photo uploading out?! Ive been here 2 years already sheesh.

[Diamond.Eyes]

I just don't want it to turn orange or anything.

I did a little research because as someone training in the cosmetology field, I am interested in the subject :p. Anyways here is a blog/article that you might find to be useful. She discusses how her hair dresser managed to give her a natural looking shade of ginger and then the girl tried to recreate the color with box dye. I personally like the color she ended up with from the box dye better than the hair dresser. :shrug:

Here's the article:
Unleash the Ginger: L'Oreal Feria Mango Intense Copper 74 Review (http://claireandakeyboard.blogspot.com/2012/01/unleash-ginger-loreal-feria-mango.html?m=1)

If you aren't going to go to the hair dressers, I would do as UltraBella suggested and do a strand test of the color so you know how it will turn out. I would research red hair dyes a little more and maybe purchase your dye at Sally's Beauty supply or somewhere similar. :flower:

[adrowningfish]

Thanks everyone! This is definitely helpful. :D

(Just to clarify, too: when I say an "ashen" red, I mean it's not glowing orange. It has more of a cooled, pinkish undertone. It's a softer red than most.)

Thanks, Diamond.Eyes, for the article! And yes, I would do a strand test, just in case. :D

[dandylioness]

The photo looks like "light auburn" to me. Not that I think the name is accurate but that is one of the few reddish box dye names. I use it or strawberry blonde--resulting shades vary between brands. Luckily I don't mind being experimental or ombre. I use permanent dye since I have some greys to cover. I hesitate to recommend any one brand but I will say that none of my results have been disastrous. Just...ombre, which I was thrilled to find out is now in style.