No more hair salons ?

[NW-Bound]

I still have thick dark hair with so little grey that people have often accused me of dyeing. And they scan my hair looking to see if it's a toupée.

I spent $20 at a hair salon once every 2 months, as I let it grow out a bit between cuts. Going to the salon is a pain, but my wife does not know how to cut it. The cut is actually cheaper than $20, but that includes a donation to my long-time hair dresser's charity activity.

My wife wears long hair, and she cuts her own.

 

[ABQ2015]

When I was younger, I dyed my light brown, mousey hair blonde and wore it long. This was inexpensive but my hair color tended to look brassy. So as I aged and became more affluent, I switched to having it highlighted blonde to look more natural and cut every 6-8 weeks to look more professional. Then the gray started to surface and I had to have it colored brown first to hide the gray and then have it highlighted with blonde streaks. This started to get expensive.

A few years ago, I developed a scalp condition and stopped the entire coloring process. I found that I actually like the gray so now just have it cut regularly. Saves me at least $500 per year. My hair is wavy so would not try to cut it myself.

Edited: The gray does make me look older but I don't mind. I'm short and have always looked ten years younger than my age. Sounds good but I work in a male dominated field and looking younger can be a handicap. I think I get a little more professional respect now that I look older.

 

[Silver]

I have cut my own hair short and spiky since high school. Dyed it myself until around age 38 when I stopped and let it go salt & pepper, which it remains today. I also cut my husband's hair. Neither if us like being "handled" by strangers.

 

[Live And Learn]

I had decided to "embrace the gray" until I was talking to my relatively new 75 year old neighbor and she mentioned how I was 10 years younger than her. EEEK ! I'm 52 and she thinks I'm mid 60s ! Hence the dye job. The shorter cut also helps me look more my age.

I used the method on this video to cut my hair - only mine is now 4 inches in the front and 6 inches in the back


How to beautifully cut your own hair (M by Mickie) - YouTube

 

[Moemg]

I would stop coloring my hair but the color gives it body .Plus how do you make it through the growing out stage ?

 

[Major Tom]

I thought the guards were standard length, not so according to this site: Clipper Blades and Guards Sizes and Lengths

I didn't know whether the guard sizes were standard or not but I didn't really think about it until today. On getting my clippers many years ago, I started out with the second to shortest guide in the set, and after a few cuts, decided I'd try the shortest. I've stuck with that one ever since.

A short buzz cut, IMO, is the lowest maintenance hair-style there is. Complete baldness requires more regular upkeep, if you want to stay bald. On top of that, I do like having a minimal amount of hair on my head as it soaks up the sweat, and provides a small degree of heat insulation.

The funny thing is that my hair starts to feel greasy and unmanageable after a few weeks when, to the outside observer, it is still very short. It is all relative.

 

[haha]

Are the guard #'s standard? I use a #1 guard (1/8") on my Wahl clippers and just run the clippers over my head until everything is even and there are no little spikes sticking out.

I like going to a barber. Here, they are all heavily tattooed and liberally pierced women. Lately though, I have just done my own. All the combs I have seen have the actual length on them. I usually go with 3/8. 1/8 is easier to get it all even, but then I have to deal with GF saying, "Oh, it's thug time again?" I don't look particularly middle class no matter what I do, but 1/8 or 1/16 is really pushing it. It seems that most middle of the road men my age get regular barber cuts- aka "styled", for $25 and up, plus tip.

Ha

 

[Live And Learn]

I would stop coloring my hair but the color gives it body .Plus how do you make it through the growing out stage ?

My hair has no body even with the color !

I would think that using using one of the non-permanent dyes during the growing out stage might work. After it has grown out you could then cut off the portion that was previously permanently dyed and then let the non-permanent dye fade out. I'm sure there's a youtube video to answer the question

 

[aaronc879]

The funny thing is that my hair starts to feel greasy and unmanageable after a few weeks when, to the outside observer, it is still very short. It is all relative.

Same with me. I get mine shaved to a #1. If I go much past 3 weeks it feels greasy and I just don't like it that long even in the winter.

 

[steelyman]

My hair has no body even with the color !

Surely, it has body! Otherwise, how could you wear clothes?

 

[REWahoo]

And don't call me Shurley.

 

[steelyman]

And don't call me Shurley.

Roger, Butch

 

[FANOFJESUS]

Same with me. I get mine shaved to a #1. If I go much past 3 weeks it feels greasy and I just don't like it that long even in the winter.

In high school I wore hair 2.5 inches long so for me 5/8 in very short. The funny thing is I have tried to go back to longer hair but was not able to do it because it bugged me so much. I also found out you do not have to wash short hair as often. With the longer hair I had to wash it every day but with the shorter hair I might go two or three days on a wash.

 

[aaronc879]

In high school I wore hair 2.5 inches long so for me 5/8 in very short. The funny thing is I have tried to go back to longer hair but was not able to do it because it bugged me so much. I also found out you do not have to wash short hair as often. With the longer hair I had to wash it every day but with the shorter hair I might go two or three days on a wash.

When I first get it shaved I can go 2 days without washing if I want to but after 2- 2 1/2 weeks I need to do it every day or it gets to feel too greasy.

 

[sheehs1]

I would stop coloring my hair but the color gives it body .Plus how do you make it through the growing out stage ?

It gives mine body too! I would still have someone cut it as mine has a couple of layers since I feel a straight bob makes me look older. However, I would love to color my own as I get annoyed every time at the cost for just "pulling color thru". I also find more and more I dislike spending the time to do it.

More often than not, when I return home and when it seems a bit dark for me (I'm a medium blonde) I get my handy highlight kit from the drugstore and do my own highlights.

For those that do their own color, what brand do you use? Have you seen a difference in the color from when you do it versus when a salon does it? Often salons say "be careful, it may turn orange on you". I suppose that is the fear factor, huh? That and having to spend the money to "correct it".

 

[Moemg]

For those that do their own color, what brand do you use? Have you seen a difference in the color from when you do it versus when a salon does it? Often salons say "be careful, it may turn orange on you". I suppose that is the fear factor, huh? That and having to spend the money to "correct it".

I colored my hair a few times . The color always came out too dark except one time when it came out Luci Ball orange just as I was leaving on vacation . I spent the whole vacation wearing hats .

 

[Amethyst]

Have yet to have my hair colored in a salon. I just can't get past the thought of how awful other women look in the salon, reading a magazine, with their short hair sticking up in aluminum foil packets and the dark brown paste around the edges of their faces.

I don't want to subject my super-curly bobbed hair to harsh chemicals which would strip what shine it possesses (curly hair tends not to have much gloss), so I use a demi-permanent brown dye marketed to African American women. It washes out pretty quickly and I have to apply it fairly often, but it does add body and shine, as others have noted. My barber says it is causing a "greenish" tinge at the ends of my hair, but I myself cannot see this and anyway I'm paying her to cut off those ends.

Oh, I forgot to mention the brand. Dark 'n Lovely Reviving Colors, Ebone Brown.

Amethyst

It gives mine body too! I would still have someone cut it as mine has a couple of layers since I feel a straight bob makes me look older. However, I would love to color my own as I get annoyed every time at the cost for just "pulling color thru". I also find more and more I dislike spending the time to do it.

More often than not, when I return home and when it seems a bit dark for me (I'm a medium blonde) I get my handy highlight kit from the drugstore and do my own highlights.

For those that do their own color, what brand do you use? Have you seen a difference in the color from when you do it versus when a salon does it? Often salons say "be careful, it may turn orange on you". I suppose that is the fear factor, huh? That and having to spend the money to "correct it".

 

[mpeirce]

I like going to a barber.

Yeah, me too.

I like walking in and not even having to say "I'll have the regular" - they already know that.

 

[Meadbh]

I would stop coloring my hair but the color gives it body .Plus how do you make it through the growing out stage ?

My hair has plenty of body, fortunately. As for making it through the growing out stage, I'm retired and I don't give two hoots what people think.

I am getting regular short haircuts and I think the colour will be gone within another three months. If I absolutely hate it, I might try colouring it myself.

 

[Bestwifeever]

....For those that do their own color, what brand do you use? Have you seen a difference in the color from when you do it versus when a salon does it? Often salons say "be careful, it may turn orange on you". I suppose that is the fear factor, huh? That and having to spend the money to "correct it".

I grew up with my mom's haircuts, my friends' efforts, and my own until I was in my midtwenties, as long straight hair doesn't really need much expertise to trim. More recently, I used to have my hair colored and cut in a salon ($69) until DH re'd. I liked it--it was like a mini retreat and the salon staff were hilarious in their interactions and so unlike the people I typically run into (and vice versa for me with them, times 100, of course). Just such a different environment for me, never having been a girly-girl. Don't get me started on how much fun it was watching the deliberation people put into choosing a nail polish color! People-watching at its best on so many levels. More importantly, my thick wavy hair looked and felt awesome with the industrial strength conditioning it got every six weeks.

I told "my" now-former stylist that I was going to be on a fixed income and she told me what coloring product to use--l'oreal #6, natural light brown. So that's what I use. The color stays true, no orangeyness, no fading. $7 at Target.

 

[Live And Learn]

For those that do their own color, what brand do you use? Have you seen a difference in the color from when you do it versus when a salon does it? Often salons say "be careful, it may turn orange on you". I suppose that is the fear factor, huh? That and having to spend the money to "correct it".

My hair is naturally dark brown. I use Revlon Soft Black hairdye. The browns do tend to fade to auburn (which is actually nice, but doesn't look so great with my olive skin). I've used a couple of brands and never saw a difference (except for the time I tried the Auburn Feria brand ... oh my ... definitely NOT a natural color !).

 

[Live And Learn]

I told "my" now-former stylist that I was going to be on a fixed income and she told me what coloring product to use--l'oreal #6, natural light brown. So that's what I use. The color stays true, no orangeyness, no fading. $7 at Target.

I get the Revlon on sale for $3, so I guess the L'Oreal at a whole $7 is a much better product ! As they say, you get what you pay for. Maybe I'll upgrade next time !

 

[sheehs1]

I colored my hair a few times . The color always came out too dark except one time when it came out Luci Ball orange just as I was leaving on vacation . I spent the whole vacation wearing hats .

That would happen to me if I did it. I just know it! Darn. This is what keeps me from trying it myself.

I do use leave in rinse that one can use after shampooing to help hide the growing out grey around temples, etc. in an effort to prolong the color before having to to back to the salon.

 

[sheehs1]

I told "my" now-former stylist that I was going to be on a fixed income and she told me what coloring product to use--l'oreal #6, natural light brown. So that's what I use. The color stays true, no orangeyness, no fading. $7 at Target.

Mine has avoided answering that question. I've posed it to her many times. Wonder why? Duh.

I think I will try harder next time!

 

[daylatedollarshort]

When I was sitting in a salon chair getting my hair cut once a beauty product rep came in and told my stylist she won some trip for selling the most of their produsts. So I guess all those times I was told not to use shampoo and conditioner from Costco or Trader Joe's were really more about her trip than my hair. I used to kind of wonder if I was delusional thinking my hair looked shiny and healthy as it was despite my cheapo shampoo and conditioner, but her pushing the salon products made more sense when I heard about the trip.