I have about 50% grey, I used to use semi permanents and had a very bad reaction, itchy with spots on my scalp and ears last time. My natural colour is mid brown would you suggest low lights to give a bit of colour as the product wont touch my scalp or will these look odd on brown/grey hair? My hair is quite curly.

Firstly it is important to point out that you should have a colour skin test before having ANY form of colour whether it touches the scalp or not as you can still get an allergic reaction.

As far as lowlights are concerned to cover the grey this would be the ideal solution as it would be a nice subtle result.

I had my hair bleached from dark brown to blonde but it has turned out to be more grey than yellow, is there a way I could make it more yellow blonde?

Unfortunately it is hard to say without seeing your hair however it could be because it wasn’t left on long enough. Bleach however is a very strong chemical so be careful.

I have mid back length, straight hair. My roots are white/grey and are touched up every 4 weeks, these are pre softened to take on the colour. I would like texture in my hair and was thinking about a soft perm for a tousled look. In a fashion magazine it suggested a square layered soft perm which is put through the mid length down leaving the roots but my hairdresser said I cannot perm my hair because it has been coloured too much. Is there anything that can be done to allow the soft curl to happen?

Unfortunately your hairdresser is correct to advise you not to perm coloured hair as this will dry your hair out and affect the colour. The best suggestion I have is to style your hair with loose curls using Velcro rollers or a heated appliance, but this will obviously be only temporary.

I recently went to the hairdressers to have my hair dyed white blonde however it came out more of a platinum yellowy blonde. I went to the hair dresser suppliers and was told to use L’Oreal luo colour PO1 with 20vol bleach and leave on for 15-20 mins. I have done this twice so far but it has left me with a grey/blue/ash tone not the white I wanted. I am a natural blonde and the hairdresser a couple of weeks ago left the bleach on my hair for about an hour so it lifted really well, I can’t understand why it won’t go white! Does it need further bleaching? I cannot afford to go back to the salon yet and am quite experienced with doing my own hair, more so since I have had a crop! Any help much appreciated, thanks

Getting the colour you require is all about ensuring any yellow tone is totally removed in the bleaching process. This is why you are having this problem.

Ensure the bleaching process is left to develop long enough to remove any yellow tone and your problems will be gone. You will have to apply a platinum toner afterwards. To keep this tone there are some great platinum/silver shampoos that will keep it looking hot!

Why does my hair colour not last very long and doesn’t cover all my grey?

This could be for a number of reasons. Firstly the colour choice may not be the correct one for your hair. Secondly it could be that your hair is very resistant to colour and you may have to have your hair pre-softened to allow the colour to penetrate the hair.

Lastly I would strongly recommend booking a free colour consultation at a professional salon to discuss the problem you are having.

I have had Wella Magma intensive red put through my hair 3 times now and love how red it is, the problem I have is that I get grey roots and the last time my Hairdresser covered over the roots with a brown and then put on the magma over the top, those bits have gone orangey. Do I need the magma to go on to my roots without the brown first?

It is possible to try this without the brown first however try leaving the magma on for longer also.

I use Marcharel Hair dye and 20% peroxide on my hair but for some reason its started not covering my grey hair very well and seems to fade quite quickly too. Please help its driving me nuts.

Unfortunately this peroxide may not be enough to help with the product you are using/mixing it with try opting for a different formula.

I have my hair coloured and it grows out grey from the roots. For the past couple of months it has been fading quickly and the colour comes of the grey roots almost instantly. I have a back problem and bone loss and have osteoporosis. I am on a lot of medication but have been for a number of years. The only new medication is the tablet once a week for osteoporosis. Is there anyway to preserve the colour?

Obviously you have had colour before that lasted and your are using the same product of color now, so it sounds like the medication is what is affecting your colour. If it is a dark permanent colour there is no reason for the color to fade off at all. You would or should just get a re-growth and usually a full head color needs a re-touch every 4 weeks as the hair grows approximately 1/2 -inch per month. Sometimes lighter blonde shades can fade off quicker due to the fact the dye load is not as heavy as the darker shades and of course if it is a demi-permanent that also will be a reason for the colour dark or light to fade. Unfortunately usually colour problems or unusual situations are due to something being on the hair, like a medication, or mineral from pipes etc. I would suggest that before you do your colour, to use a chelating shampoo to help take some of the medication away from your hair, apply the color to dry hair. After use a cuticle sealer and do not wash your hair for 24 to 48 hours immediately after the colour, these products mentioned can be found in the JOICO line, not sure this is the answer but it might help?

I have been colouring my hair for ever. I have very white hair the Salon I use never seem to get the colour I want it’s just a block colour with no warmth. My hair is not in too good condition as I have abused it for years. Please help!

I am not sure what level your natural hair is, what % of grey you have and what your desired result is, so it is difficult to help you with the colour. I can recommend for the damage of your hair to use the JOICO K-Pak products shampoo, and reconstructer this will help to get you hair back in shape.

I have been dyeing my hair for about 20 years, firstly by choice, but now through needing to cover my grey, I use off the shelf colours and do it at home but I have found that the colour does not last as long as it should, I have regrowth after only a week sometimes after only a couple of days. My hair is shoulder length and I love it long but I have been considering having at all cut off to let my natural grey through then I won’t have to colour my hair and cause more damage, I would also like to stay a young looking 49 year old not and old grey Grandma!

On average your hair will grow about half an inch per month. Typically people have their hair coloured every 4-6 weeks as this is when they start to notice the re growth. Most of your problems may be down to incorrect application or development time. I would recommend visiting a professional salon and asking if they have training sessions where the students can attend to your needs in a professional way.

The result you would get would be much more professional and should last the time described above.