Hi!
I know, maintaining dark hair over gray is definitely difficult if you do not have the time or money for professional coloring as needed. Covering grays requires a multi-process color so your shade is more evenly dispersed over lowlights, base color and highlights. When you bottle-die one shade, the line of roots is very concrete, making your grays look more obvious, quicker. One suggestion I would have, depending on just what percentage gray you are (and a bit of how daring you are), would be lightening your color. A lot of my clients need to switch to blonde once they are 75% gray because lighter coloring blends better with the incoming gray roots. You can still get away with the less expensive drug-store brand
coloring and the length of time required until your need to re-color is extended when lighter. In terms of hair texture, coloring is, of course, not healthy for hair. You need to be using special products for color-treated hair, and doing an at-home hot oil treatment once a month might be necessary to restore you hair's natural luster. Should you want to make the salon investment, ask around for colorist suggestions amongst your friends and sit down with whomever you choose to go over the details for multi-process color. Also consider asking your colorist what sort of in-salon treatments would improve your dry and brittle problem. XO-GRETTA
