Wella Color Charms Demi-Permanent Hair Color and Activating Lotion

I bought mine at Sally Beauty supply. I have a mix of dark Brownish black hair with quite a bit of grey speckled into it now.

I had been putting henna in my hair for a long time but found that it had become too labor intensive.

A frend of mine reccomended the Wella Color Charms saying that the Demi-permanent were deposit only, meaning they would not lighten my hair, but only add color.

The color touted being ammonia free, long lasting and able to color stubborn gray hair. So I bought the 3.00 bottle of Wella Activating lotion enough for two applications, more if you have shorter than my shoulder legnth hair.

Also I bought the 5.00 Wella Color Charms Demi- Permanent Hair olor in "Fiery Red". I also recommend getting a deep conditioner of your choice for after you shampoo out your dye.

This is something that every hair dresser has told me from star hair dressers to drag queens. After you dye, you condition. And I listen, because they all had fabulous hair.

You may want a box of non latex gloves which would be an additional 3.00 bucksJust a little sidebar here. If you, like I, are going to be a serial dyer invest in a pair of dish gloves. In the long run it will save you dying your hands, money, and better on the environment.

So I hauled my loot home and put on my dying shirt. (another great idea, have clothes to dye in) put out my dying towels, slapped vaseline on my hair line and ears, got my old hair clips, a plastic bag, my trusty color applicator bottle and put on my dish gloves.

Mixing the ratios of Wella Color charms Demi-Permanent Dye to Wella Activating lotion was easy because my color applicator bottle has clear lines that are labeled by the ounce. However, if you do not use an applicator bottle and were to use a mixing bowl instead you would need to use a measuring cup to measure out the correct ratio of 2:1 so you don't over or under deelop your color.

After I had mixed my color I sectioned my hair of into four sections and carefully applied it to my roots first. Then having saturated the roots worked the last of the dye into the legnth of the pony tails. Then I applied my plastic bag and secured it with another clip.

Then wiped up any drips on the sink with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. After 20 minutes you are done!

Shampooed twice, and then once the water ran mostly clear I applied my conditioner of choice.

I hair dried my hair overnight and only put in some Morrocco Method oil so I could see how my hair looked. It was soft, shiny, still smelling dyed, but the color is not overbearing, and the gray has taken the red nicely.

Next time I think I am going to try putting the dye on my head and then letting it sit while I am under a heat source, supposedly it is supposed to make the dye set into the hair and last longer. I am willing to be that guinea pig.

All in all I have to say of all the haircolors I have tried ,and I have tried most of them, this is one of my favorites.

There are few others that I would rank higher than this in this price range and only because of the fact that my scalp is itchy after I use this dye for a few days. But its never bad and it always goes away.

The smell is not terrible, but I do smell chemical smell, enough where its aroma is there.

The consistancy of the dye when it is activated is a little runny, the fact that I am an old hand when it comes to dyeing hair was the saving grace for this dye.

For the price, the color, and the staying power and availability? Its my Bronze of Hair colors. I am still looking for that Gold medal for at home hair colors though. Is it out there? I'll keep looking.