Box color vs what they sell at Sally Beautry Supply?

personally I prefer sally, because you can miz 2 colors to get a custom color, and choose a developer that's right for you. for example, my hair dyes really easily and I'm usually dying my naturally blonde hair darker, so I only need a 10 or 20 developer. what you get in the box dye is higher and possibly more damaging than you need.

here's info about the levels: www.haircrazy.com/articles/blog/the-hair-colour-numbering-system-explained/ . The color should be similar, but don't expect it to be the same. also, remember those swatches are white synthetic hair dyed red. going over whatever your hair color is now, the results will be different and not so scary. ask the people who work there, they are happy to help you!

Do you have a cosmetology school near you. I find they will custom blend a color for you, apply it and wash and condition your hair for around $20.00. The color is mixed by the instructors and in the 3 years I have been doing this I have never had a bad experience.
(I used to use box color ...but found this to be an inexpensive alternative, as the older I get the more often I needed to color and the box color was "building up".

aww that sucks. IMO you shouldn't be working there if you're not knowledgeable and helpful. hopefully you get a better person next time!

The employees at my local Sally are not helpful either. They have all kinds of recommendations for where to go out Friday night (that's all they ever seem to talk about when I go in) but any time I ask a question they give me vague answers.

OP, I'm glad you asked this question. I've been wondering for awhile myself.

I used the ION products for years, but I recently switched to the Argan brand which is great. My hair is nearly 90% gray on top and it doesn't "grab" color very well. The ION color was fading too much and I had a clear line of demarcation where I had colored the roots.

Similar values should be very close from brand to brand. I've seen a chart at Sally's that lists what is comparable to another brand if you like the N & E 5R

Perhaps try the semi or demi-permanent color first as a test drive and then see what you like. Try a change of only 1 or 2 shades at a time to see what you like.

I would be leery of going to a cosmetology school about coloring red hair, unless it was a speciality school regarding color. Splurge on going to a good salon and then ask for a colorist. Find out the mix he/she used. 

ETA: from Clairol website

Finding the Perfect Red Shade for You


Let’s talk about your eyes…

1. Firstly, if your eye color is green, blue or both use a shade that is a red or bright red with warm red-orange tones. Try: Nice’n Easy in Natural Reddish Blonde 8WR.
2. If you have brown eyes, use a dark red violet or red violet hair color. This is designed to react in a natural way to your hair color to create a perfect-for-you hue. Bonus, it helps enhance your natural features. Try: Nice’n Easy in Natural Dark Reddish Brown 4.5 RB for this desired effect.

Now your hair…

1. If you have medium to dark brown hair, you will need to select a shade of red that is two levels lighter in order to see the red shade tones within your hair color. Otherwise, your hair color will overpower your features. (Hint: a level is essentially a 1 to 10 scale of lightness to darkness. Read: Want to achieve your dream shade? Levels and tones can help!)
2. If you have light brown to dark blonde hair and would like to add just a hint of redness to your color, select a demi-permanent red shade and apply to your highlights or as a glaze to your hair. Try: Natural Instincts.
3. If you are blonde and want to go completely red, make sure to start off slowly and strand test a few different shades to determine the best one for you. Then pick your favorite permanent color. Try: Nice’n Easy.

Pro application tips…

1. Always apply your red shade on your mid shaft and ends first, process for 20 minutes, then on your roots to avoid fire engine roots! Your virgin hair will soak up color more quickly and leave your roots redder than the rest of your hair.
2. Use a darker shade of red at your root and then a lighter shade of red from mid shaft to ends to create a natural-looking finish. Try: Nice’n Easy.
3. Healthy hair will help keep your red hair color longer, so keep heat styling down to once per week (also helps with fading) and use hair care specifically designed for color-treated hair!
4. Let your red hair color process for 5 to 10 minutes longer than listed on the box to add increased vibrancy to your hair.
5. Use a demi-permanent red shade as a color gloss in between your colorings to give your red shade a boost (about 2 weeks in). Try: Natural Instincts.

You have the same hair color as I do, or did! I'm getting a few white ones & my hair is has lightened up quiet a bit in the past few years. I have a daughter going through cosmetology school right now & is learning to perfect dying a red head. She will graduate in November & although she hasn't died my hair yet, I will have her do it soon. She said dying red hair is tricky & tough to learn, but she is very determined. So far she has done a great job with coloring & already has clients coming to her. I'll try to post a pic when I get it done. Best of luck to you! I would love to see what you do & if you remember, try to get the colors & process, it may help me!

OP since you like the color you got from Nice and Easy-what about a different approach in the meantime? I'm talking about fixing the damage that the product did to your hair. What kind of conditioner are you using and what kind of shampoo are you using? If you are using a drugstore shampoo it will fade that color much faster and if you are using products that aren't sulfate free that could be very damaging to your hair and won't fix the damage done by the color.

I use this product from Curly Hair Solutions-Silk Protein Conditioner. You don't have to be a curly girl to use it-it also works exceedingly well as a conditioner for colored hair. All of their products are sulfate free and good for your hair. If your hair is dry you might want to also try their Silk Shampoo to help repair the damage. They also offer a Treatment Shampoo once the damage isn't as severe. You can read about their products at www.frizzoff.com and you can buy them on Amazon to save money.

Just an idea to help you repair the damage you have now. I myself use box color at home-I use L'Oreal Preference and the color I use is perfect for me-it takes my hair right back to the color it was when I was younger and didn't have this gray-I'm about 25% gray. I don't want to mess around with switching color products because this is the exact right color-so for me I counter the damage by using the best hair care products I can find.

That's the thing about hair care products-there are tons out there all promising all kinds of things and rarely delivering them. This line is the first I've found in years, literally years that actually works well. I must admit, I do have wavy hair-but when I color my hair and use that conditioner on it my hair feels smooth as silk when I rinse it out, not like straw.

Debbie in MD. (who is not affiliated with that company in any way-just a happy customer)