So. I have been doing silver for over a year, now. I love it. And I have like... 20 products that I use, none of which don't cause a dilemma in touch up and maintenance. I have some thoughts, but would appreciate some input.
1. Pravana: I used this the first time. My hair turned kinda silver-ish, but the problem was my most recently bleached roots - Bright Blue! I don't really understand the why. But I think my solution would be something involving a protein depositer. I did use a bright blue protein mix for the color, I've since switched to the neutral. Anyway, it stays the longest, which I love, but I hate how very blue it is. I feel like I need to add a small amount of gold/orange direct dye to the mix, but I haven't been brave enough to try it.
2. Ion: I used this later and other people have mentioned my same issue - it comes out alright, but it doesn't last at all, and becomes minty pretty quick. Matter of fact, that's been my BF's nickname for me ever since - Minty. ::)
3. Wella toner: Cool Violet, My Go-To!! It's perfect, tones perfectly. It's too purple to begin with so I add a gold-violet blonde Wella (I think it's also a toner?) product (sorry I can't remember the number - I can update). My only problem is that the developer, despite it only being a 10 vol lifts too much and also it deposits color, so instead of just being able to add more color as it begins to muddy, I end up with gold-ish roots, which looks terrible even though the rest looks perfect. And also I end up with stripes where I have deposited color on my unbleached roots, and I can't lift it to the level the rest of my hair can get to. I like to let my dark roots grow out a little bit to give the silver a bit of dimension. Also, the developer is so damaging to my hair. I do enough with the bleaching. It just becomes so straw-like
4.Roux Fanci-Full: when it begins to get muddy, I use the silver rinse-in, wash-out Roux Fanci-Full in either Silver lining or a steel color, but obviously It only lasts to the next shampoo. I like it for short term maintenance, but it's messy and I can't get my hair even wet without it coming out. The hair at the nape of my neck are blonde within a week of coloring.
So, I would like to color my hair with something that stays put like Pravana, and doesn't damage or lift at all like both Pravana and Ion direct dyes. but gives me the color I'm getting, by using Wella toners.
Is there an alternative to the developer, that won't damage or lift, but just deposit? Is it only lifting because I'm using the golden-violet blonde color Wella? It's only 10 vol. developer, I don't think there's anything less than that.
Has anyone used a Pravana gold/orange to tone out the blue in the Pravana Silver dye? Thoughts?
Thanks in advance!
I don't know TOO much about bleaching and toning, but I can tell you what I used.
I did quick Blue bleach to lift my roots and blend some banding with a 20 vol to match my level 9.
I then mixed two T18 Wella toners (Lightest Ash Blonde). To the toner I added 5 caps full of the Wella 050 Cooling Violet as well as half a bottle of the protein filler for platinum hair (it's purple).
It left me with the below.
Thats my input. Now, I didn't keep it grey--- I added peach to give me a pink peach silver gold mix. =)