[tommielynn]

I have been coloring my hair for years and have good results from L'oreal products. The Color Experte is my favorite, but lately it fades out to about a level 9 or 10 blond with yellowish. I am probably 80% or more grey. There is a level 9 Color Experte which is hard to find. But, a lot of stores stock the level 8 which is a light ash blond. Would it be wise to use a ash color? Not sure. I just want a light blond with multi-tonal results - not just one flat color.

[Lanist57]

Without seeing your hair, and just based on what you said here, I would offer this advice: "Ash" haircolors tend to have a purple or blue base to them. Many types of gray (or "non-pigmented") hair does not have the remaining yellow, orange, or red undertones that pigmented hair which "ash" color is meant to counteract. The result could possibly leave you with a blue or purple-ish tone in your hair. Also, a level 8 is a shade darker than the 9 you are used to using. The darker shades of color tend to have a higher concentrate of color, meaning your chances that it contains more of the blue or purple undertones than the level 9. Finally, the only true way to get multi-tonal color is to see a professional hairstylist who can provide you with highlights and lowlights. However, since you say you are not 100% gray, you may get different tones on the gray than you do on your regularly colored hair. If you still wish to do the at home color and trying the level 8 ash, I recommend at least doing a strand test. Take about a 1 inch section of your hair (where it is gray, maybe including some of your natural color) from the back or side of your head where it is not seen regularly. Apply color on this strand alone and process the full time. If you like the result, you can most likely continue to apply to the rest of the head safely.