I haven’t had my hair coloured at the hairdresser in years. Literally YEARS! I actually can’t remember the last time I sat in a salon chair.

It’s not that I don’t like the hairdresser. I used to love getting a few hours to myself to relax and be pampered and not have to wash or dry my own hair! A hot cuppa, some adult chat – it was pretty great.

The main reason I stopped getting my hair coloured at the hairdresser is the cost. I have really long, dark hair, and my greys are coming in thick and fast. I just can’t justify taking hundreds of dollars out of the family budget every month for my hair – and I know so many other mums who feel the same.

Secondly, there’s the time factor. So I started doing my own hair dye at home, using supermarket DIY box dye. I feel justified in calling myself a box dye expert, having done it probably six times a year for the past few years. And I love it.

It’s quick, I can do it whenever I want and it’s relatively cheap compared to a salon colour. I’m officially converted.

And I’m not alone.

Why Are Mums Breaking Up With Their Hairdresser?

As part of a recent Clairol Nice’n Easy review on Beauty Truth, we asked 570 women about colouring their hair at home. Almost 90% said they already coloured their hair at home, either often or sometimes.

And one of the biggest reasons was money. Just over 40% said saving money compared with going to a salon was their biggest reason for colouring their hair at home.

More than a third of the women we asked said covering greys was their main reason for colouring their hair at home. Like I already mentioned, once those greys start appearing, those salon appointments get closer and closer together!

But that doesn’t mean we aren’t nervous about taking hair colour into our own hands. A quarter of the women surveyed were concerned the box dye wouldn’t cover their greys, 15% were worried about hair damage and 13% were worried about choosing the wrong shade.

I’m A Self-Appointed Box Dye Expert … And Yes, I Still Worry Too!

I joined Beauty Truth’s Clairol Nice’n Easy review team with grey coverage as my main concern. And it’s genuinely one of the better box dyes I’ve used. The formula is really interesting, it’s easy to see where it’s been applied. My greys were covered, my hair lovely and smooth and shiny afterwards.

And I had so many compliments!

The majority of Beauty Truth reviewers, had a similar experience. Across 278 reviews, the average overall rating was 4.67 out of 5.

92.8% said they would buy it again.

And 96.8% said they would recommend it.

The practical stuff scored particularly well too. Ease of application averaged 4.74 out of 5, while grey coverage averaged 4.68 out of 5.

And 84% of reviewers specifically described it as easy and convenient.

Which, as someone who is firmly in the “I would rather do this in my bathroom than organise a three-hour appointment” camp, makes a lot of sense.

One reviewer, who was dealing with postpartum regrowth and greys, explained that she wanted an easy way to freshen up her colour without having to take her three children to the hairdresser.

After colouring her hair, she said:

“My hair looked refreshed, my regrowth was covered and the colour gave me that much-needed feeling of having myself together again.”

And I think that gets to the heart of this. Because sometimes colouring your hair isn’t about wanting to look completely different.

It’s just about wanting to look a little more like yourself again.

So, Am I Giving Up The Hairdresser Forever?

Probably not. I’m sure at some stage, when I have more time (and money!), and when I want a more dramatic change, I’ll head back into a salon.

But for keeping my colour looking fresh, covering the greys and making myself feel a little more put together? I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing.

And apparently, I’m in very good company.

More than 500 women told us they colour their hair at home. Hundreds then put Clairol Nice’n Easy to the test and shared what happened.

For me, the biggest takeaway wasn’t that box dye is better than going to the hairdresser. It’s that women (particularly mums) have found a way to make looking after themselves work within the lives they’re actually living.

Want help to choose the right box dye? Check out what 500+ women say you should know!