Erin Murphy's Beauty Secrets- Hair Color

I received several questions this week about my hair color. About once a year I get it colored professionally, the rest of the time I color it myself at home. I'm a natural "California" blonde, which means I get lots of highlights by hanging out at the beach or by the pool. I've tried lots of home coloring products & finally found the one that I like the best: L'Oreal Couleur Experte Express. The difference between this & most other home products, is that the kit offers the two step process that you get in a salon (base & highlights). I go back & forth between two different colors (both blonde), Iced Meringue & Toasted Coconut. First you use the base color all over for about 15 minutes, then rinse & let your hair dry. After this step, my hair looks awful! It's very drab & all one color, but don't despair! The highlights may seem intimidating, but they're very easy to do. The kit provides you with two different applicators, but I use my fingers. Select some random starnds around your face, plus a few underneath & in back, wait about 20 minutes & rinse, use the conditioner that's included & style as usual. The kits are available at most drugstores & cost about $10. What do you pay to get your hair colored? The average in Los Angeles is over $250! Have fun, don't be afraid. Hair color isn't permanent.