How I did my own root touch up

Hi! So I've been dying my hair since the 6th grade and I've had my fair share of bad experiences. Although I am not a Cosmetologist, My best friend Angela Duarte graduated cosmetology school when we were 18 and was able to guide me in the right direction of having healthy hair. Angela did my hair for 3 years then she moved to Colorado and it was difficult to find a good salon at a reasonable price so I started experimenting on my own. 2 years ago I dyed my hair red using Loreal Colour Rays but it was $12.99 a box and the tube was so small! My make up artist Tracy Rhodes told me that she personally liked Loreal HiColor Highlights but I never got around to using it untill now. Because of my fear of bleaching my own hair and possibly making my hair fall out I went to a salon and had it bleached and colored red for $85. My new hairstylist charges $45 for root touch ups. Altough thats a very low price I'd still prefer only paying $4.99 a bottle and doing it myself so I finally decided to listen to Tracy's advice and use the Loreal HiColor Highlights. In the picture below I have mini pictures of my roots. 1) After 3 weeks of dying(my hair grows fast I consume 1500mg of Biotin/day). 2) My roots after using Loreal HiColor 3) My roots after using my favorite red hair dye from ION.

Second Picture: The SET UP.
In the second picture I show the products I used to dye my hair. I used 20 vol developer, Loreal HiColor highlights in red, and ION Brights in red. As soon and i popped open the bottle of Loreal HiColor I was so dissappointed because as soon as I smelled it I realized I have used the dye before because it smelled and looked exactly like the Loreal Colour Rays that I had used in the past but it made me comfortable knowing I wasn't working with any new chemicals. Loreal did not state the products were the same but I'm going to assume that they are givin the fact that they look the same, smell the same, and are both for dark hair only.

The Process
STEP1: I mixed the 1.2oz of Hicolor highlights with 2.4oz of 20 vol. developer.
STEP2: I placed the dye on my roots for 30 min. The dye already has peroxide in it, this is why no self bleaching is required.
STEP3: I washed out the dye and towel dried my hair.
STEP4: Once my hair was dry I applied the ION red dye to my roots and the rest of my hair and let it sit for an hour. You Do not mix this dye with any developer! It comes in the package all ready to go straight to onto your hair. It only takes 30-40 min for the dye to absorb but personally I leave it on for an hour.
STEP5: I washed out the dye and revealed my new color!

END RESULT
I was so excited that I was able to do my own root touch up at a fraction of the cost and still get an amazing result! They say being a red head is really hard and hard to maintain and it is! The red dye stains everything and fades so quickly! but with these produts I have no complaints. I didn't know how to maintain my color 2 years ago and I got discouraged so I dyed my hair black and vowed never to be a redhead again. But after some research I can now say it is not as hard to be a red head as people say it is as long as your ok with staining everything with your hair lol Remember when dying your hair to use gloves and barrier cream around your neck and forehead to prevent stainin your skin!

PRICES from SALLY'S BEAUTY SUPPLY
Loreal HiColor Highlights $7.99
20 vol. developer approx. $3.99
ION Brights $4.99

and if you want to try the Loreal Colour Rays you can find it at rite aid for $12.99 which includes gloves, developer, dye, and an appliction brush.