As Meghan confesses her box hair dye mishap, here's how to get it right

Her rainbow fruit plates and floral ice cubes may have plumbed a new nadir of unrelatability, but in one respect at least, Meghan Markle has proved she's just like us.
In conversation with hair salon owner Kadi Lee on the latest episode of her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, the Duchess of Sussex spoke of her dalliances with box dyes, those £5.99 bathroom cabinet staples with which every brunette with a root phobia is all too familiar. 'It was 2020 – it was very much 2020,' she recalled. 'My family had just moved to California. We were staying in our friend's home and, because it was the pandemic, I kept ordering boxed hair dye, and I thought 'I'm gonna look just like she does on the box'. And instead it was this very inky, almost Elvira-esque black hair.'
As many discovered during the pandemic, box dyes are not without their issues – and never more so than when you're a very dark brunette. When Meghan went on to detail how she eventually reached out to a local hairdresser to rectify her 'inky' home dye job, rare was the listener who didn't have flashbacks to 2020, a dark time in ways that extended far beyond the follicular.
Lockdown may be a distant memory, but for those on a budget, box dyes are still likely to be a part of life. As any brunette going grey will attest, the maintenance required to keep dark hair looking dark is not for the faint of heart or low of funds. For those lacking the time or money to visit the hairdresser every two to four weeks, DIY options are often the only way.
This is despite box dyes being a teenage rite of passage whose oft-catastrophic results most adults would likely rather forget. 'My towels!' my mother exclaimed at some point in the late 1980s, upon seeing her pristine peach pride and joys speckled with brown gunk. There came a time in every teenage girl's life when she grew out of Shaders and Toners (remember those? They're probably best forgotten) and graduated onto the hard stuff, aka permanent dye that didn't 'wash in, wash out' but darkened the hair indelibly – along with any surrounding areas.
While at-home dye kits have improved exponentially since the 1980s, most users' application techniques still leave a lot to be desired. According to the colourist Zoe Irwin, creative director at John Frieda, the problem isn't so much the quality of the box dye as its cack-handed execution. 'Put any woman in front of me, and I can tell you if she's used a box colour,' says Irwin. 'I do more colour correction on people who've used box dyes than anything else. The damage can be horrific. You might grab a box thinking you're dark brown, but you won't apply the product the way that a colourist does, meaning that when it grows out, you're left with a band in the hair. You're also likely to overlap your existing colour, which will end up making it up to two shades darker.'
Rather than using permanent colour, Irwin suggests using a semi-permanent correcting pen. 'A powder-based product such as Colour Wow (£23.60, Marks and Spencer) won't give you any long lasting damage.' Other semi-permanent options include L'Oreal's Magic Retouch spray (£6.99, Boots) and Josh Wood Colour's Blending Brush (£20, Josh Wood Colour).
More important than the product itself, however, is choosing the right shade of brunette in the first place – as the actor George Clooney recently found to his cost. After dyeing his trademark salt and pepper locks dark brown for his role as newsman Edward R Murrow in the Broadway production of Good Night And Good Luck, Clooney, 63, was mocked by internet trolls for his 'paint pot hair' that 'makes him look 20 years older'. 'I know it's not good,' he admitted in an interview on CBS Mornings, speaking to host Gayle King. 'And my wife, she thinks it's funny. I'm not used to it. You never get used to it. I started getting grey when I was 25 – I've been grey most of my life, so it's not my favourite look. Honestly, nothing makes you look older than being 63 and dyeing your hair.'
While men who are less practised in the noble art of DIY hair dye may be more prone to error than women, the hairdresser and colour expert Josh Wood counsels that age and skin tone are more important considerations than gender, with pale and olive complexions most likely to carry off very dark hair. 'In terms of age, it really depends on how grey you are,' he adds. 'If you're very grey and dye your hair very dark, it can start to look as though you're wearing a wig. The reason George looks weird is because the colour of his natural salt and pepper hair works incredibly well with his skin tone and eye colour, whereas his current dark hair looks completely false.'
Wood's foolproof 'Miracle System' at-home colour kit (£28.99, Josh Wood Colour) is one of the best on the market – Telegraph beauty contributor Lucia Ferrari delivers a masterclass in applying it here – but he would always advise anyone wanting a drastic colour change to seek expert care from a professional colourist. 'If you can't go to a salon, a digital consultation is the next best option. Another tip is to look back at old photographs of yourself with your natural colour. Quite often, people believe they were much darker than they really were.'
While ultra dark hair might be enjoying a moment, Irwin firmly believes there's a shade of brunette for everyone – even Clooney. For spring, it's all about what Irwin calls a 'starlet brunette' – a deeper, monochrome shade that recalls the classic Hollywood glamour of Elizabeth Taylor. 'It's very impactful – think Kaia Gerber, Camila Morrone, Zoe Saldana or Daisy Edgar-Jones.'
Given how vehemently she's turned her back on her acting career, it's perhaps a relief to Meghan that Irwin wouldn't describe her current colour as 'starlet'. 'It's very dark, but there's still a warmth to it. If you look closely, the colour is multi-dimensional. I'd say it's a permanent tint, with a semi permanent tint added through the mid lengths and ends, plus a gloss for extra shine. The result is an 'expensive brunette' that looks really natural.'
Sounds like the Duchess won't be flogging box dye on her Shop My page any time soon.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Daily Record

9 hours ago

• Daily Record

Meghan Markle's brand As Ever sells out in minutes but fans are skeptical

Some fans have accused the Duchess of playing the 'sold out' game with her products. Meghan Markle took to social media to share her delight as her As Ever products once again sold out in minutes. However, some fans are sceptical - with some suggesting the Duchess of Sussex is playing the 'sold out' game. In an Instagram story shared yesterday, Meghan could be seen telling her followers that she 'couldn't believe' that nearly all of her items had sold out - even the flower sprinkles which she said she knew would be a hit once again with customers. ‌ She said that her team at As Ever 'spent time' making sure they had enough stock for the new sale, so customers could get their hands on a new honey and an apricot spread. ‌ On top of this, the Duchess also did a restock of six items from her initial sale, which was said to 'fly off the shelves' two months ago. In the post, the mum of two said: "We spent so much time making sure we had so much more inventory. That's why we took the time and you guys are doing it again. We are nearly sold out on everything. '"And I can't believe it - even flower sprinkles which I knew would be the big one again. So that has more inventory than all of it and that is also about to sell out." While many fans may have been waiting in anticipation of the restock and new products, others were a bit more dubious about how quickly the stock was said to have sold out on Friday. On social media, one person said: "She is playing the 'sold out' game and thinking we are all stupid. You fool no one Meghan Markle." ‌ With a second person adding: "Wait the only new thing she dropped was the apricot spread. And it sold out after 20 mins. Meghan must think people are really stupid." A third user also commented: "Wow they have super small quantities. The apricot and tea already sold out." ‌ While fans noticed the new apricot spread and honey within yesterday's sale, those waiting for Meghan's new Napa Valley rose wine will need to wait until July 1 for it to be available. This rose is Meghan's first step into the wine market and the wine is said to be sourced up the west coast from her Montecito mansion in California. Described by her brand as having "soft notes of stone fruit, gentle minerality and a lasting finish", this "bespoke blend" is said to be launching just in time for some summer entertaining. ‌ Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. In Meghan's first sale, she launched nine As Ever products, which included a raspberry spread that came in a keepsake packaging or in a normal jar, flower sprinkles, wildflower honey with honeycomb, a crepe mix, a shortbread cookie mix and three herbal teas - lemon ginger, peppermint and hibiscus. All of these products were said to have sold out in 45 minutes after their initial release. For the restock, the Duchess brought back the three herbal teas, the flower sprinkles, crepe mix and shortbread cookie mix. Before Friday's sale, Meghan said: "We are pleased to share that many favourites from our debut As Ever collection are back – and, we've added something new. We hope you find some special treats that bring extra joy to you and your loved ones."

The Sun

9 hours ago

• The Sun

Why has Thomas Markle NEVER met Prince Harry? There can only be 3 reasons and the third is bad news for Meghan, says pro

FATHER'S Day has just been and gone, but one dad who was not given a royal shout out was Thomas Markle. The former lighting director, 80, is estranged from Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, 43, and hasn't even met her husband Prince Harry or his grandkids, Archie and Lilibet. 9 9 9 9 Royal experts have queried why an introduction has never been made, and royal author and broadcaster Hugo Vickers claimed there could be three key reasons. Speaking on The Sun's Royal Exclusive show, he said: 'Why did Mr Markle never meet Prince Harry? 'There can only be three reasons for that. 'One that she was ashamed of him, which I think is a bit unattractive. 'Two, possibly that she thought he'd done something, but when Prince Harry rang Mr Markle up and asked if he could marry his daughter, he said 'you can marry her as long as you never raise your hand against her'. 'Of course we don't talk like that, so maybe he lives in a world where people have done that sort of thing. 'I dispute that as well. I don't think that's the case. 'The third reason is that I think she was worried that he might actually have warned Prince Harry - this is not what you're getting, this girl.' Thomas famously didn't attend his daughter's globally-televised royal wedding to Prince Harry in 2018 due to suffering two heart attacks - although her mum Doria Ragland did. He watched the wedding of Meghan and Harry from a £23-a-night Airbnb in the country. Meghan shares videos of Archie and Lilibet to wish Harry a Happy Father's Day After the pensioner - who divorced Doria in 1987 - was unable to walk his daughter down the aisle, they've not been in contact since. Hugo continued: 'Mr Markle should have been at the wedding and they should have flown him over and stuck him in a health farm in the Shetlands or somewhere. 'Prince Harry should have gone up to see him and if he couldn't have walked the aisle he should have been sitting there, because, as you rightly say, he did a lot for that girl and she even admitted it in the early days before she distanced herself from him.' Due to their estrangement, Thomas previously confessed he has resigned himself to the fact he will most likely never meet Archie, six, or Lilibet, four. 9 9 9 This is despite him living just 250 miles away from Meghan for years, in a home filled with pictures and accolades of his daughter - who he affectionately dubs "Megsy". Now Thomas has left his California home after 10 years and has relocated to South East Asia to spend his time with "kinder people". The Duchess' estranged father also admitted that while he doesn't like some of Meghan's behaviour, his "door is always open". MARKLE FEUD 9 Turmoil between the pair erupted after Thomas posed for paparazzi pictures ahead of Harry and Meghan tying the knot. However, Meghan has previously shared the hurt and "betrayal she felt" by her father. She opened up about her relationship with her estranged dad and said she was left feeling crushed when he lied to her about not talking to the media. In her sensational interview with Oprah in 2021, Meghan said: "I'm trying to decide if I'm comfortable even talking about that. 'It was... if we were going to use the word betrayal.' Meghan Markle on how dad Thomas Markle 'betrayed' her IN her candid interview with Oprah, the Duchess of Sussex opened up about her relationship with her dad and said she was left feeling crushed when he lied to her before the wedding. Meghan said she tried to 'protect' her parents from the 'media frenzy' sparked due to an 'obsession about anything in my world'. It was the first time Meghan has publicly discussed her dad, who she has not spoken to since before her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018. Thomas, an ex-Hollywood lighting director, has spoken about her daughter's relationship publicly and described their decision to walk away from the royals as embarrassing. Their relationship soured in the run-up to their 2018 Windsor Castle wedding, when he admitted agreeing to stage pictures of himself. Meghan was asked if it felt like a 'betrayal' when she found out her dad was working with the Press, and replied: 'I'm trying to decide if I'm comfortable even talking about that. 'It was… if we were going to use the word betrayal.' Meghan added: 'Because when I asked him, when we were told by the comms team, this is a story that was going to be coming out, which, by the way, the tabloids had apparently known for a month or so and decided to hold until the Sunday before our wedding because they wanted to create drama, which is also a really key point in all this. 'We called my dad and I asked him and he said, no, absolutely not." Oprah then said: 'He said no, absolutely not. He hadn't been talking to them. So he basically lied to you.' The full transcript of the interview can be read here. MEGHAN'S FATHER'S DAY SNUB This follows Meghan sharing a rare video showing Archie and Lilibet to wish Harry a Happy Father's day. The heartwarming footage was posted on Instagram with Jason Mraz's hit 'Have It All' playing in the background. "The best," she captioned her post. "Happy Father's Day to our favorite guy." The compilation showed photos and videos of Harry laughing, dancing and spending quality time with his children through the years. While Thomas - and also King Charles - was omitted from the post, Meghan did post a tribute to Doria on Mother's Day. THE Duchess of Sussex has kept busy since stepping down as a senior working royal in 2020 and relocating to California. Here are some of her business ventures... Archewell Foundation – A nonprofit supporting charitable initiatives. Netflix Deal – Producing content like Harry & Meghan and With Love, Meghan. Archetypes Podcast – Former Spotify show on female stereotypes. Clevr Blends – Investment in a women-owned wellness latte brand. Cesta Collective – Minority stake in a handbag brand supporting Rwandan artisans. As Ever – Previously known as American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand selling jam. ShopMy Page – Online store featuring her curated fashion and beauty items. New Podcast – Confessions of a Female Founder focusing on entrepreneurship.

The Sun

11 hours ago

• The Sun

Truth behind mysterious ‘lie' that has haunted Meghan Markle for 8 years after telling ‘swipe' on her podcast show

THE truth behind a mysterious "lie" that has haunted Meghan Markle for years has been revealed, experts claim. The Duchess of Sussex, 43, opened up on a podcast this week with entrepreneur and CEO Emma Grede. 5 5 5 She sat down to speak with the founding partner of Kardashian brand Skims, on her show Aspire. The mum-of-two was asked by her host: "If you could rewrite your public narrative from scratch, is there anything you would do differently?" Meghan replied: "Yes. I would ask people to tell the truth." Grede came back: "You're very measured about it, I would just get so angry if I felt like everyone was lying about me all the time." "Peaks and valleys," said the Duchess. "Of course, I've gone through those chapters and you do a lot of work, you do a lot of self work and go, 'What's the why?' It's happening for a reason." The mum-of-two also said her "dear friend" Serena Williams told her "a lie can't live for ever". "Eight years is a long time, but not for ever," she added. Experts have been speculating over what the "lie" is, and suggested Meghan was referring to the Royal Family when she said "people". They highlighted Meghan and Harry's 2021 Oprah interview, during which the Duchess said: 'I don't know how they could expect that, after all of this time, we would still just be silent if there is an active role that The Firm is playing in perpetuating falsehoods about us.' She added: "It was only once we were married and everything started to really worsen that I came to understand that, not only was I not being protected, but that they were willing to lie to protect other members of the family. "They were not willing to tell the truth to protect myself and my husband." Prince Harry and Meghan met on a blind date in July 2016, before going official later in the year. The Sun published exclusive first pictures of the couple in December as they were spotted hand-in-hand, while out on a date in London. The in 2017, Meghan was on the cover of Vanity Fair for their October 2017 issue and talked publicly about their relationship for the first time. It was later announced that the pair were engaged to be married in spring 2018. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed at St. George's Chapel in Windsor in front of their family, friends and the world on May 19. They welcomed Prince Archie in June 2019 and stepped down as senior working royals in 2020, quitting the UK. The couple have since been embroiled in a bitter feud with the Firm. Harry, alongside his wife, has continued to drag his family name through the mud, from their 2021 Orpah interview to his 2023 memoir Spare. And, the latest blow to their fractured relationship came when the Duke of Sussex dropped some extraordinary bombshells in a BBC interview last month. He filmed a rare sit-down chat after losing his appeal against the decision to remove his taxpayer-funded security. Royal author and broadcaster Hugo Vickers and news commentator Samara Gill also spoke to The Sun's royal editor Matt Wilkinson this week about Meghan's podcast comments. On Royal Exclusive, Matt noted how he was stunned at Meghan's latest podcast interview where she asked people to "tell the truth about her". Samara said: "The fact is she is a constant liar and her whole brand is built on a spin of lies." "I don't trust a word that woman says. I think it is very, very low for her to insinuate that we should listen to her truth or that the royal family should tell the truth. "The lack of authenticity in that interview is palpable." Samara added that perhaps the "revolving door of staff" the Sussexes have employed may shed more light on "truth". Countless staff members have joined a long list of people who over the years no longer wish to associate with the mum-of-two. Samara also referenced bullying allegations levelled at her from staff during her time at Kensington Palace. The royal expert added: "I don't want to listen to this woman about truth. "The fact of the matter is that she is a constant liar." Hugo agreed with Samara on the issue and questioned how accurate Meghan's accusatory comments actually were. He said: "I think Samara and I, as well as others, do tell the truth about her and I don't think she likes it very much." The royal expert added: "No one would actually listen to Meghan Markle if it wasn't for the fact she married Prince Harry. "It's because she's married to Harry it gives the soap opera quality that seems to appeal to everyone. "Otherwise would not really care about her, a lot of other people are doing stuff similar to her on social media anyway." This comes as Meghan has now has added Rosé wine to her range of As ever products - which is her first alcoholic beverage. The 2023 pink booze from Napa Valley, California, will be sold via her As ever website from July 1. It has been announced alongside two new spreads now available including a Limited-Edition Orange Blossom Honey for $28 (£20). And she has also restocked six of the original products including $15 flower sprinkles. But there is no new raspberry spread available after Meg admitted she may never restock the infamous jam spread. Hypocrite Meghan CAUGHT OUT playing major power game – she knows exactly what she's doing By Leanne Hall, Fabulous Digital Writer ROYAL experts have said Meghan Markle has been caught out playing a power game after she was caught calling herself 'Her Royal Highness'. Meghan was caught using the royal title in a recent podcast interview, which showed an image of a gift basket the Duchess sent to Kern Lima a year ago. The present was filled with ice cream and jam and came with a note on monogrammed paper, signed: "With the compliments of HRH the Duchess of Sussex." Both Meghan and Harry agreed not to use their HRH title at the Sandringham Agreement five years ago amid fears they would use their royal titles to make money after leaving the working royal family. Sources have said that while Meghan and Harry do still have their title s, they agreed not to use them for "commercial purposes". The source said the note was a "personal gift" but the couple don't publicly use HRH. However, The Sun's Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson has said she was 'caught out' by the inclusion of the picture. He said: "She's kind of almost been caught out because I have a theory on this that maybe she hadn't seen the edit or she wasn't aware this picture was going to be shown or maybe her staff didn't realise the gravity or we'd end up talking about it lots. "Is there a danger that it could be, and we don't know, but I'm just guessing, that if she's sending cards to friends, private gifts with HRH, Duchess of Sussex, there are also emails or contacts that we don't see publicly, she could be speaking to Netflix bosses, Spotify bosses using this title." Public Relations Consultant Mark Borkowski also agreed the image caught Meghan out for using the title for leverage. He said: "It's clearly social capital. I mean, I think that I'm sure her PA uses it to ensure that she gets that top table at a restaurant." He went on to add: "Of course it adds weight and she knows it adds weight. And it gives that sort of subliminal aura that she still has links with the British Royal Family, which is a very, very, very powerful brand globally, particularly in America. "And the fact is, if you are disconnected from that, of course, you lose your social capital, you lose your weight in terms of sort of some of these deals that she's trying to do. "I'm sure she is using that, when it's important, when she has to land something to remind the people the power that she possibly has. "This is a power game. And no more than in America where that status is so important because without that status, she's just another sort of B-lister in a continent absolutely populated with celebrities." 5 5