Learned a valuable lesson + question for you guys

What sort of conditioner are you using? Is it one with silicones in it? I always add conditioner to my dye, and have never had this problem. However, I've never done pastels, there's always far more dye than conditioner for me, and I've always used a cone free conditioner.

I use pastels (about 2 tablespoons in a tub of conditioner, enough to cover all of my arm pit length hair) and I never had that problem either. I only use the brush for my roots and first bit of my midlengths, then I use my hands for the rest. The only times it turned out uneven, was when my base was uneven. I use cone-free stuff too, so that might be a difference? And what do you mean with "creaming"? Does it lather?

I've never had that problem either, whenever I've had patchy results it's either because my base was a little uneven, or the dye I used wasn't a great one to dilute. What colour were you aiming for? I know that sometimes purples diluted will tone the hair to a blonde instead of going pastel purple if the base is a little uneven. I would suggest applying the diluted dye again on the blonde streaks 🙂

I had the same happen the one time I used diluted dye on wet / damp hair. It doesn't happen on dry hair.
Did you use it on wet hair?

I mixed dye with conditioner on wet hair yesterday and now my hair is awful... It's so patchy. Won't be doing that again! At least not on wet hair.

I have had this issue with diluted dyes. When I put a very diluted Rose Red/Tresemme Naturals (cone free) mix on my daughters hair, I could clearly see it take to the hair where it was put directly, and not where it was rubbed down from another area. I had to go over those areas several times to get it to cover, and try and avoid rubbing too much and making it foam up. This was on dry hair. I think because there was so little dye in the mix it clings to the hair as soon as it touches it, the excess that you can work through to the next section is just empty conditioner.

Oohh I'm so glad I got responses! I didn't see that in my email!

Ok so yes, the hair was dry.

Conditioner was Suave naturals with almond and shea, I'm wondering if it was too 'oily'? Ah yes, it has dimethicone, but idk what conditioner doesn't. I previously have diluted using Clear deep conditioner (which is slightly pink but I was going for a darker fuchsia then) and THAT worked great.

I had just bleached my roots so I wonder if maybe some of the bleach and/or shampoo that I mixed with the bleach didn't come out in the shower? It's not that the conditioner really "lathered" but I used A LOT, like A LOT because the dye is hot pink and bright orange and I'm going for a pastel or as-close-to-light-as-I-can-get coral shade. So I feel like once I smoothed the conditioner down the ends, it did squish out a lot of white conditioner 'foam', but like I said I used so much because it was so thick, so I was trying to really work it into the ends and it ended up coming off like that.

Another interesting thing is that the lightest blonde came out my dreamy dream pastel coral, but doesn't photograph AT ALL! It looks blonde in pictures.  I did just rewash my hair with dandruff shampoo and no conditioners or oils or anything, (frizz city) and am going to try again tonight when it's dry. The color *is* nice on the parts where it went on, and I will redo the blonde (and possibly go darker on the darker blonde parts; I have about 5 inches of light roots and the rest is darker blonde that I couldn't get as light with bleaching, so it will inevitably be a type of reverse ombre, which is cool). I don't want to go tooooo bright here though so  I worry. I know it will fade nicely but I still don't want electric, you know?

The only Q is, should I buy boxed hair dye 'diluter'? Idk what conditioner I could use now...has anyone ever used a diluter (we have Ion here) and what did you think? Thanks!

I have never used a diluter/pasteliser, they seem like a waste of money to me. Can you get Tresemme Naturals where you are? It is cheap, deeply conditioning and cone free. I always use it as my diluting conditioner.
BTW, don't Americans use the word 'squidge'?

I have no idea but that word is raaadd! 😀 I will look for it. Going to Sally's soon. Yes, the do seem like a waste and I don't buy pastel colored dyes either, since you get so much more by paying the same amount for a stronger dye, only now I end up like me, patchy lol. Can you/have any of you ever used a white to mix? Is that a good idea or not so much? Read about that on another forum.

White toners are just very dilute violet.
I recently used Directions Lilac (undiluted) for the first time, to see how it would compare to my usual homemade diluted concoctions. I haven't been impressed TBH, it has faded much more unevenly than the diluted mixes, and left much darker patches, so I will be sticking with diluted mixes in the future.

"Like" this, thank you and Off I go to get a *better* conditioner. I think that was the issue. I never knew there even was cone free conditioner! Thanks ladies!!  *1* *cheers*

Hope it comes out well!!!! Will update for you. 🙂

I always use the Suave Tropical Coconut conditioner for diluting/toning/making pastels and Ive never had an issue. Maybe it was the shea un it or something? If I am using a thicker dye too and the mix is still kinda thick I add a teeny bit of water to it too. There have been dome dyes/conditioners I have had issues with though. Ions pinks dont seem to dilute well at all, and thicker, silicone conditioners

Looks like I had the exact same thing happen to me! I used tresemme naturals conditioner (it is silicone free) and added a small amount of directions violet and an even smaller amount of cc violette. I made it a little darker than what I wanted my hair. I didn't use a brush to apply it, I never do when I dye my hair even when I bleach I just use my hands to distribute it and never had a problem with missing areas. Well it was a a bit of a disaster, most of my hair remained blonde even after leaving it on my hair for 12 hours, I had lilac roots and lilac/purle strands throughout the lengths but majority stayed blonde. My brother came round the next day and said "oh you have white and purple hair it looks cool" he thought I had done it on purpose.

During application I found the more I smushed and squidged the the dye in/down my hair the purple tint of the mixture would turn to a white colour (from the conditioner) and I remember thinking "how will this dye my hair?" but just went with it as I have never tried pastel before.

I might try a pastel mix again when I get round to doing my roots but I will try and be more patient and used a brush instead.

Ok guys, it worked MUCH better. I did go brighter than planned because it will wash out too soon if I don't. But it was at least noticeable now, the first time it was like, blonde with a tint. So I took a few pics, but unfortunately I'm not getting the color accurately. It's brighter and more pink in real life, but prob looks more orange/blonde because the back parts near the top are more orange. I did actually notice a few missing spots in back,  I ended up redoing a few strands to be more pink as I think the dye maybe was still too diluted.  I bought that biiiigg bottle and it's more than half gone! 😐 And I just got a hair cut (but it's still long) So I'll just finish up those last missing spots when I wash my hair again. But for now and it's ok, and I do really like how the colors came out.

I also have to say THANKS for the cond rec, I am actually surprised how much I like this stuff! And cone free! WOW softness! I guess cuz I used like, 12 freakin ounces of it.

I also added a little diluted Pink Rose from Adore on a few ends, like maybe 4 small sections just for a pop. Colors used on the main part was (various) mixes and strengths of Adore Sunrise Orange and Adore Hot Pink. I like to sort of change up the mix so it's not too standard and uniform. Plus I have streaks as is, even in the blonde I had. I think the first batch I made up and used in the back was more 50/50 mix of the two colors, and I do feel I need more pink in the mix since my blonde was a bit orange in the back to begin with. It was more light yellow on top, and that took a lighter and more pink mix.

OH! And this is weird, I put a darker version on the roots, and they didn't take AT ALL! How weird is that!? I bleached them Thursday night, but I washed the hair twice since, still blonde. No big but thought that was weird. I don't want to go too dark on them because I'll end up having a strange line, so I'm leaving them. Anyone ever had that happen?