I'll state upfront, I've always dyed my hair at home, which, to be fair,
might have been 50% of my problem.
My hair hates dye. Oh, for the first month or two, it's lovely! Smoother, shiner, silkier, fabulous color, all the good things.
Then, the breakage starts. Then, the dryness comes in. I really think that my main issues previously with dealing with my natural hair was because of the Black Cherry color I was using on it, NOT because my hair sucked. Then, it gets hard. And pissed off, generally.
*sigh*
So, no.
I've been tempted a few times to try for an Aveda professional color job - but - it's really not worth it for me. It's too much of a crapshot - sure, my hair could love it, but there is just as good of a chance that it will HATE it, and there goes 26 months of progress down the drain.
Henna (and indigo, if I ever go there) will be the only dyes that touch my hair, from now forward. I've already come to terms with going gray gracefully (I'm in my 30's, so if it happens now, I feel like I've earned em!
) so that won't be an issue.