DIY Hair Colors – Tips for Perfect Hair Coloring at Home
Posted by Amy Chan on
Most people these days are having to cut back a little on their budget and one area in which you can definitely save a little of your hard earned cash is by coloring your hair at home. Why spend $100 or more having your hair colored professionally when you can do it yourself for a fraction of the cost and still enjoy fantastic results.
Of course, there are some people and color jobs which really do need the professional touch – it can be nigh on impossible to master foils and stripes and is much more difficult than simply covering up the grays or giving a boost to boring brown hair.
If you simply fancy going a couple of shades lighter to your normal hair coloring then there is no reason at all why you can’t do it yourself. There are a few simple rules which you should follow however, to avoid impending disasters.
The color on the box is not trustworthy – hair dyes react differently depending upon the health, texture and starting color of your hair. Instead of simply looking at the picture pay close attention to the description and the shade of the color in the box – look for words like dark, medium, light, ashy, golden etc.
Always do a strand test – if you skip this stage and don’t like the results it can be difficult to change an entire head of hair. A few strands of an unsuitable shade in a strategic location is not the end of the world however.
If the color turns out much darker than you anticipated – or even liked – do not panic. Simply get another bottle of the same hair dye and mix with equal amounts of shampoo, wash your hair leaving the lather on for a few minutes then rinse it off. This should leave your hair just a shade or two lighter.
It’s pretty easy to create your own highlights around your face for that natural, sun kissed look. Buy a bottle of hair dye which is just a couple of shades lighter than your usual and apply it to just a few strands of hair around the face.
It is important to remember that hair dyes have concentrated color so it is important that your hair is in good condition before you use them. The best thing to do is to give your hair an intense conditioning treatment a few days before you intend to color it then every week after you’ve applied the color.
A touch of Vaseline around the hairline will prevent your skin from getting dyed and if you do have any runs of color simply rub a touch of cream cleanser onto the Vaseline and wash it off using a wash cloth or cotton wool pads.
Remember to wear gloves (these are usually provided with the hair dye) and always use an old, dark colored towel which won’t show the stains.
For best results don’t wash your hair until the day after you’ve applied the color to give it time to settle.
