So you’re thinking the holidays are over, I’ll start my 2015 savings plan by cutting back on certain luxuries like too many trips to the salon. You know loads of people who dye their hair at home, and it looks great – so why not give it a go? From drugstore in-the-box dye to hitting the local beauty supply to go pro-style, dying your hair at home is totally doable, especially with the help of a few tricks of the trade. Ready to take the plunge and give styling your own locks a try? Here’s what you need to know about dying your hair at home.
- Figure out what your natural hair color actually is. Knowing the tone and depth of your natural color will help you determine the best shade to dye your hair. By knowing your natural color, you can figure out what dye will be most effective and give you the results you’re after. If you’re natural color is black and you want to be a beach blonde, it may be tough to get the effect you really want. Think in more subtle terms.
- When you purchase the dye, definitely get a little extra. The last thing you want is to find yourself short on dye when you’re mid-process. If you don’t open the extra box – no, worries – just return it! Better safe than sorry with this one.
- Do your research! Do you have super thick hair or incredibly sensitive skin? Read up on the best dyes for the certain situations you’re dealing with. When you know what you’re looking for at the store, you’re much better off and less likely to be wooed by flashy packaging! Stick to your plan.
- Go for a shade or two lighter than what you think you want and ignore the color on the box. Hair dye notoriously comes out darker than what the packaging implies – so stay in the safe zone (at least for your first time!) when it comes to the depth of color. You can always add more to go darker, but if it’s too dark on the first go around you’ll probably feel completely overwhelmed.
- Give the whole thing a try with something semi-permanent first. A little test drive never hurt anything and this way you’ll know exactly what color you’re after. A washout dye is a great option for feeling out the color with no real permanent effects. Same goes for the patch test! Find a small piece of hair from underneath to test the color on before going all out – you’ll really appreciate taking this extra step.
- Give your hair a good clarifying shampoo and rinse before you get started. Sometimes starting with a clean slate helps the color go on more smoothly and naturally than if you’re dealing with product buildup. You certainly don’t want to strip the hair, but a good clarifying shampoo should do the trick.
So, what’s the scoop? Do you dye your hair at home or do you stick to the salon?
