So you want a new hair color, but don’t want to pay the price for a professional dye job. Hair dying at home over the past few years has become not only more accessible, but more affordable. Women looking to change their hair color can pick up a kit at the local store and dye their hair without waiting for an appointment or paying more than $50 to get it done. Before rushing to the store to pick up a box of color, however, you need to know the basics to get a professional look for the at-home price.
Picking a Color
Do not assume that the picture you see on the box is the results you will get when you dye your own hair. Hair dying is a chemical process which starts with your original hair color. Flip a box of color over and you will notice three to four different results depending on what your original hair color is.
Though this is a helpful guide, it is not your only guide. Professional hair stylists recommend always using the two-shade rule. That means that you should never go two shades lighter or darker than your current shade the first time you dye. This is a fail-safe in the beauty world and a way to make sure fewer mistakes or perhaps, orange hair, for hair dying at home. You can always dye your hair two shades either way and then dye it an addition two shades once you are satisfied with the color to prevent any mishaps and to slowly take your hair to the desired color.
Dying the Hair
Most at-home kits come with instructions and everything you need to dye your hair, but here are a few more tips for getting you started:
– Read the instructions before starting, especially in regards to mixing the dyes and how long to leave the dye in your hair.
– Never do hair dying without wearing protective gloves. These not only protect your hands from absorbing the color, but prevent chemical burns and irritations from the harsh dyes.
– Never leave color on your hair longer than the instructions recommend. Not only can this affect the outcome of your color, but leaving dye on too long can severely damage your hair.
If you are unsure about dying your hair at home, try a semi-permanent color for you first go. These colors wash out after a few shampoos and will not permanently alter your hair color. If you like the results you get with a semi-permanent you can then buy a permanent color in the same shade to make the color last longer.