Ten points if you know what show that quote is from (although, if you know anything about classic TV it should be easy).
I’ve been dying my own hair since I started college; as a broke student going to a salon just wasn’t an option. So I, once a snobby snob who thought such things should be left to professionals, decided to say screw it and bought a box of hair dye at a drugstore. After over ten (!!) years now of doing my own hair color I think I’ve pretty much mastered the process, if I do say so myself. Here are some tips to make dying your own hair easy and successful:
- Prep the area. Hair dye is messy stuff, and if you want to go red like me it will get everywhere and stain everything and make your bathroom look like you’re practicing to be Dexter’s assistant. So lay down a dark towel that you don’t care too much about, line the counter/sink area with paper towels and keep a damp dark-colored washcloth handy for quick cleanups. Also wear an old shirt that you don’t care about and take off any jewelry.
- Start with dirty hair. Second day hair at least, third day would be better. When your hair is freshly washed, the hair shaft is very sleek and smooth, which means the hair dye will just sort of slide right off and the color will fade very quickly. With dirty hair, however, the hair shaft is roughed up a bit allowing the dye to penetrate deeper.
- Follow the instructions. Whatever brand you use, make sure you follow the instructions for mixing the dye, how long you keep it in your hair, and how you rinse it out. I use L’Oreal’s Feria Power Red in R68, and it comes with the color gel and base bottles that you have to mix, like most dyes, but it also comes with a little scented oil capsule (so it doesn’t smell so much like chemicals, though it only helps a little) and a little tube of “color booster” that is serious business. The directions say in bold to use extreme caution when opening that tube, and they are not kidding – it immediately starts erupting concentrated red dye and it will stain anything it touches forever. So make sure you read the mixing instructions carefully! The brand I use also comes with a rinsing shampoo unlike other dyes – because the red is so intense, it will (as I keep saying) stain anything it touches so it comes with this special two-part shampoo to help really get rid of any excess dye. Also, a note: almost every dye I’ve used has instructions to do a spot check first, on a strand of hair where it won’t be seen. This is to make sure you like the color, and that it doesn’t react negatively to your hair or skin. To be honest I have never ever done this – it seems like such a waste to mix up all the dye just to do a spot check; I’d rather do my whole head and take my chances. If you are not a risk-taker however please feel free to follow those instructions also.
- Dye your hair! Once you get everything mixed, put on your gloves. Make a center part (and if you have bangs, make sure they’re straight also), and draw a line of dye on each side of the part. Use your fingers to spread the dye into your roots on either side. Then start with one side (I usually start left first, but it doesn’t matter which) and use the tip of the dye bottle to make another part about an inch or so away from your center part. Flip the hair over your center part and draw a line of dye again on each side of the part, using your fingers to spread the dye into the roots. Continue like this down the side of your head until you get past your ears, and don’t forget the little wispys around your ears. Flip all the hair down and continue on the other side of your head. If you have bangs, draw a line of dye and spread it on the top roots, then flip your bangs up and repeat on the underside. Bend over, flip all your hair over and apply the dye to the roots around your neckline. It’s really important to do your roots first and make sure you don’t miss any parts – this will help ensure that the dye is evenly distributed from root to tip so you don’t have any gaping holes where your true hair color shows through.
- Use up the bottle. Unless you have very short hair, you should plan on using up at least 3/4 of the bottle, if not the whole thing. You really want to saturate all your hairs in the dye. After you get the roots done, separate your hair into four parts – two on top, two on bottom. Pin up three of the parts and then spread the dye on the first part of your hair (I usually start with the lower left side). You can either squirt the dye directly on your hair and spread if it’s fairly thick, or squirt it into your hand and then apply it to your hair if it’s kind of thin like the kind I use. Continue with the other three parts. Once all your hair is saturated, pile it on top of your head (if you’ve used enough dye you shouldn’t need a clip; it should be sticky enough to pile up without it) and clean up the area. Wipe up any drips on the walls/floor/counter immediately or it will set. Use the damp washcloth to clean up your skin: wipe around your hairline, the tops and sides of your ears, and the back of your neck.
- Wait. Leave it in for the amount of time it said in the instructions. This is another very important part of the process – leave it in for too short of time and the color won’t process correctly and therefore will not look right or stay as long; leave it in too long and it could damage your hair or look too intense. So watch the clock, and don’t let your head touch anything!
- Rinse. In the shower, add a little water to your hair and start lathering as if it had shampoo in it. I honestly am not sure exactly why you have to do this part, but every brand I’ve used includes this in the rinsing instructions so I’m sure it’s an important part of the process! Lather it all around until it’s all loosened up – you’ll be able to feel it, it starts off kind of hard and set and then it feels like you have really thick goop in your hair – and then rinse. And rinse. And rinse. And rinse. Keep rinsing until the water going down the drain is mostly clear. If you’re using the color booster stuff that I use, use the two part shampoo that comes with the box. Otherwise, use the conditioner that will come with all brands. This stuff is über important also. Your hair has just been through sort of a traumatic process (all chemicals, no matter how “natural” are going to be kind of damaging), and the deep conditioner that comes with the dye helps to minimize any destruction. So use a good amount – my hair is just past my shoulders and I usually use roughly a golf ball sized dollop – and really cover all your hair with it, even if you usually only condition your ends. Think of it like a conditioning mask.
- Take care of your hair. All dyes will fade eventually, but red fades faster than the rest. I use L’Oreal’s EverPure shampoo and conditioners, which are sulfate-free – it’s the sulfates in other shampoos and conditioners that strip color out of your hair – and I only shampoo my hair every other day. This may sound weird to some but it’s actually healthier for your hair! I also use a shine glaze by Aveeno once a week to help seal in color.
I hope this helps anyone who is afraid to color their own hair! It’s so much cheaper than going to a salon, and honestly the box dyes have come a long way in terms of quality, so most people probably can’t tell that it didn’t happen at a salon. Happy dyeing!
