Many women who dye their hair prefer to do it themselves at home rather than getting it done at a salon. Dyeing at home can save you a ton of money, but it can also be tricky, as well as messy! Eliminate the mess and drama of at-home hair dyeing by following these few simple “hacks.”
Buy Two Boxes
There’s nothing worse than running out of color when you’re halfway done! Plan ahead by buying two boxes of your color. And if you don’t end up using the second one, you can always return it to the store, or save it for next time!
Always Do the “Strand Test”
You never know how your hair is going to react to a new shade or color until you try it. So before committing, dye a small lock of your hair that’s well hidden, preferably in the back somewhere. That way you’ll know about any potential color mishaps before it’s too late!
Related: The One DIY Beauty Guide You Need To Make It Through Quarantine
Prep Your Hairline
Minimize the possibility of accidentally dyeing your forehead and neck by applying a balm or salve around your entire hairline. This will make any drips or castoff easy to remove. (Bonus Tip: Rather than using something from a tub, grab a few extra sticks of plain lip balm. It’s much easier to apply around your hairline, and it’s a lot cleaner too!)
Round Up Your Tools
There are a few tools you should have at the ready (or within arm’s reach) while you’re coloring your hair:
- Wet Wipes – Keep some sort of wet wipes handy for quickly removing any dye drips or splatters from your skin (or your walls!).
- Extra Gloves – Most at-home dye kits come with a pair of gloves, but it’s always a good idea to have backups. You can find basic latex gloves in the cleaning aisle of most grocery stores, and they’re an inexpensive way to avoid color-stained hands.
- Shower Cap – When you’ve applied your color, the instructions usually tell you to let the color sit for a certain amount of time. You can minimize potential messes during this time by putting your hair up into a shower cap.
Apply Like a Colorist
Most at-home dyes are meant to be applied from the bottle, but this method usually creates a big mess, and can even result in streaky color if not mixed well. But for an extra $5 or so, you can purchase a salon-quality bowl and color brush from most beauty supply shops. (You can also find dyeing kits online that include a brush and bowl together, like this one.) You’ll feel much more in control of the color application!
Another colorist method you should borrow is using clips to section your hair off into 4-6 sections. Working on one smaller section at a time will make applying your color easier and less messy.
Look into Two Mirrors
Coloring your hair by yourself can be tricky, but you can make it a lot easier by positioning a mirror behind you while you’re doing it. You’ll be able to see what you’re doing when working on the back of your head.
Use the Right Hair Care Products
Once you’ve finished with the dyeing process and have your new, beautiful color, you can help keep it looking shiny and new for longer by using a shampoo designed for colored hair. You can also keep your color fresh by washing it less often.
Do you color your hair at home?
