DIY Hair Dye Preparation
Too much swimming, sunning and graying can make your hair appear dull, dowdy and faded. An at-home dye job, however, can revive lifeless strands, mimic pricey salon coloring processes and give your hair a much-needed beauty boost. To color your hair perfectly, you'll need the proper tools and dye prep to prevent any hue snafus. Get hair-coloring right, every time you dye, with a few expert do-it-yourself beauty tips. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Box of hair color
- Small plastic bowl
- Hair-color brush
- Old towels
- Plastic gloves
- Butterfly clips or alligator clamps
- Kitchen timer
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
Instructions
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Select a hair coloring process. You can color your hair using demi-permanent, temporary, permanent and semipermanent coloring methods. Each process differs by how long the color remains on the hair after each washing.
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Choose a color that is two to three shades lighter than your hair color. When using hair color from the box, expect your strands to darken or lighten about one to two shades of the hair hues shown on the dye box.
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3
Condition your hair, with a product for your hair type, a minimum of two days before coloring your hair. Hair that is deep-conditioned absorbs hair color better than nonhydrated strands.
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Read all instructions provided by the hair color manufacturer. Check for the amount of time required to color hair without damage. Typically, hair coloring processes last from 15 to 25 minutes maximum.
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Do a patch test to see how the hair coloring process reacts to the hair. Pull a small piece of hair behind the ear to perform the test.
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Gather all hair products and tools before beginning the hair coloring process. Place the developer bottle, hair coloring, kitchen timer, plastic gloves and plastic color application bottle in the bathroom to color your hair in an organized manner.
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Divide hair into four to six sections starting from the forehead to the nape. Keep hair separated with medium-size, plastic butterfly clips.
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Put on an old T-shirt to catch any hair color drips from seeping into your skin. Drape a dark-colored, old large towel around both shoulders to help catch any additional dripping hair color.
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Tips & Warnings
Put a large-size plastic bag on the bathroom floor to prevent staining the carpet or tile with hair dye.
Some hair dye products have consultants available to help with coloring questions or problems. Call the toll-free number listed on the back of the box for advice.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Medioimages/Photodisc/Digital Vision/Getty Images
