How to Dye Hair Without a Mess
Dying your hair can be hassle, especially if your bathroom sink happens to end up the same color as your head. You can turn that hassle into a heavenly experience, or at least one that’s less destructive, if you dye your hair without a mess. It’s not difficult to keep things neat while tinting your tresses, it just takes a little precision. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Old towel
- Newspaper
- Latex gloves
- Paper towel
- Hair dye
- Hair clips for long hair
Instructions
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Set the stage. Place a sheet or two of newspaper over the bathroom sink and counter or in front of you on whatever counter you are standing near. Put on a shirt you don’t care if you wreck, such as a ratty old T-shirt or old pajama top, and drape an old towel or rag over your shoulders. For extra protection, remove all bathroom rugs, décor and anything else that could get splattered with hair dye. If you have long hair, divide it into four sections and clip each section atop your head in a loose knot with a hair clip.
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Prepare your supplies. Open your box of hair dye and layout all the supplies. This usually includes the instructions, a pair of gloves, after-dye conditioner and the dye itself. Put the conditioner near the bathtub or wherever you will rinse your hair. Read the instructions.
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Put on the gloves. If the hair dye you’ve chosen does not come with a pair of latex gloves, although most of them do, get a pair from the pharmacy section of your variety store. A thin, disposable pair of latex is all you need.
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Mix the dye. Snip a small piece of the mixing container off so the dye doesn’t explode. Carefully pour the dye and other ingredients into the mixing container. Put your thumb over the open nozzle and shake.
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Color away. Begin by distributing small amounts of the dye around the hairline that frames your face. Continue to squirt small portions of the dye around your entire hairline across the back of your head. Once your hairline is full of color, move inwards to the next small portion of hair until you end up in the middle of your head. Let down sections of your clipped up hair as you get to them. Stop dying when all the hair you want covered is covered. You do not need to use the entire contents of the bottle. Here’s where most messes start, adding too much dye that drips down or splatters all over. Stop when your head is saturated and set a timer so you know when to rinse.
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Mop up messes immediately. Take off the gloves and place them on your newspaper. Do a spot check of the area and of your hairline. If dye is dripping down your face, wipe it upwards, into the hairline, with a damp paper towel. Double check the tops of your ears and the back of your neck. Also wipe up any spills or splatters with a damp paper towel. Place all used paper towels and hair dye bottles and accessories on the newspaper with the gloves, fold up the paper and discard.
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Rinse well. Bathtubs are a good place to rinse. Move the shower curtain outside the tub so the edges don’t get tinted. Adjust the water temperature and rinse your head, starting at the back and moving over the top and front of your face. Keep your eyes closed. Rinse until the hair runs clear. Immediately swoosh any colored water down the drain. Wipe up any splatters that happened to make it onto the floor or bathtub walls.
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Tips & Warnings
If you don’t have hair clips, those big plastic potato chip bag clips work, but be forewarned you will be getting smudges of dye on them. You can wipe the dye of immediately with a damp paper towel and wash the clip after using if you still want it near food.
If you have very short hair, you can divide the hair dye portion into two. Just mix half at a time.
Remove glasses, jewelry and any other adornments before you dye your hair. If you need to wear your glasses to see what you're doing, tape paper towel around the stems and wipe up any splatters on the frame immediately.
Don’t waltz around the house with a head full of hair dye. Stay outside if you can so if it drips no one cares.
Unless you have a speaker phone, don’t talk on the phone with a head full of hair dye unless you want your phone’s earpiece to match your hair color.
Never save hair dye that you have already mixed. The box always says it will explode. It’s easier to believe them than to test the theory.
- Photo Credit Photo of Ryn Gargulinski by Ryn Gargulinski
