How to Mix Professional Hair Dye

Mixing hair dye can be intimidating, but with the right tools it can be very simple. Creating a professional looking hair color has multiple steps, but if all of the steps are followed correctly you can produce a rewarding and inexpensive alternative to the salon price.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Hair color ring
• Hair dye
• Developer
• Gloves
• Applicator bottle with measuring increments on the side

1. Obtain a hair level ring at any beauty supply store. Place the hair level ring (with the 10 different levels of hair color) against the darkest hair on your head to find your current hair color.

2. Using the color ring, find the hair color that you want to dye your hair. For best results, do not go beyond three shades of your current hair level in either direction.

3. Using the color ring, determine which tones your want to add to your base color. If you have cool hair, which has green and blue bases, then try and choose colors with red and gold bases--in other words, choose colors with titles that include warm, golden or red. If you have warm hair, which is red and violet, then try and choose colors that have an ash (green) or blue base--neutral, ash or cool colors. If you are unsure of what base color your hair has, ask any professional at a beauty supply store and they can easily tell you. Taking your base color into consideration, choose your desired hair color with the same level that you had chosen in Step 2.

4. Count the levels between your current color and your desired color; for instance, if you have a level 3 hair color (dark brown), and you want a level 6 (dark blond) there are three levels of difference between the hair, so you should use a 30 level developer. If there are only one or two levels of difference between the original and the desired color, then use the 20 level developer. The 20 and 30 level developers are only used if you are trying to make your hair lighter. If you want to darken your hair use the 10 level developer.

5. Apply gloves to both hands.

6. On the hair dye bottle that you chose it will say how many ounces of dye are in that bottle; you should use equal amounts of developer and hair dye. Pour the developer into the application bottle, making sure that you pour the same number of ounces as the hair dye bottle has, then pour the hair dye into the application bottle.

7. Shake until the developer and the hair dye are completely mixed together.

8. Section your hair into four equal parts. Dye your hair one section at a time, making sure to run the tip of the applicator bottle straight back (away from the crown of your head to the base of your neck) through the portion of sectioned-off hair. Try to make less than one inch rows down the roots of your hair until the whole section has dye on the roots.

9. After the roots are fully covered in dye in one section, move on to the next section until all of the sections have dye on the roots of the hair.

10. Either squirt dye onto the rest of the hair, or pour a small amount of dye on your hands (about a quarter size) and then rub the dye through your hair. Repeat this process until your hair is completely saturated with dye from roots to tips.

11. Leave the mixture on your hair for 25 to 30 minutes, then rinse it with warm water. Do not shampoo after rinsing, but do apply conditioner.

12. For best results, do not wash your hair for 24 hours after dyeing.

Tips & Warnings

• If you go to any beauty supply store; its staff can point out the necessary products and give you some tips on the specific products you're using. If you are unsure of what level or tone to use, ask a professional (hair dresser or a beauty supply store worker) for her advice.
• Hair coloring is a complicated process, so if you already have damaged or multiple layers of hair coloring, please visit a professional.

Resources

• Finding the right hair color
• Sally's Beauty Supply Store--has everything for hair dying