How to Reuse Hair Color

Most hair stylists, and all hair color manufacturers claim that you cannot reuse hair color once the bottles are opened. They say to throw away any unused hair color immediately. But, did you know that you CAN save and reuse hair color? Here's what stylists and hair color products don't want you to know - how to reuse that hair color!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Empty, clean, hair color application bottle
• Marking pen

1. Open up your box of hair color and set out the components. Most will have a hair coloring gel and a developing creme, and some will have a conditioner and an aroma additive.

2. Hold the developing creme up to a light and carefully mark the halfway point between where the product is filled to, and the bottom of the bottle. Because the developing creme bottle is the one usually used to mix the hair color, it will not be full, so don't just mark halfway down the bottle- mark halfway down the CONTENTS.

3. Mark the coloring gel bottle halfway down the bottle, as it should be full.

4. Take the cap off the empty hair color applicator. Carefully pour one half of the hair color gel into the bottle, using the pen mark as a guide.
   Pour one half of the hair color developer into the same applicator bottle, using the pen mark as a guide.

5. If you have an aroma additive, open it and add half to your hair color gel bottle (not the developing creme bottle!), and half to the hair color applicator you are preparing.
   
   Replace the lids on the hair color gel and hair color developer, and tighten.
   
   Store the hair color gel and the hair color developer in your refrigerator in the original box until ready to use again.

6. Color your hair as usual with the applicator bottle you have mixed. You can mix and reuse the hair color you've stored hours later (in case of any missed sections), or months later- as long as you do not mix the hair color gel with the hair color developer before storage.

Tips & Warnings

• Rinse and dry your applicator gloves if possible, for reuse.
• If you cannot rinse them, on the next application, cover hands with the thin plastic bags your produce is sold in.
• Premixed hair color must be used within the time frame stated on the box, as oxidation will render it useless after that time.
• Do not try to store mixed hair color. The chemical reaction will cause the bottles to burst.

Resources

• How to Make a Hair Color Glaze
• How to Color Long Hair

[sunnyglitter]

on 9/24/2009 I had no clue that you could reuse hair color!

[kims3003]

on 9/24/2009 This is great to know. Thank you