Tips on Dying and Bleaching Hair

There are a few ways to ensure you get the best color every time.

Men and women alike dye their hair to achieve a new look. A new hair color can make you feel younger, look better and give you more confidence. However, there are a few tips and tricks of the trade to ensure that your hair color looks its best without looking dull, dingy or obvious.

Bleaching Hair

Never use household bleach to dye your hair. This may seem like a no-brainer to most, but there's an unfortunate number of girls (typically teens) who do this. Bleach will damage your hair. Instead, purchase a bleaching product from a beauty supply store. Typically, a bleaching product for your hair should be combined with a 20 percent peroxide solution so it's not too strong. Any solution over 20 percent is for professional use only. Apply the bleach to your hair and leave it in for 10 minutes before rinsing it out. Keep in mind that bleach will remove your natural hair color, leaving your hair an orangish color. Once the hair is bleached, a lighter color will penetrate your natural color. Also, keep in mind that a bleaching product is only for dark hair. If you have light hair already, whether you're going darker or lighter, your hair will not need bleach.

Dying Hair

Pour the hair color into the developer's application bottle, which will come with your hair dye. Shake the bottle well to ensure the color combines completely. Apply the color to the top of your hair first, working it down from the scalp to the ends. It's best to create several parts in your hair, dye the parts first then move on to the rest of your head. This will prevent dark roots from showing. Saturate your hair with hair dye and massage it in liberally. You want your hair to be completely soaked with hair dye. Leave the hair dye in for as long as the directions recommend; leaving the dye in for longer can damage your hair. Rinse the dye out without using shampoo.

Color Tips

Choose a color that looks best with your skin tone and complexion. If you're very fair-skinned, medium blonde tones will wash you out, and black hair will make your skin look too white. If you're medium-skinned, any blonde and brown tones will work; however, black hair may still look too heavy. For dark complexions, darker hair tones look best. For the best options, choose a hair color that's only two shades darker or lighter than your natural tones.

Warnings

When bleaching or dying your hair, use rubber/latex gloves and wear old clothing to prevent staining. To keep your color looking its best all the time, use a color-safe shampoo and conditioner. These will help keep your hair color looking bright, not dull, as well as help to keep it healthy. For those going blonde, stay away from chlorine pools, hot tubs and well water--they can turn your hair green.

References

• Hair Boutique: Understanding Laws of Hair Color
• Marie Claire: Find Your Best Hair Color
• Hair Coloring Guide: Choosing a Hair Color