How to Dye Your Hair at Home

Taking your hair color into your own hands can be scary, but if you give it a chance, learning how to dye your hair on your own can be a great skill.

You are probably afraid that if you try doing it yourself, you will make a big mess, end up with a horrible color, and worst, damage your hair. But there is nothing to worry about! Forget about your professional hairstylist, follow the instructions given below and learn how to dye your hair at home in absolutely safe and effective way.

Pre-dying Tips

Fifteen days before dying your hair, apply a few deep-conditioning treatments to moisture and soften your hair. If your hair is dry, damaged and prone to breakage, it won’t absorb the color well, and you will end up with streaks and spots of different color tones.

Hair may become porous over time, due to different damaging factors, such as aggressive shampoos and blow-dryers. A good hair pack and a deep conditioning treatment will close and smooth out these pores and allow the color to absorb properly and appear even.

Don’t wash and shampoo your hair for at least one day before coloring! Your natural oils will protect your hair cuticles, and your scalp from damage, and irritation that may occur during the dying process.

Hair Coloring Tricks and Techniques

If you have never colored your hair before, or if you are using a new hair dye, always do a 48-hour skin test because in some cases it may cause allergic reactions.

Let’s proceed with dying now. Just follow these simple instructions and you will achieve a perfect color.

Hair Coloring Instructions

• Apply a thin layer of Vaseline on your forehead along your hairline, on your ears, and on the back of your neck. This will protect your skin from dye stains since Vaseline does not absorb color.
• To protect your hands, wear plastic gloves, and mix color according to the directions written on the box.
• Use a comb to divide your hair into 4 sections: from the nape of your neck towards the center of your forehead and from one ear to another. Twist and clip each section.
• Color each quadrant separately, starting from the nape of your neck and moving forwards. Unclip the hair in the section you are starting from. Use the thin brush that comes along with the dye, and apply color first to the roots, then spread it downwards, making sure to cover the entire length of the hair. Use your gloved hands to distribute the color evenly, over each strand of your hair. When finished, if your hair is long, pull it up and secure with a clip.
• Put a small amount of color on a clean mascara wand or, on a small and soft toothbrush and gently apply it over thin hair on the nape of your neck and your hair line.
• Start the timer and leave the color on for the period of time indicated on the box. This will allow the pigment to absorb well to the hair. If you rinse it off too early, the color will not develop well, and if you leave it for too long it will become very strong and too intense.

After-Dying Advice

• When the timer rings, rinse your hair with cool water. Hair cuticles open up during the dying process and cool water will allow them to close and preserve color.
• The directions written on the box should tell you whether to shampoo your hair or not. However, if your color is semi-permanent, do not use the shampoo, but apply a good conditioner for colored hair. If the color is permanent, use a color-safe shampoo and leave the conditioner on for 5 minutes, to prevent hair from drying out.
• Do not wash your hair or use the shampoo again for at least 3 days, to allow the color to absorb properly.

Try following the instructions described above and you will achieve a perfect hair color. More importantly, you now know how to dye your hair at home! Do you have any other tips to suggest? Share them with us and let us know about your color!