You can save a fortune by dying your own hair at home rather than having it done professionally. Although many people are hesitant to try dying their own hair, it’s actually easy to do.
If you want to dye your hair, the first thing you need to do is to pick a colour. Consider your natural hair colour, colouring, any requirements for work, etc. Remember that the colour on the box is not exactly how the dye will look on your head. Consider whether you want something dramatic, or just want to cover up some grey. If your hair is blonde, then colours will show up stronger. If you have dark hair to begin with (and especially if it’s thick), then you may need to bleach your hair first and then dye it the desired colour.
You also need to consider whether you want to use permanent or semi-permanent dye. If you’re not sure about a colour, you can always do it temporary first, and then decide whether to commit to a permanent dye later. Keep in mind with semi-permanent hair dye, though, that it is designed to wash out. It will “leak” when your hair is wet, so be prepared for some colour to drip on you if you get caught in the rain, go swimming, etc.
Not all hair dyes are created equal. Only you can decide which hair dye works best for you. In my experience, Clairol dyes are weak and don’t really make a noticeable difference in my hair. Schwarzkopf and Manic Panic (for dramatic colours) work the best for bright colours.
When you’re ready to dye your hair, change into clothes that you don’t care about. Wear old, junky clothes so that it doesn’t matter if dye drips on it, or just wrap up in a towel. Then choose where you’re going to dye your hair. The best place is normally in the bathroom where there’s both a mirror and a sink. I recommend avoiding carpets: if a little dye drips on linoleum, then you can quickly wipe it up and you can’t tell, but if dye drips on carpet, it will almost always leave a mark.
You should always dye your hair when it is dry, and for the best effect, when it is dirty. Don’t wash your hair the day that you want to dye it. Get a towel that you don’t care about, and, if possible, open the window for ventilation. You’re ready to begin!
Make sure to read the instructions and to wear the plastic gloves. It probably won’t hurt your hands to dye your hair without the gloves, but it will leave them stained. Hair dye doesn’t wash off of skin very well, so wearing the gloves keeps your fingers from matching your hair. How you apply the dye depends on what you want and need. If you’re worried about your roots showing through from an old dye job, you will need to dye them either first or last, depending on your natural hair colour. (If you are naturally blonde, but dye your hair darker, then dye your darker roots last. If you have naturally dark hair, then you will need to dye your roots first.) Be aware that grey hair dyes differently from other hair. Decide where will be best for you to start, and then work the dye into your hair. Make sure to cover all of your hair from the roots to the tips, and work all the way around your head, making sure not to miss any areas. It’s especially easy to miss the hair around your ears and forehead, and at the back of your neck, so make sure to get these spots.
If dye drips onto your skin (or any where in the room) wipe it up immediately with either a damp clothe or damp paper towel (I use wet wipes).
As a general rule, leave the dye on for the amount of time in the instructions. If you have fine hair, especially if it’s blonde, you may not need quite as long. If, like mine, your hair is very thick and course, then you may need to leave the dye in longer for it to be effective.
When you’ve left the dye in for long enough, then you need to rinse it out. If you have a hand attachment in your shower, then you can kneel over the bath and rinse your hair out. This keeps the dye from having to run all over your body. Otherwise you can just take a shower or wash it out in the sink. Rinse until the water comes out clear. Make sure to get all areas of your head, and run your fingers through your hair to help in rinse more thoroughly. When you’ve done that, condition generously (most dyes come with a small bottle of conditioner), and then rinse well again.
Then dry (blow drying is good because the heat can help the colour to set) and style your hair.
