Hair Color

The Dos and Don'ts of DIY Hair Color

If you want to go significantly lighter or darker than your natural color, use home hair color at your own risk. If you try to dye your blonde locks a shade of dark brown, you run the risk of turning green. Also, don't assume you can experiment with semi-permanent colors to go darker, then return to your former color. If you go more than a shade or two darker than your starting color, the semi-permanent dye may become permanent.

Always do a test strand. Yes, you could just slap the dye on your head and be done in twenty minutes. A mistake or mismatched dye, however, could result in an unsightly color that lasts far longer than the few minutes a test would have required.

Another test to do: the allergy test. Apply a small amount of the dye to your skin along the inner elbow. Let it dry and don't wash it for forty-eight hours. If you don't have a reaction, it's safe to try it on your hair. If you do sting or itch while you're coloring your hair, wash it out immediately, even if the allergy test showed no reaction. If you have a reaction to the product while it's on your skin in the allergy test, some companies will refund your money. Keep the box of the product you used and call the 1-800 number listed there.

Don't save mixed dye. The bottle will burst. Dispose of it as soon as you finish coloring your hair.

When to See a Professional

If you're straying far from your shade, your best bet is to consult a professional, preferably one experienced with dying hair. It'll cost a lot more to see them AFTER you turn your hair neon-orange or green than if you just have them do it in the first place. Color-correction on absurdly colored hair costs a lot more and takes a lot more skill. If you do have a freak accident with your hair color, don't try to fix it yourself: chances are, you'll make it worse. Put on a hat and head to your regular salon.

Longevity of Dye

Different dyes are designed to last for different periods of time. While each manufacturer defines the duration differently, the following guidelines are a rough estimate of how long different dyes last.

• Temporary: lasts through one or two shampoos and includes color-depositing shampoos and conditioners, spray-on colors, and some mousses and gels like Streekers or Manic Panic. Note: Manic Panic is not temporary on pre-bleached hair and will last several more shampoos.
• Semi-Permanent: lasts 6-12 shampoos and won't change your current color very much, but brightens it up instead with hints of red, plum, or gold. Glazes are a type of semi-permanent "dye" that adds a kick and shine to your fading color. Brightens up existing color and is especially recommended for dark hair.
• Demi-Permanent: lasts through about 28 shampoos and won't lighten hair. You can go several shades darker with this type of hair dye but it may then be permanent.
• Permanent: what salons most frequently use on their clients; also found in the widest variety of colors. These can lighten or darken hair but it's still recommended that you stay within two shades of your natural color. Permanent dye stays until you dye over it or grow it out.
• Blonding/Highlighting: another version of permanent hair color. Highlighting kits can come with the traditional cap and hook or a brush/comb for freehand work. When hair is lightening, it goes through stages of red, orange, gold and finally blonde. You may use a blonding kit before applying temporary colors in bright shades. It is incredibly important to do a test strand on blonding and highlighting kits to judge how long to leave the product on for the desired results.

Hints for Lightening a Too-Dark Shade

Prell shampoo, dishwashing liquid and a little baking soda mixed with your regular shampoo work for lightening a color. They dry your hair out tremendously, so don't use them frequently. Also, keep a deep-conditioner handy for combating frizz and breakage that may occur from dyeing your hair so much. The best solution, if you can handle it, is time. Hair color lightens every time you wash it, so if you're trying to lighten your hair, wash it every day with your regular shampoo. Adding highlights is another way to break up a dark shade.

Caring for Your New Look

Try to wash as little as possible for the best care. When you do wash, use shampoos and conditioners formulated for color-treated hair. Every time you wash your hair, you're fading the color a bit. If you can stretch your every-other-day routine to every three days, your color will last that much longer. Protect your hair from the sun by wearing a hat or using products containing SPF.

So You're Aiming for a Non-Traditional Hair Color

Unless your hair is already very light, you will most likely have to bleach it. Non-traditional colors like Manic Panic and Punky Colors offer don't usually show up on brown or black hair. If you don't want to bleach your hair to white or pale yellow, you stand a better chance of enhancing color by leaving the dye on for two hours, wrapped in Saran Wrap. Some people even sleep in it.

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Changing your hair color can truly be a hair-raising experience, but with proper preparation, choosing the appropriate products, and knowing where to turn for professional help, you can bring a bit more color to your style while avoiding potential disasters.