Colouring your own hair doesn't have to be scary if you take precautions. In fact, at least 1 in 5 Australian women have dyed their hair in the last six months. If you've never tried to colour your own hair, it's understandable that you've got some concerns.
Relying on your hairdresser is a smart choice, especially if you are doing a radical colour transformation. But when you need to touch up here and there for reasons beyond your control, you may resort to colouring yourself.
Choosing Your Hair Colour
Choosing between colouring products can be overwhelming. Online and retail shops have plenty of confusing labels. There are permanent, semi-permanent and demi-permanent colours. Additionally, you've got toners, colouring masks and direct dyes too. They even have varying instructions.
Here is the list of the main options:
- Temporary (semi-permanent) colours are also known as direct dyes because the oxidative process happens before the application, many times in the package box itself. They do not contain peroxide and will be the safest choice.
- Demi-permanent colours contain 1% to 2% peroxide and can cause mild hair lightening.
- Permanent colours contain 3% to 6% peroxide and do not wash after application, although they will fade with frequent shampoo washes.
We highly recommend choosing semi or demi-permanent hair colour, which fades quickly and usually lasts no longer than 6 weeks. Also, this option won't damage your hair as much as a permanent colour.
You must be aware that most colours alter the hair structure, and permanent colours are most pervasive. That's because they need to penetrate the cuticle and change it from the inside.
This doesn't mean your hair will look like a mess though. Modern colouring brands like Limitless have designed shampoos and conditioners with nourishing oils that encourage smoothness and silkiness. Your hair will look even better than before you dyed it!
Considerations With Hair Colours
When you are buying hair colours, make sure you read the label because not all hair dye manufacturers name their colours with the same name. So, it's best to check the ingredients.
In case you need maximum safety, for your first at-home dyeing session we recommend using toners and non-permanent colours such as Jerome Russel Bblonde Colour Toner or colouring masks such as Fanola Color Mask Total Black Colouring Mask. Of course, this is only an option for minimal hair coverage, colour correction or to save your roots while waiting for the next salon appointment.
You can even ditch liquid hair colours altogether and try using a wax cover that contains mineral powders that don't dissolve in water unless combined with shampoo surfactants. They are great for handling grown roots.
Wet Or Dry Hair?
While most hair colours recommend dry hair application, it is possible to use hair dye on wet hair.
You may have noticed this hair colouring hack in salons during bleaching procedures that require toning. Hairdressers usually leave the hair damp or partially wet to prevent further damage from the chemicals in the toning colour.
Well, you can do the same at home.
By dying your hair wet, you may save on colour and get more even results. You could even distribute colour more easily without damaging your hair.
11 Tips To Colour Your Hair At Home
Here is how to effortlessly revamp your own hair at home with a fresh new colour:
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Wear old clothes: An old tank top is best to avoid staining a garment you like.
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Work in sections: Separate your hair in sections using a comb and keep it in place with clips.
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Protect your skin: Get a heavy face cream or petroleum jelly. The next step is covering your forehead line, ears, and neckline on the back of your head with a thick layer. This will help you avoid blotchy colour leftovers once you wash your hair.
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Get hair colour wipes. Alternatively, use a bottle of 10 vol peroxide and cotton balls to wipe out dye that ends up on your skin by mistake.
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Find a plastic, ceramic, or glass mixing bowl and a tint brush: Don't use metal bowls because they can interact with the hair colour chemicals. Instead, use less reactive mixing bowls and tint brushes.
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Use disposable latex gloves: You need to protect your hands from harsh chemicals using gloves.
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Two mirrors: Using two mirrors will be necessary for improved visibility of the back head area.
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Start with your hairline: Go all the way around your head. If you wear a ponytail, this is very important for good at-home colouring.
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Brush each section, saturate it with dye and brush it again to distribute the colour evenly: If you are colouring roots only, then leave the distribution and combing parts for the last 10 minutes of the application time or avoid the ends altogether if the hair is dry or damaged.
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Wrap the head with a plastic bag or a shower cap: This will keep the heat in as well as avoid colour stains on your clothes while you wait for the application time to pass.
- Follow the application time on the colour box: Most colours need at least 20 minutes to act. Some require longer application times, which can be up to 45 minutes. At home, it is best to veer on the side of safety and don't keep colour on your head for too long. You can always reapply another tube of colour, although repairing your hair will take much longer.
Maintain Your DIY Coloured Hair Like A Pro
DIY colours may not be as spectacular as salon colouring, but they are an excellent solution for emergencies. Provided you follow instructions and don't experiment, you can be pretty pleased with the results.
Who knows, you may decide to use your newly learned skills to save on your hair budget by using direct dyes between sessions or when your hairstylist is too busy to see you.
Keep in mind that each shampoo application can cause colour to fade. Use a dry shampoo such as Davroe Revive Dry Shampoo to maintain the colour, or you can cover your hair with a cap while taking a shower. If you are a blonde, try Dumb Blonde No Yellow Shampoo. If you have dark hair, reapply a colouring mask or colour-depositing shampoo.
By carefully caring for your colour-treated hair, you can prolong the incredible pigments.
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