Planning to dye your hair? This can be a challenging task to take on if you’re used to monthly salon treatments. We all love our hairdressers, nothing can compare to the way they make our hair look and feel, but sometimes $300 for hair coloring is just not in the budget. Or, in today’s current world, salons are not open and we’re sitting at home starting at our faded color and grown-out roots in the mirror. So, if you’re sick of wearing a baseball cap to cover up your roots every day, it’s time to take matters into your own hands. Follow these necessary steps to learn to dye your hair like a pro. You’ll be amazed by the results.
It’s important to take all the necessary steps before jumping into the hair dye. First, make sure you don’t wash your hair before you dye it. Washing your hair before applying dye will make the process much more painful, especially for those of you who are using bleach. As most people know, hair dye stains so you’ll want to protect the area you’ll be working in. Dyeing your hair in the bathroom is your best bet, so make sure to cover the counters, floor, and anywhere else dye might reach with trash bags or old towels you don’t mind staining. That being said, you should NOT be wearing your new favorite sweater to dye your hair! Throw on an old t-shirt that won’t mind a few stains. Lay everything you’ll need out so it’s right in easy grabbing access. This includes a hairbrush, a towel, a pair of gloves, your box dye, and your phone or a kitchen timer.
There isn’t one simple way to mix your color. Each brand usually does it different, so don’t apply the same routine for what you did in a past hair coloring experiment to now. 1o volume can be used for any hair color that is planning to simply just go darker. If you have unwanted grey hair you’re trying to hide while you go darker, you’ll want to use 20 volume. If you have never colored your hair before and currently rock an “all-natural” head of hair, you can use a 30 volume. These “volumes” are simply the different levels of hair developer you would use on your head. If you’re attempting to lighten your hair you’ll want to use 30 volume with a lightener such as bleach. You must make sure to carefully read the directions on your box, as each process is specific to the one you buy!
To obtain salon results, you’ll want to separate your hair into sections. Four sections is the best way to go, but depending on your thickness you might choose to add in a few more sections. To do this like your hairdresser, start by parting your hair in the middle. Make sure your part is even from the start of your hairline down to your neck. Make each side of your part into a section, so you should have two pig-tail looking sections. Then on each side find the highest point of your head and using that as the middle, separate each side of your hair into two more sections. You should have two sections closer to your forehead and two sections behind your ears. Make sure to clip these up using some type of sectioning clips!
Yay! It’s finally time to start applying your mixture onto your head. But, where should you begin? First off, make sure you’re wearing gloves. If you’ve never had color done to your hair before, you’ll want to start applying from the midsection and ends of your hair. Work from the back of your head forward! After that is completed, then you will apply the color to your roots as you don’t want your roots to develop more than the rest of your head. If you have previously dyed your hair, you’ll want to start with applying the mixture to the darkest parts of your head. Even though you’ve had your hair colored hundreds of times in your life, make sure to dye the roots last!
As you’re applying the mixture, you want to make sure your gloves are still on! As you go through your head of hair you should be brushing through to make sure each strand of hair is being dyed. Having your hair knot and tangle-free will make this process so much easier and your results will come out much better.
Using your phone or a kitchen timer, set your clocks so you know how long to leave your hair in for. Each brand will have its required amount of time for the product to sit in your hair, so make sure you have carefully read the directions! The average time for hair dye is about 30 minutes. While you wait for your hair feel free to watch a show, make a snack, paint your toes, anything that doesn’t involve touching your head.
Since you started applying in the back, you can wash out the back once the timer goes off. After that, wait about eight to 10 more minutes before washing out the front. Do not use cold water to rinse out your hair dye, warm water works best. Colder water can break or damage your hair! Since your hair was just exposed to many products, be very gentle while you wash it out. Avoid aggressively scrubbing! Wash twice to ensure all the product is out, rinse, add conditioner and a hair mask of your choice!
Congrats ladies! You’ve officially box-dyed your hair, and I’m sure you’re dying to see the results. Grab your hairdryer and get drying! Flip your head upside down and use a round brush to get that salon-style blowout. Now that you’ve got yourself an amazing new hairdo, make sure you snap some selfies to throw on your Instagram!
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