In an ideal world, the professionals are the best people to dye your hair, though not many of us can afford to keep our hair in tip top color, when bearing in mind that this costs a lot of money. Hair grows and roots are exposed, and even though there are touch-up treatments which work out a little less expensive, people are using home dyes more frequently these days. This article is written to help those who are considering coloring their hair at home. It contains tips which will help you to make a success of that color change.
*Quality products.
*Choice of color.
*Items needed.
*Care to be taken.
*Protecting the skin.
*Using the products.
*Snags you may encounter.
*Creating the perfect coloration.
Quality products.
When you browse through the shelves and see all the hair dyes available on the market, it is confusing to know which to choose. Even though you have chosen to dye your hair at home to make savings, beware of trying to make savings on cheap products. There are good quality brands at reasonable prices, and often you can find two-for-the-price-of-one deals which help you stretch your money further.
Well known brands have a reputation to uphold, and are tried and tested and will give better results than obscure makes. Look particularly at the color swatches and see which range suits your tastes. Look also at whether the dye in question covers all gray hair. Some do, though it is wise to buy those which state that they do, rather than hinder a guess that others will.
Choice of color.
The choice of color you make is individual, though be aware that if you are coloring gray hair back to a natural color, often the shade of hair looks better and more natural if you buy a dye which is a little lighter than your natural color. Harsh colors look false, and harden the features of the face. If changing your hair drastically, do be careful of choice. It would be better to change it slightly, and to lighten the hair a little bit, rather than to try experimentation with bold changes you may regret.
Items needed.
When dyeing your hair at home, you will need old towels, petroleum jelly, a comb which you keep for dyeing your hair, a timer of some kind or clock and accessibility to a shower.
Care to be taken.
Always read and understand the instructions. Usually dyes of this nature have gloves included in the pack for good reason. Ensure that these are used. Take care to remove clothing which may be damaged by the dyeing process. Remember before you apply dye to your hair, that your hair will be in this state for approximately half an hour. Always ensure that you try a little test area. This may take extra time, but is certainly worth it the first time that you dye your hair. Keep dyes out of reach of children.
Protecting the skin.
While many products do not damage the skin or cause stains to appear on the surface, you can protect the skin around the scalp and neck area with a layer of petroleum jelly to decrease the chances of staining.
Using the products.
The application of most products these days is done on dry hair. It makes the process very manageable, though do have a comb ready for the application process. Normally dyes come in two containers, the application container and a tube, which have to be mixed thoroughly just before the application. Make sure that you shake the applicator sufficiently to mix the products together properly.
Put on the gloves supplied. Comb your hair and part it, applying the product as you go. Be careful of all areas, as often home dyeing makes it hard for you to see the back of your hair. Part and apply, then make another parting and apply the product until the whole head area is done. Pay particular attention to roots, and to the forehead and area just above the ears as these are areas which tend to gray before others.
Once you have applied the dye, set the timer to the required time stated on the product, and use this time to read or polish nails, or even pluck those eyebrows.
When the time has elapsed, rinse the hair thoroughly with clean warm water, and apply the conditioner which is normally contained within the pack. Massage this into the scalp and then rinse thoroughly.
Snags you may encounter.
The product is pungent and you may find that you don't like it. Be careful to make sure that you dye your hair in an area which is sufficiently airy. Often the gloves supplied with dyes are ill fitting or difficult to put on. Here, use talcum powder before putting the gloves on and make sure your hands are dry. The conditioner which comes with these kits is not generous. Be careful not to waste any, as this helps your hair to keep its softness.
Creating the perfect coloration.
After the whole process is done, carefully style your hair in the normal fashion, though be aware that your hair can get brittle and that harsh drying of the hair is ill advised. It is better to dry the hair with the dryer at a distance from your hair, since this helps it to dry without damaging the hair structure or exposing it to too much heat.
Little by little you do gain confidence when you dye your hair at home. Keep labels from colors which you like, as often it is difficult to remember which product you used, and this will help you in the future to continue to produce color which is consistent and which pleases you. That special dye which you will like the most is a treasure, and once you find the product that you enjoy using and that gives great results, stick with it, as next time around, all you will have to dye is the root area of your hair. This means less exposure of your hair to harsh products, giving you perfect results every time, and a great color !