There often comes a time, especially during the current Covid-19 crisis, where we need to do our own hair and beauty treatments at home. If you do find yourself needing to dye your hair at home read this guest post full of handy tips from NUYU (remember to read the instructions carefully and always do a hair dye allergy patch test too):
One of the favourite tasks for our stylists at NUYU Lichfield is the application of colour. We love the transformation, not just of an individual’s hair, but of their whole demeanour. They radiate more confidence and more pride in their appearance. While we would love to say that the only sure way to get the perfect colour is to see one of our colourists, we understand a box job at home just must do. So, we have put together some of our top tips and tricks to help you succeed.
Tip 1: Don’t trust what you see on the box
We know you know that the image on the box of a beautiful woman with the most fantastic colour in her air is the ideal. We know you know her face has a lot to do with how amazing her hair looks. However, did you know that the colour you will end up with will always be lighter than the model’s hair on the box?
The home kit dyes are generally more potent than those used in the salon, so it lifts that colour and makes it lighter than what is shown on the box. Consequently, for permanent hair colouring always go a shade darker than you want.
However, knowing when to go a lighter shade is also important. If you are choosing a semi-permanent formula, which won’t contain a developer, the longer you keep the dye in your hair, the darker it will get. Therefore, going a shade lighter is the safest option.
Tip 2: You may need more than one box
If you have longer hair, let’s say hair that goes past your shoulders, then you may need two boxes of hair dye. When you come to mix the two packs of hair dye in one place, do this in a plastic bowl. A metal bowl will cause the dye to oxidise and change its colour.
When buying your dye, you also need to consider the texture of your hair. If your hair is extremely coarse and close to shoulder length, you will need two boxes of dye. Coarse, curly, frizzy, and unruly hair will suck up the colour faster and so become a cooler tone. Therefore, it could look ashy or have a slight blue hue. More medium texture hairs have a warmer tone when the dye is added, so with orange, red and copper undertones. This reaction of hair not only dictates how much dye to pick up but also the shade. If your hair texture is coarse then go for a warmer colour and if your hair in medium to fine, go for mooted, cooler shades such as champagne or beige that will control the natural warm colours coming through.
Tip 3: Get the right tools for the job
If you are only touching up your roots, then you need to use coconut oil to comb through the rest of your hair to act as a protective barrier. Although you will not be applying dye to the rest of the hair, you will rinse through your roots. The oil will protect the hair when you do this. Also, grab some Vaseline. You should apply this to your scalp when doing your roots, to keep the dye from soaking into your skin.
You will also need a spooley (an eyeshadow brush) to apply the die to your roots. This makeup tool will disperse the dye evenly and precisely. If you are bleaching your roots, this tool will also prevent the hair from looking orange. Finally, if you are applying dye to roots to merge with highlights, use a wide-tooth comb to feather the dye down into the highlights to prevent that hard line where your roots have been touched up.
Tip 4: Patience will deliver
If you are dyeing greys that are emerging at the roots only dye this area and do it strand by strand if necessary. This technique is called spot-treating and using only a semi-permanent dye, but the condition of your hair will continue to be brilliant into the future.
You should also dye by sections if you are doing the whole head. You should run a line down the back of your head and then around at your ears; this will create four sections. Use clips to keep these parts of your hair sectioned off and allow you control over spots that might be missed and getting to those awkward parts of your hair.
Havent dyed my hair for ages ! THANKS for the tips