What Are the Best Tips for DIY Hair Color?

DIY hair color can be a cost effective way to color your hair and touch up your roots between visits to a stylist. It can be done alone or with the help of a friend, and most people find that it is relatively easy to master with some practice. Some of the tips most often given by stylists and those who frequently do DIY hair color are to take protective measures against dye staining, make sure you do what you can to prevent your hair color from fading quickly, and learn how to correct problems when they happen, as they sometimes arise despite your best efforts.

Apply petroleum jelly, hair conditioner, lotion, or another cream to your hairline, ears, and neck before even opening the hair dye bottle. This will provide a barrier between your skin and the dye that inevitably drips, leaks, or smears onto your forehead and other nearby areas. Even without this, hair dye will eventually wash off of skin, but it can take several washes, and in the meantime you will have visible splotches of dye on your skin. Also make sure to either dye your hair in very old clothes that you do not mind getting hair color on or use an old bathrobe or towel to shield your clothes from drips. Putting newspaper or plastic on the counter and floor of your bathroom before dying is also important, especially if you have carpet that might get permanently stained if any dye touches it.

Another of the problems many people face when trying DIY hair color is how to make the color last longer. Some stylists recommend skipping the shampoo the first time you shower after after coloring your hair to give the dye a chance to set, potentially making the color last longer. Additionally, if possible, only wash your hair every other day to lessen the fading that happens over time and with multiple washes. Some DIY hair color enthusiasts find that washing hair in cooler water instead of under the hot shower can also make the color last much longer. Shampoos and conditioners for color treated hair can go a long way toward preserving the correct shade.

Some problems that may occur are dye stains, uneven color, or missed spots. Depending on the type of dye, scrubbing stained surfaces with toothpaste or rubbing alcohol may help to lift the color out. Dye remover wipes made specifically for that purpose can be purchased from beauty supply stores. To correct an uneven result or to cover spots that may have been missed, many frequent dyers recommend leaving a little bit of dye in the bottle for touch-ups until you have washed out the color, dried your hair, and examined it for problem areas.