At-Home Hair Dying Techniques and Tips

Suggestions for Getting and Keeping Dyed Hair Looking Great

Sep 22, 2009

Hair dye tips to help make the process of at home hair care easy. Techniques for keeping dyed hair looking natural and healthy.

Dying hair at home instead of going to a salon can save a lot of money. Nowadays it’s so common to use at home hair dye kits that it’s become very simple and easy to do. When there is a question about dying hair, it’s a simple web search away to find the answer. Here are some basic hair dying tips and techniques to make the process as painless as possible.

Hair Dye Tips

First of all, carefully follow the directions included with the hair dye. Each brand is different and each company will list the instructions as it best pertains to their product. Deviating away from those instructions should only be done by someone very familiar with their hair and with experience dying hair at home.

Hair should not be conditioned prior to dying as the conditioner will interfere with the dying process. If the scalp is sensitive or the hair is damaged or dry, wait around twenty-four hours after shampooing hair before dying it. This will allow the natural oils to protect the hair and scalp.

Dying hair can be a very messy process. Wearing old clothes and having an old towel handy will keep anything nice or important from being stained by the dye. Be sure to always wear gloves when dying hair (most at home kits will come with gloves included).

Have a hand mirror available. This will make it easier to see the back of the head to make sure the dye has been applied evenly.

A slight contrast between the eyebrow color and hair color keeps it looking natural. Dying eyebrows can be risky if the dye gets into the eyes. Dying eyebrows is something that shouldn’t be done at home.

Important Hair Dying Information

Always perform an allergy test the first time a new hair dye product is being used. At home dying kits will include instructions on how to perform an allergy test prior to dying hair. Many dyes contain chemicals that some people are dangerously allergic to so this is a very important step.

Don’t rely on the picture on the front of the box. The color will almost always look different from what the model looks like. Most products will have charts on the box to give consumers an idea of what that color would look like trying to dye over their current hair color, but these are just estimates. A salon would be able to give a better idea of what the true color would be.

Don’t over dye hair. Changing the color too frequently can cause hair to dry out. Dying hair too frequently with chemical based dyes (such as dyes containing ammonia as most dyes on the market do) can also contribute to the hair looking brittle and unattractive. Using natural dye (such as henna) is one way to alleviate this problem.

When making drastic changes to hair color (going from very dark to very light, for example) it’s best to go to a salon. Salon dyes have better ingredients and condition the hair better. If the hair is already damaged or unevenly colored, it is also advised to go to a salon.

How to Keep Dyed Hair Looking Nice

Rinsing with vinegar immediately after dying can sometimes help keep the color longer. Using conditioners and shampoos made specifically for dyed hair will help keep hair shiny and healthy as well as help keep the color from fading.

It’s advised to recolor every four to six weeks. This will keep the color looking fresh and natural and will also touch up the roots.

Dying hair at home can save money and can be a lot of fun. Follow these tips to help the process be as smooth and enjoyable as possible. Remember to visit a salon if something goes wrong and always follow the directions included with the kit.

The copyright of the article At-Home Hair Dying Techniques and Tips in Hair Styling is owned by Tiffany Krey. Permission to republish At-Home Hair Dying Techniques and Tips in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.