If you think that paying a fortune for a professional hair dye job is not worth it, try doing a DIY hair coloring session with disastrous results. Not only would you have to go through the task of cleaning ugly streaks on your towels, bathroom sink and other surfaces – but you also have to actually look at yourself in the mirror everyday with a not-so-flattering hair color.
There’s actually a science behind determining the right color, highlights and shade to one’s hair which is where the pros come in. But what if you don’t have the time or the budget to pay for a professional hair coloring session at the salon? The good news is that hair color that comes out of the box can actually get pro-looking results. You just have to know how to follow the instructions, and steer clear of the biggest mistakes that women make when doing a DIY hair color at home.
Steer Clear of these Mistakes with a DIY Hair Color
When you check out the boxed hair coloring products at a supermarket or drugstore aisle, you will be daunted by the slew of choices that you have. If it’s your first time to color your hair, you may want to start with a non-permanent shade. You also want to steer clear of these mistakes so that you can do a pretty good job at coloring your own hair:
- Taking the DIY route with colors that are two shades lighter or darker than your hair’s natural hue.
The golden rule to follow when doing a DIY hair color is to always go to the pros if you wish to color your hair two shades lighter or darker. Let’s say that you have dark blonde hair and you would like to lighten your locks to a platinum blonde. Using a boxed hair coloring set might lead to disastrous results, so it is best to leave the job to the pros. The investment is well worth it and correcting a bad dye job will be more expensive in the long run.
- Expecting to have the exact same hair color on the box after you use it.
Most women expect to have the same hair color that’s indicated on the product label when coloring their hair. Remember that the results will still depend on how dark or light your natural hair color is. Instead of using the color on the box as a reference point, you can check on the color swatches and descriptions of the product package.
- Leaving on the hair coloring product too long on your hair.
You can easily overtreat your hair with product, so always use a timer when coloring your own hair. Follow the instructions on the box to the letter so that you can get desirable results when coloring your own hair. Another thing to remember is that when rinsing, do not use the sink because the water pressure is not enough to get rid of all the product on your hair which could lead to damage. After the allotted time, rinse your hair in the shower.
- Choosing a permanent hair color.
Colorists recommend that women use a temporary, semi-permanent or demi-permanent dye when coloring their own hair. If it turns out that the shade is not exactly flattering for you, you can expect the color to wash out after eight to ten washings.
Unless you are coloring your hair two shades lighter or darker, you can definitely save on salon money and dye your own hair at home. By knowing which mistakes to avoid, you can completely change your look with a new hair color, courtesy of coloring products which are out of the box.