How To Color Your Hair At Home

The right hair color can transform the way you look - it can make your skin look brighter, your eyes shinier and can enliven your whole face. But getting your hair color done at a salon can cost a huge amount of money - anywhere from $50 right up to $350 and beyond at the priciest of salons. If you're trying to pinch the pennies at the moment, chances are, your household budget doesn't stretch to a trip to the salon every eight weeks.

But luckily, you can color your hair and get the look of a salon in the comfort of your own home. It's easier than you might think and the results are surprisingly good. Learn how to color your hair at home and how to choose the right hair color with these clever tips.

Choosing the Right Hair Color

• Don't choose a color that's more than three shades darker or lighter than your natural hair color. It'll be difficult to achieve the look you're going for at home if you go too dark or too light. The more of a change you attempt to make, the more likely it is that the end result will be brassy or ashy. Anything more dramatic than this and you should really go to the salon.

• If you're new to coloring or if you're unsure of which color to use, try a temporary color to "try on" the color before you take the permanent plunge.

• Choose a formula with multiple highlights and low-lights. Some home colors can look a bit flat, particularly if they're quite cheap, so it's important to look for formulas with built-in tonal highlights and low-lights that will blend with your natural hair color, looking much more natural than a flat color.

• Choose a formula that suits your skin type. Go for a foam or mousse formula if you have sensitive skin, so that it won't drip onto your skin and irritate.

• When deciding on the color, make sure you stand in natural light - it's the only way you'll be able to get an accurate idea of your current color.

Read More: Color Your Hair at Home Like a Professional

Things You'll Need

Before you get started, there are some tools you'll need to help you get the job done.

• Paintbrush (for use with hair dye, found in all pharmacists and good supermarkets) and hair dye bowl to mix the dye in. Unless the dye comes with a special bottle or application system, a bowl and brush is usually much easier to use than a bottle.
• Vaseline. Use your fingertips to apply the Vaseline around your hair line, around your eyes and on the tips of your ears. It'll stop your skin from getting stained. If any dye does slip through, keep some cleanser (alcohol-based usually works best) to hand to clean up.
• Developer. The developer is essential to activate the hair color and help it penetrate the hair shaft. It comes in different strengths (volumes), usually 10, 20, 30, or 40. If you're just covering gray or slightly changing your hair color, 20 volume developer is usually sufficient. If you're significantly lightening your hair, 30 or 40 volume may be necessary.
• Two dark towels.
• Clips and a comb.
• Timer.
• Gloves. Use the gloves provided in the kit to protect your hands from staining.

Home Hair Coloring

Test, Test, Test

Always make sure that you test your hair before taking the plunge with the dye. Strand test the hair each time you apply a hair dye at least 48 hours before coloring all of your hair, just to make sure that you don't have an allergic reaction.

Coloring Your Hair

• Don't wash your hair for 48 hours before applying the color. Freshly washed hair doesn't contain the oils necessary to help color absorb and penetrate into the hair follicle and you actually need to apply color to unwashed hair.

• Apply Vaseline around the hair line, then mix the color according to manufacturer's instructions. Cover shoulders with a dark towel. Apply the color around the hair line and along the parting. Using the end of the comb (a rat's tail comb makes this much, much easier), make several smaller partings on either side of your parting and across the back of the head. Apply the dye evenly to each parting. Use the clips to clip hair out of the way as you work.

• Using your fingertips, massage the dye in. Comb the hair through, then divide into four sections and use the clips to clip hair you're not working on out of the way. Divide each section into several smaller sections and apply dye evenly from the roots to tips of each section. Keep working until you've saturated the hair.

• Once you've applied the dye everywhere, squeeze any leftover dye over the crown and use the comb to comb it through from root to tip. Leave the dye to sit for 20-40 minutes, following the instructions on the box. Start timing as soon as you've finished applying the dye and leave it on for only as long as the instructions tell you to.

• Rinse out and apply the conditioner that comes with the dye. You tend not to shampoo dye from the hair and usually it is just rinsed out. Dry using a blow dryer and plenty of heat defense spray (or leave to dry naturally).

Shampoo and Conditioner

Use the right shampoo and conditioner for your colored hair. Here are some tips to help you select the right products:

1. Sulfate-Free: Look for shampoos and conditioners that are sulfate-free. Sulfates are harsh cleansing agents that can strip the color from your hair faster. Sulfate-free formulas are gentler and help preserve the color for longer.

2. Color-Safe or Color-Protecting: Specifically, choose products labeled as "color-safe" or "color-protecting." These formulas are designed to be gentle on colored hair and have ingredients that help lock in the color and prevent premature fading.

3. For Your Hair Type: Consider your hair type and any specific concerns you have, such as dryness, frizz, or lack of volume. There are color-safe shampoos and conditioners available for various hair types, so pick the ones that address your specific needs.

4. Avoid Clarifying Shampoos: Clarifying shampoos are deep-cleansing and can strip away color quickly. Avoid using them immediately after coloring your hair or in your regular routine.

5. Stay Away from Dandruff Shampoos: Dandruff shampoos often contain strong ingredients that can fade hair color. If you have dandruff concerns, try to address them separately with a specialized product after your hair color has set.

6. UV Protection: Some color-safe shampoos and conditioners also offer UV protection. UV rays from the sun can cause color fading, especially for those with colored hair, so products with UV protection can be beneficial, especially during sunny days.

Use a deep conditioning treatment at least once a week and every other day, smooth some hair oil onto your locks. The key to colored hair looking salon ready is to keep it nourished, sleek and smooth - and using the right products will protect your hair and keep it looking fabulous.

Read More: What Your Hair Says About You

Touch-Ups

Touch up your roots every 4-6 weeks and go gentle on the color throughout the lengths of your hair - using too much color throughout the lengths will cause a build up and it could look a little chalky.

Just spread a little of the color throughout the lengths to pep it up a bit and you won't have to deal with unmanageable locks and frizz - instead, your hair will be smooth, glossy and beautifully colored.