Posted by: leita

Problem:

It's time to fork over another small fortune to the hair colorist but your bank account is dry, he/she's booked solid or you can't break free from your own appointments.

Answer:

Feeling brave? Color your hair at home following these simple steps.

How to Color Your Hair

This process came about after my hair colorist and I spent several weeks testing different techniques that could be replicated at home. The hardest part was convincing her coloring could be done at home with satisfactory results. Now she colors her own hair this way. It takes approximately three to four hours; the result is as subtle or as striking as you prefer and looks better than the dual-color comb-through combos on the market.

Before you begin:

These instructions are only for the healthiest of hair. People with perms, henna-dyed, dry or never-dyed hair, persons with sensitive skin or wanting drastic color changes should pony up the bucks and have a pro do it. If you're not comfortable with this process or you're generally unsure, stop now.

1. Do not apply color to freshly washed hair.
2. Perform an allergy test prior to coloring even if you color your hair regularly.
3. If you're not comfortable selecting hair colors, ask a savvy friend or find out what colors your salon uses on you. Beginners should stick with temporary colors.
4. If your hair is already permanently dyed, wait at least three weeks before coloring to keep root color from looking choppy. Trust me on this one; I know from experience.
5. Hair that has been dyed with temporary colors should not be dyed again until all the color has washed out.
6. All hair is not equal. You should know in advance whether your hair tends to dye green or red. Just because the picture on the box looks brown does not mean your hair will wind up the same color. (I have to dye my own hair red in order to get a brown.)
7. All hair color is not equal. Splurge and select a good one. I use Feria, which gives me good, reliable results.

Purchase three different shades of hair color, dark, medium and light, a streaking cap and a metal or plastic hook. If you want noticeable streaks, choose a plastic hook; metal hooks pull thinner strands and look more subtle.

The medium color should be the same shade as either your normal hair color or, if you want a subtle change or overall brightening, close to what you want the overall color to be. The darker shade should be just a shade or two darker than your normal hair color and if you hair is bleached from sun or chemicals, consider skipping this step and start with the medium shade.

Start with the darker color, follow the box instructions but apply using the streaking cap and pulling a small strand of hair through every third hole. Note: Have a friend help, particularly with the back.

Rinse, condition, dry and be prepared to cringe at the image in the mirror. Let streaking cap dry as well.

Prepare the medium color according to the package directions. Apply this color with a streaking cap just as before except pull hair from every other hole instead of every third. Size does matter here, the larger the strand you pull, the streakier your hair will look when finished. If you want a natural look, pull tiny strands that will blend with the others.

Rinse, condition and dry as before. You'll notice the color still looks a bit dark but closer to the end result. Again, make sure the cap is dry before proceeding.

Finally, prepare the lightest color according to package directions and as with the other colors, apply it with a streaking cap, pulling strands wherever you want shiny highlights. Rinse, dry and give your hair an extra deep conditioning.

In Summary

While it is best to leave coloring to the professionals, desperate measures call for.. Well, you know the rest.

Resources:

• How Hair Coloring Works
• Hair Coloring Tips
• Hair Coloring the Safe Way