At-Home Hair Colouring
Let me start this post by saying that I’m no hair expert, far from it in fact, but I’ve been colouring my hair at home for over a decade now, so I thought I’d share some tips with you that I’ve learnt over the years.
Do a skin test EVERY time you colour
I know it’s really tempting to assume that just because you’ve coloured your hair a million times before that you won’t get an allergic reaction to the hair colour you’re planning to use, but there are a bunch of things that can make you more prone to a reaction through your life, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. I’ve been scared over the years by the horror stories I’ve seen online and in the news about the reactions that people have had, so I figure I’d rather wait 48 hours after a skin test to make sure I’m safe than risk my health. Each colour is different, so just do the test, and save yourself the worry – you’d have to do this if you went to get coloured at a salon, so you might as well do it at home too.
Cover up everything
Colouring your hair at home gets messy, so cover yourself and any surfaces you don’t want to ruin. I’ve stained clothes, towels, bath mats, all through drops of hair dye dripping from my head, so just cover it all up with old clothes or towels that don’t get used anymore. I have a T-shirt I don especially for the occasion of colouring my hair, just so I know I’m not ruining anything I like, and if you do accidentally spill, just clean it up with soapy water as quickly as possible to avoid staining.
Follow instructions
It’s tempting to get a bit know-it-all when it comes to colouring your hair once you’ve done it a few times, but each product works differently, so it’s best to just read the instructions and do as it says. If you’re going to colour several times a year, the costs will mount up, so it’s best to get it right and not waste your cash by doing it wrong and then have to pay to get it corrected later on. This rule is especially important when it comes to developing time, you don’t want to ruin your hair by leaving the colourant on for too long, so follow what it says and it should turn out really well.
Try kinder products
With the advance in research, you can now find more products than ever that are kinder to your hair, whilst still achieving the look that you want. I now choose products that don’t have any ammonia in them, as this is especially harmful to your hair, and possibly your health. There are a few different brands who offer this, so take a look around for something that suits you and your hair.
Go to a salon for special occasions
At-home colorants are improving all the time and, more often that not, us regular folk won’t be able to tell the difference between an at-home colour and colour that’s been done at a salon, but sometimes it’s just worth paying someone else to do it for you. A couple of weeks before my wedding, I went to a salon to get my hair coloured and I know it was the right decision, I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself if I’d botched an at-home attempt and had to pay big bucks to rectify my mistake, or if it hadn’t turned out how I wanted it. Plus, who doesn’t want to forgo all the hassle and mess of doing it yourself for a special occasion, especially when it feels like a proper pampering.
