The Do’s and Don’ts of Dyeing Your Hair at Home
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We’ve all been there: It’s 3 A.M., and you’ve had your token “sad girl” song on repeat for so long that if anyone else was awake to see your Spotify activity they would message you out of concern, and nothing is going right. Staring at yourself in the mirror, when everything feels wrong, you know one thing for sure - you need to dye your hair. Sometimes a fresh dye job is exactly what you need to get that boost of confidence to push through the semester.
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But going to the salon can be ridiculously expensive, and a 3am decision is ultimately not worth that much of a financial commitment. Easy solution, dye your hair yourself! It may seem like a daunting task at first, with various brands and stores to choose from, but with my years of experience, I can give you a starting point for how to set your home salon in motion!
Ok, so you’ve decided you’re going to dye your own hair. But where do you even go to buy the hair dye? I would recommend taking a stop at your local Sally Beauty. They’ll have a much wider variety of brands than any CVS or Target, dozens of other hair care products to help your scalp post-dye job, and employees who will be able to help you pick out the right products for your specific hair type.
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You’re in Sally’s, now what? The shelves of dye and shampoos can feel overwhelming, to say the least. My two personal favorite brands of dye are Ion and Artic Fox. Both are vegan and cruelty-free and produce vibrant colors that hold true to the box. Remember that if you aren’t lucky enough to have a head of easy-to-dye blonde hair, you’ll need to use some bleach before any color shows up. Ion works as a brand for cream bleach as well. You’ll need a specific volume of bleach depending on your natural hair color, so ask a Sally worker for assistance or look up a chart to see which bleach will work best for you!
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You’ve bought all your hair dye, but you aren’t done yet! There are still some extra accessories you should buy to help this dye job go as smoothly as possible. Please, buy some gloves. Although it may not seem necessary, the skin on your hands will thank you when they’ve been saved from the bleach or whatever color you’ve chosen because yes, your skin will be that color for several days if you go gloveless.
To make mixing and application easier, buy a dye bowl and brush! This will help you apply the dye much easier and evenly to your hair, and you won’t have to damage any bowls you already own with the dye.
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Finally, if you can find anyone willing to help you on this hair-dyeing journey, enlist their help. They don’t need experience of any kind, but having a second pair of eyes to look over any spots you missed will help you in the long run!
Spoiler alert, you may not dye your hair perfectly on the first attempt. It’s a skill just like any other craft, and with time you will improve! If you’ve been on the fence about dying your hair yourself for a while, this is your sign. Go for it!
Strike Out,
Writer: Dana Liberto
Editor: Noelle Knowlton
Graphic Designer: Lindsay Merrill
Tallahassee