Share some ‘nice ‘n easy’ tips for at-home hair care - win a £300 voucher! NOW CLOSED

[RebeccaEMumsnet]

Have a tried-and-tested trick up your sleeve for DIY hair dying? Well, nice ‘n easy want to hear them! They'd like to know the things you do to get a great colour at home, every time.

Here’s what nice ‘n easy have to say: “To help you achieve your most amazing hair colour, we’d love to share with you some nice tips and tricks. Tip #1 : Apply petroleum jelly to your hairline, it prevents colour from staining your skin (Bonus: Dab a little onto your cuticles to soften them!). Tip #2: When your natural hair colour seems to be a distant memory, use your brows as a guide and stick within two shades lighter or darker for the most natural looking hair colour. Tip #3: when the time is up, just set your TV on record even if that’s your favourite program. Over-processing hair is a common colour mistake that ends in colour not being what you expected! These were only a few of the tips we got up our sleeves. What are yours?”

So - what advice do you have for hair dying newbies? Do you have a top tip for prepping your hair before colouring at home, or choosing the perfect shade for you? How about the best ways to prevent staining your skin, or clothes (or bathroom!) - and things to do to pass the time while the colour is on?

Whatever your tips and tricks are, add your comment below and you'll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop gift voucher.

We’re also on the lookout for 5 Mumsnetters who are willing to film their hair dye tip or trick in action. If you would be happy to do this, please sign up here. Those selected will each receive a £100 voucher. More details will be sent.

thanks
MNHQ

Standard insight T&Cs apply

If someone's in the house, get them to double check you have covered everywhere you want it. I learnt by bitter experience :/

Buy a thick padded elastic hair band (think 80's keep fit style) and place around hairline before you start. Pull it down slightly, add dye, then raise it to absorb the drips.

Make sure any surgical gloves you buy are fitted - it makes doing fiddly jobs much easier if your fingers go to the ends of the gloves.

Place a pedal bin liner (not a plastic shopping bag) over your pillow, then put an old pillow case on top. The thin plastic rustles less.

Get a desk fan and put it on next to a slightly open window. This will cause a slight draft to reduce inhalation of the fumes.

Vaseline around the hairline to prevent staining of the scalp and use old towels.

If you find a colour you love, tear the lid off the box and keep it in your purse for next time- very useful when you're in the chemist looking for your shade amidst 46 other dark browns

Use a comb to brush everything through. Then wrap up with a plastic bag

I cover the living room floor with an old towel, cover a wooden chair and apply in the living room while catching up with the tv. I keep baby wipes handy which are fab for removing any unwanted stains and while the dye is on I pluck my eyebrows, I actually find it quite a relaxing process rather than the hustle, bustle of a salon - and the hefty price tag which comes with a hairdressers visit :)

Nice n Easy is in Poundland! I bought all of my shade. Best tip ever ;)

I've been dying my hair every colour going for over a decade. Only on my last application (and after seeing it on a YouTube tutorial) did I realise that combing through the dye would help prevent patches with my ridiculously thick hair.

Decadent a little from each bottle to mix up for root touch up.

Tie it up and forget about it, been doing that for weeks lol only gets let down to wash and maybe brush it if I can be bothered.

I use a plastic chopstick to hold my long hair up out of the way once the dye is on. Then it's clear of my clothes and I can also give the edges and back/nape an extra coat.

Have a pack of baby wipes to hand - they are great for getting off the inevitable splashes of dye on your skin, the bathroom floor etc

This is the third time I've written this post! Arghhh keeps getting lost. Ok. Been dyeing hair for 20years (I'm 42, early grey). No one thinks it's dyed so must be good at it!! Always used box dyes. Top tips:

Wear a black cardigan so easily removed when time to shower

Dye hair when bathroom filthy so can give it a good clean afterwards!

Part hair and put dye along parting and rub it in. Make another parting 1cm further along and do the same all over head.

Focus on hairline and temples. For the back, do the hairline and then try and do the parting trick by getting your way along in 1cm intervals.

Use navy or black towel.

Love it when I dye my hair as it feels softer afterwards.

*I have a pair of old pyjamas that I wear for hair dying.

• If possible, ask a friend who can see the back better than I can.
• I always washed the dye out of my hair with my head over the bath, using the shower attachment. I don't know why it never occurred to me to actually get in the shower My best friend assured me it wouldn't stain my skin, and she was right!

When you rinse your hair rub the dye from your hair into your hairline where the dye is on your skin as dye removes dye - weird but true!

If I've used a black towel (usual) then I'll wash it with other black items like tops etc. Not sure if it's just my imagination but I'm sure the colours come out brighter.

I have 'hair dying clothes' that I wear to ensure I don't ruin everything. Wear a Button down top or v wide neck top you don't mind ruining

be prepared to scrub bleach into grouting ...or as I do and dye it and wash out dye with jug over metal kitchen sink to prevent staining grouting

Invite a friend round get a dye each open a bottle of prossecco cover shoulders in old towel and dye each others hair whilst sipping prosecco. Try to limit yourselves to 2 bottles of dye and prossecco lol

Nail varnish remover gets dye off of toilet seats

Have a pair of hair dyeing clothes (yes really) and a couple of hair dyeing towels.

Always dye your hair BEFORE you need to scrub the bathroom! Have some Flash bleach on standby in case of any splashes.

After doing roots for recommended time, use gloved hands to spread colour down to ends. But don't work it too much, and don't leave on ends too long - result is natural looking streaks and highlights!

Sometimes if I'm using one of the ash shades, my hair can look a little green at first.
Comb a full tub of tomato passata through and clingfilm for 10 minutes. The lycopene in the tomatoes neutralises the green tone and you're left with the lovely colour on the box.

Always use a colour a tone lighter than you want as they always darker when developed.
Cut off the colour from the box for reference the next time.

Face toner on cotton bud removes developed hair dye on skin.

Use baby wipes to get rid of the dye on your head, ears and neck as soon as you have finished applying it. Don't want until the dye has been left on for half an hour to try and start removing the dye from your now stained skin.