Colouring Hair at home for the first time advice

[purplecorkheart]

I have never coloured my hair at home before. I normally got it colour in a local(cheapish) salon ever six weeks, mainly because I am friends with my hair stylist rather than thinking salon is much better) Last time I got it coloured was early Dec (Ireland not UK). I have ignored the greys but it is starting to make me feel down (first world problem)

Does anyone have any tips and trick for doing their colour at home. I have dark brown shoulder length fine hair that tends to be oily. I will do a patch test and buy two boxes. Any other tips or tricks that you would recommend? Bottle or brush better? I am betting I will get the colour all over the bathroom! Thanks in Advance

Use an old t-shirt rather than using a towel round your shoulders. Put towels on the floor. Use baby wipes to clean excess dye off arms and forehead and ears.
Don't choose a colour that's too dark or it'll turn out black

Get someone else to apply it. I find it so hard to put on myself.

Thank you both for your advice. Sadly no one else around to apply. Haha I am planning to wear a rubbish bag as a make shift gown. Good idea about the floor!

Use toner on a cotton wool/pad to remove excess dye on skin. I dyed my own hair at the weekend and it was written in the instructions. Have never known to do that, just used baby wipes in the past but I was amazed that the toner actually took all of the excess dye off skin very quickly! I have just realised I probably never actually read instructions previously. Would just scan instructions for processing time...so another tip would be to actually read the instructions good luck!

today I just used a wella highlighting kit and just pulled a few along the top , it came out quite well, I'm going to do it again soon, and pull some more out from the back and along the sides. I have been using this kit for many years inbetween hairdressers, I haven't had it at the salon since January 2020 I was going to grow them all out, but I been feeling drab as my hair was getting darker and darker, so I won't be going back to a salon at all as I like the way my hair look with less bleach there is more contrast.

Thanks so much for the tips. Worse comes to worse I bought an hat for a wedding that was cancelled due to Covid. I can always play the unique style card if it is a disaster!!

My tips are, use a brush and bowl for your roots only, then take down the lengths for the last 5-10 mins, Don’t go too dark as it can tends to develop darker, and definitely use an old T-shirt.

Read the instructions thoroughly before you start and follow them to the letter.

Wear a dark coloured strappy top or sports bra while colouring your hair. You won't see any splodge marks afterwards and it's easier to take off before showering.

Definitely choose a tone lighter than what you think you need and do only roots for most of the time and the ends only for the last 5mins by combing your hair really well.

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I went shopping today and forgot about hair dye. I will pick some up at the weekend. Do my strand and patch test and then colour my hair/ and probably the bathroom the weekend after. Thanks again for the advice

I actually use the application bottle to apply the dye out of the nozzle and then use a brush to brush into the parting either side. Then I have one of those combs with the silver very thin metal handle that I use to make the partings.

Oh also I put foil on my head (literally wrap it around like a turban) and apparently the heat from your hair helps the coverage and the colour to “take”.

Good luck and don’t forget the patch test and also a strand test!

For the time, don't use a permanent dye but something like Casting Garnier which will wash off after 20 something shampoos.
IF you are unsure between two colours, pick the lighter one.
After you have put the colour, whole you wait , check your ears, and remove with a wipe any colour on them.
I don't bother with a t-shirt or gown, just stand with no top at the sink, because then I would have to pass it on top of head.
You will need to wash the colour twice not only once as you usually do,

Watch some Brad Mondo videos.

Semi perm ironically will last longer than permanent as it doesn't lift the hair cuticles so much (which releases the colour quicker).

You can smear vaseline around your hair line to prevent staining.

Thanks for all the help. I really appreciate it.

@DustingMyselfOff

Use toner on a cotton wool/pad to remove excess dye on skin. I dyed my own hair at the weekend and it was written in the instructions. Have never known to do that, just used baby wipes in the past but I was amazed that the toner actually took all of the excess dye off skin very quickly! I have just realised I probably never actually read instructions previously. Would just scan instructions for processing time...so another tip would be to actually read the instructions good luck!

@DustingMyselfOff Face toner or hair toner?

@DustingMyselfOff

Use toner on a cotton wool/pad to remove excess dye on skin. I dyed my own hair at the weekend and it was written in the instructions. Have never known to do that, just used baby wipes in the past but I was amazed that the toner actually took all of the excess dye off skin very quickly! I have just realised I probably never actually read instructions previously. Would just scan instructions for processing time...so another tip would be to actually read the instructions good luck!

Two other (possibly surprising) tips for removing hair dye from skin: hairspray or a little of the hair dye, on cotton wool. Both tips from a hairdresser when I used to have it coloured at a salon. Although generally I find the one I use comes off just with water.

I prefer to apply with a brush for the roots.

Choose a lighter colour than you think you need, I find they always come out darker than I expect.