If you’ve dyed your hair at home before, then you probably have your own horror stories to tell. Some dyed hair results are so bad that women decided to shave their head. Stop being a victim to these tragic mishaps and learn how to dye your hair the right way.

Semi Permanent vs. Demi Permanent vs. Permanent

Before you hit the local drugstore aisles, you have to decide whether you want to get a semi permanent, demi permanent or permanent hair color. The semi permanent dye can be removed after about 10 washes and they don’t use ammonia or peroxide. But they’re only designed to enhance the color of your hair and not necessarily to dye it to lighter shade or make a drastic color change. Demi-permanent hair colors on the other hand have low levels of ammonia and will stay on your hair for up to 25 shampoos. It can make your hair lighter by 1-2 shades, or conversely, darker by about 1-2 shades. But if you’re truly committed to make a real color change, you can choose permanent hair dyes. They contain ammonia and peroxide so the color is long-lasting- it will stay until you grow out your hair.

Choosing the Perfect Color

One of the main problems that box hair colors have is that it’s hard to find the color you want. Oftentimes, you buy a particular dye for a shade you want but the outcome is very different. To help you choose a hue correctly, experts advise that you stay within 3 shades of your natural hair color. If you want a more dramatic change, you’ll be better off going to a salon.

You also need to consider the undertones for the hair dye. Your hair’s undertones is either cool or warm and the chemical (peroxide) in the dye will expose them. In general, brunettes have warm undertones which explains why their hair becomes reddish even if they choose lighter shades.

Preparing Your Hair

Experts have said that coloring damage hair won’t give you the results you want. In fact, it could very well damage your hair even further. In the same way that you don’t put new paint on a dirty and cracked wall, you also shouldn’t put color on damage hair without conditioning it thoroughly first.

At least a week or two prior to coloring your hair, you should apply deep conditioning products to it. By hydrating and moisturizing the strands of your hair, you can avoid having streaky colors and crisp ends. It’s also recommended that you don’t use shampoo for 2 days prior to coloring. You must save the natural oils of your hair so that when the chemicals from the hair dye is applied, your hair will have sufficient protection to prevent irritation, itching, burning and damage.

Paying Attention to Every Detail

While the instructions on your hair dye’s packaging is simple enough, the hair coloring process is actually a bit complicated because you need to pay close attention to every detail. First off, you need to have the right tools. You’ll need to apply Vaseline along your hairline so that the dye won’t stain your skin. Then, spray your hair tips with water to prevent absorption of too much color. This is particularly important if you have damaged hair. Getting too much of the chemicals could damage it even more. Water will also ensure that the color becomes more even.

The Proper Coloring Guidelines

Now that everything’s all set, it’s time to start coloring your hair. Are you ready? Let’s get started.

First, you need to divide your hair into several sections using a comb. One part should be down the middle of your head and the others from ear to ear. You need to clip each quadrant securely so they stay in place.

Once that’s done, apply color to each of the sections, one at a time. You have to be careful to make sure you don’t miss a spot and that you don’t stay on one section for too long. To apply hair color, you have to start from the roots to the ends. Make sure you’re wearing gloves.

Once you’ve colored every section and part of your hair, you need to set the timer to 20 minutes. This should be enough to let the color develop on your hair. After 20 minutes has passed, rinse your hair properly and apply conditioner. Make sure not to use hot water because this causes the color to escape.

Don’t shampoo your hair for about 3 days to give the cuticles enough time to open up and absorb the color and then seal off to prevent the loss of color. Conditioning your hair regularly will also ensure that your strands remain strong and healthy even if you have colored your hair.