Before coloring your hair, I strongly encourage you to give it some thought. I’ve had my fair share of bad dye jobs because I jumped into it without thought to the finished product. Think purple hair when it was supposed to be red. Lesson learned, right? Well, there are some things to consider before coloring your hair. Giving them some thought can prevent a disaster and give you the look you’re craving.
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1. Hair Stylist
Here’s my best bit of advice before coloring your hair. Do not let your best friend do it. I dearly love mine, but the disaster that happened when I let her dye my hair in the bathtub makes me cringe every time I think about it. So heed my experience and find someone qualified to do the job for you. That might mean shelling out some bucks, but isn’t that worth having a dye job you love rather than one you have to get fixed or cover up until it fades? I’d say so.
2. Hair Health
Hair color naturally adheres better to smooth, healthy hair. If your locks are dry and brittle, you may want to hold off on coloring it until you can treat it. Healthy hair also holds on to the color longer, so talk to your stylist about how you can prep your mane for a great coloring job. That might involve special treatments or a cut.
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3. Hair Texture
If you’re like me and have naturally curly hair, it’s important to take that into account before dying it. Sometimes the chemicals in the dye can temporarily change the texture and curl pattern of your hair. If you don’t have stick straight strands, it’s best to work with your stylist and make sure she is experienced with coloring hair that’s not your average mane.
4. Color
Duh, right? Here’s the thing. You might know you want to go red or blonde, but there are a huge number of shades on all the spectrums of hair color. So, you can’t just say, I want my hair to be brunette. You’re going to have to do some research and find just the right hue for your skin type and desires. Most hair salons have a range of choices that you can compare. The input of your stylist can also help. Make sure you have the exact color you want before getting your hair wet.
5. Extra Maintenance
Colored hair requires a bit more attention and care than non-dyed strands. You’re going to need to be prepared with shampoo, conditioner and hair styling products that are designed for color treated hair. You’ll also need to consider the fact that some people’s hair dries out a bit when colored, so look for products that help keep it hydrated and healthy.
6. Regular Touch Ups
Don’t forget to consider how much time and money you have to maintain your new color. You’ll need to get it touched up every few weeks to keep your roots from looking obvious. This is especially true if you are dramatically changing the shade of your locks. If you don’t think you can commit to this, consider a semi-permanent dye that washes out gradually. That way, if you can’t get back to the salon, you won’t look like a dye job gone wrong.
7. What Others Think
Ok, I’m not suggesting that if your best friend or co-worker is questioning your decision that you should just give up. After all, it’s you that you should be aiming to please. However, I think the input of people close to you can really help you choose the right color. For example, if I came home with black hair, I think my kids and husband would be horrified. Then I’d just feel self-conscious. So think about what others might say and you might decide you’d like a softer or less dramatic change.
Do you color your hair? I haven’t done it in awhile, but I prefer a few highlights rather than an all-over color change.
Comments
Sabrina: I'd just change skin "type" to skin tone, because as a cosmetologist we learn that it is very important to do so. When you said The purple to red incident, I hope that wasn't done by an actual hair stylist, because then it's obvious you did not have a thorough consultation with them based on the color you want. I'm glad you mentioned to do the research, because there are plenty of different colors! We don't really want to make you a platinum blonde when you wanted golden blonde.
Sabrina: If someone is very crazy and wants a very well trained professional, go to a salon and ask for a color certified cosmetologist, they're the tip top in color.
Lucie: I remember way back in primary school a boy with black curly hair decided to dye his hair with toilet bleach and it turned ginger! I dye mine occasionally but only natural colors
Whitney: This is so stupid
Audrey: If you have brown hair and want to dye it blonde or a bright color, you're going to have to bleach it to get a good color. I'm a brunette and I got what was supposed to be a pink streak in my hair once, but it turned out this dark purple color because I didn't get it bleached first. It wasn't my hair stylists fault though. It was mine for not telling her to bleach it. I dye my hair a lot, so from now on, when I want a bright/light color, I always bleach it first. I have fairly healthy hair, so keep in mind that bleach will damage it some.
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