How To Dye Your Hair At Home With Helps And Hints

This post is brought to you by L’Oréal Paris.

Dyeing at home, is it a thing for you?  It is for me.  In fact, I’ve only maybe had my hair colored at a salon once or twice in the last 10 years.  Truly.  There’s just no justification for me to pay someone to do it for $150 a pop when I can dye my own hair at home for under $15.

But I have simple hair.  One, all-over color to cover up the greys my super fun genes have sent my way.  Fun fact: my mom went completely silver when she was 35.  You know how old I am?  Don’t answer that, I’ll lie anyway.  The point is: it’s either dyed, or silver, and mama’s not going out like that.

So, you’re afraid to do it yourself?  Don’t sweat it.  I’ve got all kinds of tips from the pros (me, having dyed my own hair for the last 20 years) to keep it legit, and gorgeous for less than the price of a weeks’ worth of coffee. Or Diet Dr Pepper, your choice.

Here’s the thing about dyeing your hair at home: there are all sorts of tricks you pick up after having done it a time or three that aren’t exactly listed on the box.  So I’m going to help you out and give you a run-down of my must-dos and don’ts for getting the job done yourself in the privacy of your own home.  It’s so easy breezy, you’ll wonder why you haven’t done it before.

How To Dye Your Hair At Home With Helps And Hints

• 1 – Dirty hair is better hair

This little ditty might not be true for a hot weekend date, but it is when it comes to coloring your hair at home.  Dirty hair absorbs the color better than clean, conditioned hair, so leave it nice and dirty before you whip out the dye.

• 2 – Choose one or two shades up or down from your current hair color, but no more

If you want to go from chestnut brown to platinum blonde, let the professionals help.

• 3 – When covering greys, let the color sit.  And sit.  And sit some more

Greys are super stubborn and take sometimes twice as much time to dye as the rest of the hair.  Be prepared to be patient if you’re looking to cover up old(ish/er) age.

• 4. -Set up a hair coloring workspace

Do you have a garage?  That’s a great place to start.  If not, a kitchen table with an open window works too.  I usually dye my hair in my master bathroom, as long as all the sinks and flooring are completely covered in 2-layers of newspaper.

• 5 – READ THE INSTRUCTIONS

I know it sounds simple, but really.  Sit down and read the instructions from the hair coloring kit, from start to finish.  It’s easy to miss steps.

• BONUS: The hair dye I used for this post, the L’Oréal Paris Preference Mousse Absolue, has two separate lids, one for active dyeing and one for storing.  So if you have short hair like me you can use the product for more than one application! WHUT.

Here I am with absolutely color-free hair.  See the pretty streaks of silver?  ME TOO.

I don’t feel super happy about grey hair, so I dye it close to what my natural hair color would be.  Then I look my age (ish).  Age appropriate.  Less old.

Before I dye my hair, I do what I’ve already outlined: find a ventilated area, layer it with newspaper, read the instructions, and begin.  I almost always use a Q-Tip to spread petroleum jelly along the edges of my hairline, for serious.  Tops of my ears, hairline, neckline, forehead.  Dye is harder to wash off than prevent from dyeing in the first place

Wear the gloves provided, and smother your hair with color from roots to tips.  I use either a comb (when I have super short hair like I do now) or an old brush to pull the color all the way through my hair.  Make sure the roots get a good soak.  When you’re all covered, put on a plastic, disposable shower cap.  For realsies.  It’s the only way for me to keep the mess in check while I’m waiting for the color to set.  Then, push cotton balls, or rolled up toilet paper under the edge of the shower cap to let it absorb stray color.

If you have spots of color on your forehead or ears, I swear this is true, use Windex or Rubbing Alcohol or hairspray (swearsies) on a cotton ball to remove the color.  I don’t know why, but it works.

Wash it out, using lukewarm water and use the conditioner (usually) provided in the package.  That’s the good stuff, the best conditioner on the market, for reals.  Dry, style, et voilà, new hairs, new hairs!

What do you think?  Scared to go it alone?  Invite a friend!  Have a gaggle of friends over and have a home hair dyeing party in your kitchen.  Invite me, and I’ll bring the chocolate.

This post is brought to you by L’Oréal Paris.

Allison

Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!