Dye Your Hair an Unnatural Color

Dyeing your hair a unique color can be a fun way to express yourself, but going to a salon can be expensive. And doing it yourself can be a hassle if you're not prepared. With the right supplies, a friend, and a plan, you can change colors without fear of damaging your hair.

Steps

Preparing to Dye Your Hair

1. Get a hair cut. Dyeing your hair, especially a unique color, requires some steps. The last thing you want after going through the trouble to dye your hair is to realize you want a new hairstyle.
2. Consider your natural hair color. If your natural shade is dark, it will be harder to get the color to show through. You can always go for a darker shade, but the color may not be as vibrant than if your hair was a lighter hue.
   • Lighter hues can also affect the outcome of a dye job. For example, if you are blonde and you try for a shade of red, your hair may come out orange. Go for blue, and you may end up with green instead.
   • White or grey hair can also make dye much brighter than it actually is. A blue-black shade, for example, could become bright blue.
3. Choose a color that suits you. A common recommendation is to never go two shades lighter or darker than your natural hair color. The best thing to do is start with a lighter shade. You can always go darker later if you want.
   • Some shades may not work with your skin tone. If you have a tendency to blush, for example, you may want to avoid going with any pink or red tones.
   • If you have pale skin, bright greens, and yellows could make you appear to be glowing.
4. Assemble a hair dyeing kit. Aside from your hair dye of choice, you'll need to gather a few items to make the process easier. Keep these stored in your bathroom for future dye jobs.
   • Hair clips: These are useful for holding large sections of hair out of the way.
   • Rubber gloves: Hair dyes can contain some pretty harsh chemicals. Wear gloves to keep your hands safe. They'll also protect your skin from taking on the same color as your hair.
   • Vaseline: Spread a thin layer on your hairline and on your ears. Put it anywhere the dye might come in contact with your skin. Vaseline helps prevent your skin from changing colors.
   • Old clothes and towels: Dyeing hair gets messy. It's always a good idea to use materials you don't mind ruining.
   • Other items such as a kitchen timer, q-tips, spare gloves, and extra dyeing brushes are also good.
5. Find a friend to help you. While you could dye your hair on your own, the process will be much easier with a friend. Having an assistant who can get to those hard to reach spots will make for a smoother dye job.

Dyeing Your Hair

1. Bleach your hair if necessary. Unless you have white-blonde hair, you'll need to bleach your hair to get it to take a bright color. Bleaching your hair can be time consuming and expensive. You may have to go through several rounds of bleaching to reach the desired lightness.
   • If you need to bleach your hair multiple times, it's best to wait a week or so between applications.
   • Too many bleach jobs can also damage your hair, leaving it brittle and prone to breakage.
   • If you're feeling at all uncertain, enlist the help of a professional. It may be expensive, but having a bad bleach job fixed could cost you much more.
2. Wash your hair a few days before you dye it. Dirty hair is best for dyeing. The natural oils in the scalp help prevent irritation and make for hair that is easier to work with.
3. Cover yourself. Before you start applying the dye, make sure you drape an old towel over your shoulders. It's also a good idea to wear those old clothes you keep with your dye kit.
   • Dye can get everywhere. If you want to keep your bathroom from getting dyed as well, clean it beforehand, and lay some towels down.
4. Follow the directions to mix the dye. You will have to mix most dyes before you can apply the dye to your hair. Mix the dye in a bowl until it is well blended and smooth.
5. Apply the dye. Starting at your roots, apply a layer of dye. Brush the dye down to the ends working in parts. Use clips to section off your hair to make it easier to apply the dye.
   • Once you've applied all the dye, run the dye brush through your hair a few more times to ensure even coverage.
   • While your hair processes, cover it with a shower cap. This helps the color soak in better, as well as preventing you from staining anything.
   • You may have to wait 30-45 minutes for the dye to set in. The length of time will vary depending on the brand of dye and the color.
6. Rinse your hair. Once the suggested waiting time has passed, rinse your hair in the shower until the water runs clear to make sure you have removed all the dye.
   • The best way to rinse your hair is to get in the shower and lean back. Try to avoid letting any of the dye rinse onto your skin as it can stain you.

Maintaining Your Color

1. Use a color-safe shampoo. A lot of wild colors are semi-permanent, meaning they'll wash out rather quickly. Some colors are harder to maintain, with blue being the most difficult.
   • Always wash your hair in cool water. By avoiding a hot rinse, you may be able to decrease color fading.
2. Try dry shampooing. Dry shampoos can be quite helpful when it comes to maintaining brightly colored hair. They won't strip your hair color and they will keep your hair from becoming too greasy.
3. Touch up your color. After about a month, you may have noticeable roots. To touch up the color, repeat the dyeing process focusing only on the roots.

Video

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Tips

• Make sure that your hair is dry before going to bed or putting on clothes. It will stain anything it touches.
• Try a color on a small patch of your hair if you are unsure of how it will look.
• All of the things you'll need, except for possibly the hair dye, should be available at a beauty supply store. Try specialty shops such as Spencer's or Hot Topic to find more unique colors. You can also try searching the Internet.
• If you only want to dye part of your hair, follow the dyeing process but only apply dye to the hair you want colored.
• To keep your hair from fading as fast when you wash it, mix some of the leftover dye in with your conditioner.

Warnings

• Bleaching and dyeing your hair may irritate your scalp.
• Never use household bleach on your hair.
• Be sure to check for allergies by doing a skin patch test at least 48 hours before dyeing your hair.

Things You'll Need

• Hair dye
• Non-metallic bowls to mix the dye.
• Bleach developer or toner.
• Petroleum jelly.
• Hair clips
• Dye brush
• Latex or plastic gloves
• Timer
• Old towels
• Shower cap
• Shampoo and conditioner for colored, chemically treated, or damaged hair.

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Sources and Citations

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