Category: Daily Living
Hi, all. I was wondering if anyone has any experience coloring and/or highlighting your own hair. I'm sure it's possible. I was just wondering if anyone has any advice to get the best results possible. having it done professionally is all well and good, but it gets a little expensive after awhile.
Hi, when I colored my own hair, I used to use colors with built in highlights. You really didn't have to do anything different. Just make sure all the strands of hair are saturated. More or less, the times I tried it, I just acted like I was shampooing my hair, but left the color on as directed. It can be a little intimidating at first. Some websites have instructions online I think. Start with your roots, and the top of your head, cause this'll usually need to process a couple minutes longer. Now they make no-drip color. I've never tried these. Depending upon your hair color and the look you're going for, you could always get a partial salon highlight or lowlight, meaning only certain sections of your hair are colored. Sometimes, this is fine, as it'll often help to intensify your natural hair color. Always have a sighted friend help you pick out your color, it's also a good idea to have someone on standby when you're attempting your first solo bottle job color.
As far as brands, I had good luck with Lorael's Feria, and I think some Revlon color. A lot of colors are multifaceted, meaning they're not just a flat color. I think DIY hair color has come a long way. Depending upon the length of your hair, you may or may not need the whole bottle of color. The longer you leave your color on, the lighter it will be. Not sure about darker hair colors.
Whatever you do, use a shampoo designed for color-treated hair. The best that you can afford. Most permanent colors will eventually start to fade at about 8 weeks, so do a root touchup then. It's a good idea not to go two shades lighter or darker than your natural color. Hth.
thanks. that definitely does help. the colors with the built-in highlights sound like they would be the easiest for me to use, but the next time I have a sighted person around, I'll plan accordingly.
I know the professionals often use aluminum foil to wrap the hair when highlighting. I wonder if this would be a good idea to try out, as well. Not really sure, though.
The only time I ever tried coloring my own hair, I had enough vision to go shopping by myself. I picked a color that was close to my own, but the color turned out much darker than it had appeared on the box and was too dark for my skin tone. I have never tried it on my own again.
That' why it's a good idea to have a sighted person look at the box. oftentimes it'll have a chart on the back with different hair colors and the expect post-color results. You shouldn't need foils for at-home hair colors. Beauticians literally mix up color at the salon, so it's a lot more customizable. Since they pretty much brush on the color, they can get really creative, if you want. Some stylists will actually charge by the foil, which can be really reasonable. They'll also know where to place the foils in order to miximize the color you've requested. For those of you who don't know, foils will give you more flexibility with your color, and the highlighted sections of hair can be thicker. The cap that hair is pulled through gives much finer highlights. There is some home haircolor available at salon supply shops like Sally Beauty Supply, that you need to mix yourself. I tried it once, and felt like a mad scientist. Only do this with sighted assistance. Oh yeah, don't forget to shake the bottle of haircolor really well before you apply it to your hair. Add all the color solution to the developer. If you don't need it all then fine. But if you don't add all the color, you'll most likely have disastrous results.
I find that salon color does seem to last longer than DIY stuff. I get my hair colored fairly regularly and usually feel a lot better beforehand. Before you color, get your hair trimmed if at all possible. If your ends are split, coloring will do nothing for them. Wash your ahir in warm water. If possible, don't color just washed hair. Wait a day or so. The oils in your hair will help protect it, and the color may take better. Also, wait a day or two to wash your hair postcolor, it'll give it time to set. This is, of course, after you rinse it. If you're going to be out in the sun, invest in a good sun protecting spray. Lots of hairsprays, especially salon brands often have built-in sunscreen.
Beware of some color shampoos. Depending upon the texture of your hair, it may weigh it down due to the added moisture. I find that salon-brand color shampoos seem to work better. If price is an issue, sites like sleekhair.net have good deals on salon products, and it's the same stuff you'd find in the salon. Shipping is reasonable, and my orders have always arrived pretty quickly. Hth, and feel free to pm me with any hair/makeup questions. I like girl talk!
Wow, crappy typing!! That was supposed to be I feel a lot better after highlights. Some things to have when coloring your hair: an old t-shirt, wide-tooth comb, towels, and a timer. If you're confused about the contents of your haircolor box, the devoloper is in a bottle with a tip you'll need to cut off. The color solution will usually be in a squeezable tube. The conditioner will usually be in a small flat packet. But sometimes it'll be in a smaller tube. If you're not sure which one is the dye, do a big sniff test with both tubes to make sure you're not adding the conditioner. usually, you'll be able to tell easily. a lot of color comes in foil-type tubes. Don't leave unused color out after you're finished, it could explode. This happened to my sister's friend when I lived at home. After you've applied all the color, and worked it through your hair, scrunch it a few times during the processing time to make sure all your hair is saturated.