Hair dying has been a way of achieving perfection for many women and sometimes men, for centuries. In the 1960s, hair dye became a popular fad in the U.S., after ad campaigns by Clairol aired with slogans like: “Does she or doesn’t she? Only her hairdresser knows for sure!” Since then hair dying has been a common process in the cosmetic industry. To some the process may seem simple, especially if they have dyed their own hair before or have had someone dye it for them; however, others may find the process difficult and easily flawed. A step-by-step process for hair dying should always be followed, whether it is an “expert” or novice in the field of hair dying.
First and foremost, you should go to a department store or drug store and buy the brand and color hair dye that you desire.(Depending on the length of your hair you may need more than one box of dye, especially if your hair is longer than shoulder length.) Remember, just because a hair dye has a higher price tag on it does not always mean it is a better dye. The main thing you should look for in a hair dye is a formula which does not use ammonia to color the hair. Also, drug stores have higher prices but generally tend to carry better products. Over all with the color and brand selection, you should ask for opinions and go through trial and error first.
Once you have your hair dye you are ready to start the real process. First you will need to change your clothes into old clothes and gather old towels that you do not mind if you get dye on them. (Hair dye will ruin your clothes whether it is a dark color or not.) Then, you should throughly comb your hair out, as to prevent tangles from causing the dye to put spots and streaks in your hair. Next, you must open the box of hair dye and read the instructions carefully. In most cases it suggests that you do an allergy test, if you have not had an allergic reaction to a hair dye before it, I don’t recommend taking your time. However, if you have never used a hair dye before, you should mix a small amount of the dye from the box, put it behind your ear or in the fold of your elbow and wait 48 hours to see if you have a reaction. If you have a reaction to the product you should not use it.
After that, if you have not had a reaction to the product, you are ready to use the dye. Before you do anything else, you should put cold cream or petroleum jelly around your hair line so the dye does not get on your face and neck. You should also apply it to the tops of your ears so you do not stain your ears. Next, there should be a pair of plastic or latex gloves attached to the instructions or in the bottom of the box; put them on so your hands do not get stained. Then you should open both bottles in the box, sometimes there are packages of powder to mix in the dye but that is generally if you have a bleaching kit (do not confuse dye powder with the included packages of conditioner for after you dye your hair), pour the smaller bottle (this bottle tends to be a brown color) into the larger bottle (this bottle tends to be white or cream colored) and recap them both. Next, you shake the larger bottle for 1-2 minutes or until the contents are throughly mixed. Then you take a pair of scissors and remove the tip of the bottle if there is not already an opening.
Next, take the comb from before and gather some hair clips. This next part may take some time and help. You must comb your hair into even sections to you can distribute the dye evenly. Now you are ready to color. Undo one section of your hair and squeeze dye unto it starting at the root and working your way to the end making sure to get every part saturated. Run the comb through it to make sure the distribution is done to the best of your ability. Repeat this for every section of your hair until you have it completely saturated. Now you are ready to put a timer on so your hair can process. If you have a dark hair dye in your hair the process may take between 20 to 30 minutes and if you have a light hair dye it make take up to 45 to 60 minutes to fully process. For the correct timing, please consult your hair dye instructions.
After your timing is over, it is time to rinse the dye out of your hair. Cut open the packet or packets of conditioner.Rinsing your hair can be done one of two ways: you can bend over the sink or get in the shower. Run the water over your hair until it runs clear. Sometimes its ok to use a mild shampoo to help get the remnants of hair dye out of your hair but it isn’t recommended with a dark hair dye, it can cause fading. After the dye is rinsed out, use the packages of conditioner in your hair, leave them in for 5 minutes or more to repair any damage. If there are no packages included, use a thick conditioner made for colored hair. Once you rinse the conditioner out, towel dry your hair but do not wrap it with the towel this can cause strands of hair to fuse together. Also, do not pull hair into a tight ponytail this can cause breakage.
There you have it, perfectly dyed hair. If the color that you used is not the color for you, you must wait for at least 6 weeks before you dye it again. If you want to have a better chance of having a nicer looking dye job be sure you look in a mirror if you do it yourself or have someone help you.
Overall, dying hair is a process that should always be taken seriously if you want an excellent dye job. Dying hair is all about picking the perfect shade for you, getting your hair perfectly saturated, timing it right, and rinsing the dye out completely. Dying your hair and making it look good is all part of being as close to your own image of perfection as you can be.
