At-home Hair Color: Seven Tips for Great Results

Doing your own home hair color for the first time can be intimidating, to say the least. Have I chosen the right color? What if I make a mistake and wind up with green hair? What if I end up with overprocessed, dry damaged hair?

The fact is that you can achieve excellent results and save a lot of money by coloring your hair at home as long as you know a few basics about how to select the right color and apply it correctly.

Here are seven of the most common questions and my advice on hair coloring at home.

Advice on Permanent Hair Coloring at Home

1. How do I know whether I should color my hair at home or go to a salon?

Most people can successfully color their hair at home but there are exceptions. You should get a professional color job if your hair is in poor condition - coloring dry damaged hair at home can result in uneven color. Also, if your hair has different shades and you want one even tone, a hairdresser can apply different formulas to the different areas. Finally, it's best to leave it to the experts if you want to make a drastic change to your hair color, say dark brown to platinum blonde, or you want special color effects or highlights.

2. Are drugstore hair colors just as good as salon hair color products?

In general, salon hair colors contain higher-quality ingredients than the drugstore brands. Salons also offer a wider variety of colors and tones. But home coloring kits are getting better all the time and can deliver good results if used properly.

3. How do I pick a color that will look natural on me?

When choosing a hair color, your skin tone and natural hair color are the two most important factors. Whether you're going lighter or darker, stay within two or three shades of your natural hair color. Here is a guideline for selecting a compatible hair color for your skin tone:

Dark/olive skin:

Yellow skin:

Pale skin:

Pink skin:

If you know what clothing colors suit you, you can also use that to help in choosing hair color:

If you look good in warm shades like red, orange, golden yellow, cinnamon brown, olive green, and rust, then warm hair tones like golden blonde, golden brown, strawberry blonde, and auburn will suit you best.

Cool color favorites like bluish red, fuschia, black, royal blue, and pine green indicate that cool hair tones are best for you: platinum, ash blonde, ash brown, burgundy, and jet black.

If you look good in true red, purple, charcoal grey, periwinkle, and teal, then neutral tones like sandy or beige blonde, chocolate brown or mahogany will suit you.
4. How do I get ready to color my hair the first time?

It's a good idea to gather a few materials together before starting: an old T-shirt, a few old towels and a washcloth that you don't mind getting stained, some hair clips for sectioning your hair, a timer, and a hand mirror to see the back of your head.

5. If I color my hair at home and hate it, what can I do?

There are some home hair color products you can use to repair the damage, but it isn't easy. The problem is that if you used a home hair color kit to obtain a lighter color, your hair has been bleached and colored in a single process. So the color needs to be added back in a process called "filling" before using the final color formula. Whatever you do, don't simply buy a box of your original color and try to cover over a bad dye job... it won't work. Fixing hair color gone wrong is a multi-stage process so a trip to the salon may be in order.

6. I already have permed hair. Can I color it without damaging it?

If your hair has been permed or relaxed, color has to be applied carefully or it can weaken the structure of your hair. Salons have colors specially formulated for treated hair. But if you insist on home hair coloring, choose a shade darker than you want since processed hair may come out lighter than expected. Then do a strand test to make sure your hair can handle the chemical stress.

7. I love my new color... now how do I keep it looking good?

You'll probably want to recolor every four to six weeks. Make a record of the hair color product and shade you used, and how long you left it on the ends and the regrowth. Use shampoos and conditioners formulated for color-treated hair to prevent fading. Stay out of the sun and chlorinated pools. Hair that has been previously been bleached is prone to such effects and should be rinsed as soon as possible. Don't use heavy conditioners and oil treatments after coloring... they can lift the color.

Now go out and enjoy your new look and all the money you saved by doing it yourself!

Nancy Faizabadi is a professional hair stylist and the founder of http://www.short-hair-style.com where you can find free tips on short hair style and color ideas, hair color trends, hair products and much more. Whether your hair is fine, thick, curly, straight, processed, colored or in need of a new style, short-hair-style.com has a section for you.

More resources:

RELATED ARTICLES

7 Tips to Help You Avoid Buying a Destructive Soap or Cleanser if You Have a Skin Problem
Psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema, and any other skin problems are irritated very easily by most soaps. As a former psoriasis sufferer I would estimate I tried at least 30 different soaps hoping that would cure my psoriasis.

Safety With Essential Oils
Essential oils are highly fragrant, volatile oils that are extracted from the flowers, leaves and other parts of plants. Essential oils generally go by the name of the plant from which they were extracted.

Eczema: Tips On How To Care For Your Skin
Eczema can best be described as a non-contagious skin condition, which is characterized by hot dry itchy skin, with symptoms that often fluctuate seasonally and even over the course of the day. Eczema typically begins in early childhood.

The Evils of Tanning Beds
OK, so you've had a few days of steady rain, and going to the beach isn't an option. But you're starting to notice your pasty white skin, and you'd like to do something about it.

Botox Cosmetic Injection
Botox (botulinum toxin) is an extremely popular cosmetic procedure because it is a non-surgical way to reduce or eliminate frown lines, forehead creases, crows feet, neck bands and other wrinkles. It has fast results, is non-invasive and does not leave scars, but it also can wear off and should be re-injected, although the FDA recommends Botox not be re-injected more frequently than every three months.

Real Beauty Fitness
Fitness and beauty can be one and the same. Being fit and healthy will automatically make you look better.

Tanning Bed Pillows - A Great Addon to Your Tanning Bed Experience!
Remember the last time you were on a plain vanilla tanning bed trying hard to get a tan and feeling uncomfortable with the posture? Now you can say good bye to those times for tanning bed pillows are here!! With the use of quality tanning bed pillows, every experience will prove to be delightful, prove to be enjoyable and prove to be effective!!The concept of tanning bed pillows as an integral part of tanning bed supplies is a relatively recent phenomenon but which is spreading rapidly, more than matching the meteoric rise of the tanning bed itself. Along with tanning lotions, the tanning bed pillow completes the basic comprehensive set of tanning bed accessories that are needed to ensure productive tanning stints.

Is Cosmetic Surgery Right For You?
For many of us, we go through most of our lives paying minimal attention to our skin. Sure, we moisturize and hopefully use our SPF30 on a regular basis but pampering our skin on a daily basis is not practical for most people.

Human Hair Extensions Create Beautiful Long Hair Styles Instantly
As you glance across virtually every print medium such as newspapers, magazines and catalogs, there seems to be one thing in common as far as hair cut styles is concerned. The long hair cut style is everywhere.

Removing Unwanted Body Hair Permanently & Safely?
Both males and females have unwanted hairs in their body. Everybody wishes to be fresh and energetic.

Cosmetic Surgery - Vanity or Healthy Choice?
Cosmetic and plastic surgery has long been associated with vanity, but mounting evidence suggests that in many cases cosmetic surgery can offer substantial health benefits. Nose jobs can offer real health benefits in addition to improving the symmetry of the face.

The History Of Aviator Sunglasses
Have you ever wondered where those cool big lenses and signature frame originated from? Maybe you are a little curious as to how aviation shades have gotten so big in recent years?In this article I will discuss how "pilot glasses" began, as well as how they got where they are today. After reading this you may just decide on getting a pair for yourself!The shades we know today were first created way back in 1936 by none other than Ray Ban.

Create A Home Spa
Here are 10 personal little home spa tips that will make you look and feel like a million bucks!Squeeze in a few extra minutes to your every day self care time and you'll see how easily these step by step pampering recommendations will turn even the toughest days around. Or if you can negotiate a few minutes here and there from your day to get even more time?by all means? do it! Your family, friends and co-workers will meet a much happier, more chipper, fantastically refreshed you!In Preparation:First things, first.

Buying A Wholesale Tanning Bed
The tanning industry is showing no signs of stopping. If you ever wanted to open a tanning salon, now is the time to buy wholesale tanning beds.

Home Tanning Beds Are A Great Investment
If you're like many of us and just have to have that suntan whether it's August or January then you should seriously think about buying a home tanning bed. Home tanning beds are a great investment.

Important Facts You Must Know About Dandruff
Do you know that dandruff affects about 70% of the American population? Do you know that they spend $300,000,000 trying to get rid of it?Dandruff is the most widespread problem of the scalp! But you must understand that it is not contagious and it is not a disease! Dandruff can not threaten your life, but it often threatens your mental peace.Shedding of skin is a natural phenomenon.

Tummy Tuck - Cosmetic Surgery Procedure
A tummy tuck cosmetic surgery procedure will take about two to five hours, depending on the nature of the job. If you are only receiving a partial abdominoplasty it will probably only take between one to two hours.

Cheap Colored Contacts Non Perscription are Fun and Easy to Buy Online
The Internet has provided an ideal forum for discovering cheap colored contacts non perscription. This is an especially promising opportunity for those who know how to exercise caution online, and can distinguish a quality site and a good deal, from those that only appear to be offering something special.

Mini Dental Implants in the U.S.
The concept of mini dental implants is a revolutionary method for supporting replacement teeth that used very small titanium alloy implant screws that would function free standing or in combination with natural tooth supports. The concept was pioneered over 20 years ago by a Dr.

The Benefits of Human Hair Extensions
Several different types of hair extensions are available, including those made from human hair, animal hair, and synthetic fibers. Most experts agree that human hair extensions are the best and most natural looking.