How I save $100s and dye my hair for $15!

I have dyed my hair for years. I got my first grey hair when I was 12. It wasn't a short little thing, it was a long hair that had been their for over a year, I just didn't notice it.  I managed to get away with pulling hairs out until my mid 20s, after that I experimented with henna, streaking and leaving it to see if that looked cool on a 26 year old. To be honest I don't think anyone really noticed the odd white hair except me!  But in my 30s my grandmothers Cruella De Vil white streak appeared as my red/brunette hair lost it's color.

That was it, I was destined to dye my hair for the rest of my life, or until all my hair turns white.  I think that would be sort of cool, but for now I am a strange calico mix and dye my hair every 4-6 weeks.

If you're going to dye your hair on your own you really need to find a dye that doesn't have ammonia.  In a beauty salon someone is catering to your every need and it is probably a large building that has a lot of air circulation.  In your home beauty salon, you're on your own and probably in a small bathroom that will very quickly fill up with noxious fumes. I use a no ammonia, no resorcinol, no paraben natural dye.  Don't assume that natural dyes won't work as well.  The one I use is permanent and covers 100% grey hair very well.

First and foremost, follow the instructions provided in the box of dye - my notes below are only  to accompany their instructions and make the experience a little bit easier and more pleasant.

The key to dying your own hair is preparation.  Preparation so you can work fast and not have the dye on your hair too long.  Preparation for when you need to keep your eyes closed.  And preparation so you don't accidentally dye something important.  You will need the following;

• Gloves - generally the ones provided with hair dyes are not very good, I would suggest you invest in a box of latex gloves - you can use one pair when applying dye and another when rinsing the dye off in the shower.
• Exfoliating sponge to scrub off any stray dye from your skin
• Old comb for parting your hair - I don't care how careful you are it will get covered in dye 
• Shower cap - if you travel the nice hotels always provide them, if you don't have one, an old plastic grocery bag will do the trick!
• Newspapers to cover your sink area and cabinets - use tape to keep it in place
• Old towels to put on the floor - you'd be amazed where the dye can fly
• Old bath robe to wear while you're waiting for the dye to develop - old because the shower cap may not stop dye from dripping on your shoulders

 I try and wear dark clothes so if any dye drips it doesn't matter.  Also bear in mind that after the dye has developed you're going to get in the shower - so wear clothes that are easy to remove, that don't need to go over your head.   That may seem very obvious, but believe me, it wasn't the first time I dyed my hair ;-)

Before I start I always put the conditioner from the hair dye pack and buff puff in the shower - there's nothing worse than trying to find that stuff after you have rinsed your hair and still need to keep your eyes tightly closed.

Okay, so you've done your prep, open the dye box and put the conditioner near the shower, check and see if the plastic bottle (that you mix and dispense the dye in) has a removable top or if you will need scissors to cut a hole after you have mixed the two solutions.  Okay, your ready, put your gloves on and mix the dye according to the instructions provided.

I part my hair down the middle and apply a long line of dye from my forehead to the back of my head.  I dab the dye so it covers the hair above and below the parting.  I then part my hair half an inch to the right of the last parting and do the same until I have covered one side of my head.  I then go back to the top and do the same for the left side. I try and keep my left hand on my head and feel where I make the parting, with my right hand I apply the dye and use my left hand and thumb to guide where I need to put the nozzle of dye bottle.

Once I have applied dye to all the root areas, I rub my head to squash the dye around and make sure I haven't missed any grey areas.  To make sure I add enough colorant, I squirt some of the remaining dye into my hand and draw it through my hair from scalp to hair tip and rub my hair again.  I do this on the right, left and back of my head and make sure I don't miss areas behind my ears and the back of my neck.

Finally I squeeze a line of dye round my hairline paying attention to the areas near my ears and temple, as they tend to have more grey. I smudge the dye in and check for any uncovered grey areas.  Next I wrap up my hair and shove it into a shower cap.  If you have thick hair use a hair band to keep your hair in place.  Remove your gloves, set your timer according to the instructions, put on your bathrobe and take it easy.

If you have had your hair dyed professionally before you will have an idea of how your hair takes to dye.  My hair is fine and soaks up dye very fast (being fine it also takes a perm fast), so I reduce the development time.  If you know how long your colorist leave your dye in, follow those guidelines, if you have no idea, follow the instructions; you can adjust the duration the next time you do your roots.

When your timer goes off, go directly back to the bathroom, do not pass go, do not collect $200.  Turn on the water in the shower to the correct temperature before you get in - you are going to have your eyes closed for the next 15 minutes so you won't be able to see the dial to adjust it. Immediately remove all clothing and get in the shower.  Remove your shower cap and bend over with your head down so the water washes from the back of your neck down to the top of your head and through your hair - do not open your eyes. Massage your hair with your hands for 5 minutes - do not open your eyes. Squeeze the water from your hair and keeping your eyes closed stand up straight and let the water hit your forehead and run down your head and back.  Stand there for another 5 minutes massaging your head and squeezing out the water. Before you open your eyes let the water run over your face and forehead hair line for a few minutes.  Next add the conditioner and leave it in for as long as directed - this can be as long as 10-15 minutes.  To pass the time, I get a soapy buff puff and scrub around my hairline, behind my ears and neck to remove any dye that dripped or was on my scalp during the development time and may have discolored my skin - if you do it now it will come off quite easily.  I also use this time to remove hair and use scrubby exfoliating brushes and creams....not only will you look great you'll feel great and your skin will also be very happy!

Finally, rinse out the conditioner, rinse out the bath and dry your hair using a dark towel, there shouldn't be too much dye left, but it's better to be safe than have brown streaked towels. 

Style hair and check for masking of Cruella DeVil streak :-)