Ten Commandments of At Home Haircolouring

I just finished writing the "About Me" section of my blog and felt the need to come clean about calling myself a blonde. I am naturally a blonde, I was born a blonde, I mean REALLY blonde, in fact in the summer my hair would become white. Unfortunetly, as I have aged, it has become more of a dark blonde/light brown shade and very ashy, which I can't stand, so about ten years ago I started colouring my hair first exclusively in salons and later with DIY kits. I still go to the salon every three months for a cut and highlights (although for a while after my daughter 'Lil G was born I did the highlights myself as well, but more on that later). I have a long-standing interest in the art and skill of at-home beautification that started around the time I started Jr. High, as a young girl with a mother who NEVER wore ANY makeup, only cut her hair once per year and had zero sense of style, I had to figure out all of the "girly arts" on my own or with the help of my paternal grandmother and great-aunts. I have done a lot of reading about at-home haircolour over the years picking up tips and tricks along the way as well as reading a lot of testimonials from people who had not-so-great experiences with DIY colour. I would like to share with you all (if there are any of you) what I consider to be the Ten Commandments of Home Haircolouring:

1) THOU SHALT NOT TRY TO CHANGE CHESNUT TO PLATINUM: The number one reason for disasterous results when colouring one's own hair at home is not being realistic with what you can successfully accomplish in your own bathroom. It's in almost every article about at-home haircolouring, in order to avoid disaster you MUST stay within two shades of your natural hair colour. I know there is probably someone out there, maybe someone you know who is able to successfully change more than this, but the odds are worse than Vegas that it will be possible for you. So just follow this commandment, it's for your own good. When you go to the drugstore to pick out your colour or are on the brand websites, first identify your natural colour number using the pictures on their boxes (Be honest!) and then choose within the shades that are numbered between two levels darker or lighter. Example: if you are a natural level 6 you may choose between levels 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8.

2) THOU SHALT PERFORM A STRAND TEST: This is the number two reason women call their salon in tears. Performing a strand test is simple, fairly quick and will save you a lot of heartache and money you would need to pay to a salon for colour correction if you decide to experiment on your whole head without one and then don't like the results. The instructions for performing a strand test are on the instruction page in the box, there are also instructions for:

3) THOU SHALT PERFORM A SKIN TEST: While you have a sample of the colour mixture mixed-up to perform your strand test PLEASE also perform a skin reaction test to make sure you will not have a reaction to the product, remember we are dealing with chemicals here. The instructions for doing this can also be found on the instruction sheet in the box.

4) THOU SHALT READ AND FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS: Failing to do so is yet another reason why you find rants posted on the internet about at home haircolour. Please, please, please take the time to read everything it says on the outside of the box while you are in the store, even if you have coloured your hair before, this will help you to determine if the brand and colour you have in your hands will work for you. Look at the sides and back of the box, there are always pictures showing an approximation of what the colour result will be on different natural haircolours, this is what you should base your colour choice on, not the pretty face on the front. Very Important: If you do not see your natural colour represented in the results pictures this is NOT a shade that will give you good looking results. There should also be a note about what to expect if your hair has gray in it or if your hair has reddish tones. When you get home read through the instructions a couple of times until you fully understand them and keep them handy to read step-by-step as you are colouring. If you have any questions dial the brands 800 number (found on the box and instruction sheet) for answers before you begin.

5) THOU SHALT NOT COLOUR OVER COLOUR: If you currently have hair dye on any part of your hair do not attempt to use a boxed colour to colour over it, they are not formulated to do so. Choose the colour you wish to be using the recommendations above and then head to your salon to have them change your colour to the one you chose using salon strength products. Remember when you colour you hair the cuticle is opened and colour is deposited inside so if you try to use home haircolour to colour-over colour you will be essentially mixing two different colours within your hair shaft with unpredictable results at best. Also if you continually shade swap your hair will start to look dull and gunky, like you rubbed shoe polish cream in it. Once your colourist has changed your colour to the new one you have chosen, you can maintain it yourself by colouring your virgin regrowth (roots) with your chosen shade of at-home colour.

6) THOU SHALT SLEEP ON IT: Do not decide to change your hair colour on impulse, during or immediately after a major life change (example: break-up) and always wait 24 hours after you purchase your new colour to actually use it on yourself so you can me certain you are making the right choice for you. (You should be waiting 24 hours anyway for your skin test to develop). Remember you are choosing to alter the picture frame around your face.

7) THOU SHALT DO IT DIRTY: Do not wash your hair for preferably two days minimum before colouring your hair, the natural oils will help protect both your hair and scalp from the colouring chemicals. Just give it a thorough brushiing before you begin.

8) THOU SHALT BE PREPARED: Make sure both you and your bathroom are ready for colouring, protect your work area both counter and floor with newspaper, old sheets, or towels before you begin, also protect yourself and clothes by wearing a cape or old clothes while colouring. Also handy to have are paper towels or rags for wiping up drips or spills on you or your sink. Lastly remember colour removes colour on surfaces, it doesn't sound logical but it works, if you get a little colour on yourself or somewhere else that doesn't wipe away dab a little of your colour on a cloth or paper towel and use this to remove the wayward product.

9) THOU SHALT USE THE RIGHT TOOLS FOR THE JOB: While your initial colouring job will be easy to do using the tools that come in the box, the vast majority of your colouring experiences are going to be regrowth (root) touch-ups every 4-6 weeks or so and they can be made easier by emptying the contents of the colouring bottle into a glass or plastic container (NEVER use metal anything anywhere near hair colour) and using a colourists brush (found where you buy colour) to apply the colour mixture to only the regrowth. A rat-tail comb is helpful for parting hair if your colouring brush doesn't have a pointed handle and plastic hair clips can help you manage your hair as you colour.

10) THOU SHALT WATCH THE CLOCK: Not following timing instructions exactly can cause damage to your hair and unwanted results with your colour, this is especially true with the new foam-type and fast-processing type hair colours because even a minute too long can cause a different shade result.

My personal hair colouring regime is: L'Oreal Superior Preference shade# 18 - Medium Ash Blonde (I never use anything else but L'Oreal Superior Preference it is in my opinion far superior.) When I did do my own highlights at home (I stopped because my hair is very thick and I like a lot of highlights, which got to be too much for me find and touch-up) I used L'Oreal Touch-On Highlights in #H90 - Iced Champagne, I love the finger tool it comes with and the results it gives without a cap and hook.