Are you feeling a bit bored with your hair and fancy a change? Maybe you want to try something different, but don’t want to change the style or the length? Here’s our top tips:
One of the quickest ways to switch things up a bit, is by changing your hair colour. And the good news is, you can do it yourself at home and save yourself time and money in the process!
Which hair dye is best?
Rather than choosing a shade that you happen to like and then applying it to your hair, it’s important you consider the overall ‘hair picture.’ I.e. will the colour that looks great on the model on the front of the box look the same on you? Will the shade suit your skin tone in reality?
Warm skin tones = warm hair hues
Warm hair colours tend to work well with warm skin tones. If you’re looking to go blonde, then make sure it’s more of a golden beige and buttery blonde. And if you’re itching to go brown, then make sure it’s more of a caramel or butterscotch shade. As for red, stick to golden copper colours.1
Cool skin tones = cool hair hues
On the other end of the spectrum, cool skin tones go together with cool hair colours. Platinum, beige blonde and baby taupe blonde are among the best blonde shades for cool skin tones. If you want to go brunette, then stick to dark chocolate and espresso-type colours. As for red, it’s perfectly do-able, but it needs to be cool red, e.g. merlot, burgundy or subtle shades of mocha.2
Neutral skin tones = hundreds of hair hues!
If your skin has neutral undertones, then you’re in for a treat, as you’re most likely to be able to pull off most hair colours! Pretty much any shade of blonde – from pale beige to amber blonde – will suit you. So too will most shades of brown and red – let the hair colour experimenting begin!3
When it comes to deciding which hair dye is best, it’s always worth doing some research on the ingredients.
This is because some hair dyes can contain irritants and chemicals that can negatively impact our body – e.g. this means we can have allergic reactions to hair dye – so it’s always worth spending a minute to check the ingredients list in the small print. As a general rule of thumb, try to clear steer of p-Phenylenediamine, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and lead acetate. (For more on these hair dye ‘nasties’ and some kinder alternatives read,
Still not sure about which colour to choose?
We hear you. If only we could just click our fingers and have the hair colour of our dreams….For some of us, changing shade is more of a transitional thing, especially if we’re going from dark to light or vice versa.
Two top tips for you:
- Try to stay within two shades lighter or darker than your current colour to achieve an end result that’s between your natural colour and the colour on your hair dye box4
- You can dye your hair when it’s wet. In fact, doing it this way means you’ll lose less dye and get more even results5
| Original shade | New shade | Difficulty |
| Black | Platinum | High6 |
| Black | Brown | Medium7 |
| Blonde | Brunette | Low8 |
| Blonde | Red | Low9 |
| Red | Dark/brown black | Low10 |
| Red | Blonde | High11 |
How to dye your own hair
Here’s our 5 easy steps to dying your own hair:12
STEP 1. Select a hair dye that’s suitable for you
Once you’ve decided on your shade and checked the ingredients, spend some time thinking about if you want a temporary or permanent colour change.
STEP 2. Patch test the hair dye
As we mentioned a bit further up, the certain ingredients may mean you wind up having a reaction to hair dye. Always carry out a patch test 48 hours beforehand.
STEP 3. Brush your hair and section it into four
Separate your hair it into four equal parts (two at the back and two at the front). This will make application much easier and allow you to measure out the dye properly.
STEP 4. Apply the dye evenly and in the right places
If you’re colouring all of your hair, make sure you go right from the roots to the tips. If you’re just doing your roots, you only need to apply the dye there. Then, leave it to take.
STEP 5. Rinse off the dye and condition your hair
Wash the dye out until the water runs clear and condition your hair. Ta-dah, all done!
Shop Hair Colouring
Last updated: 9 July 2020
Sources
1 https://www.bustle.com/articles/88388-how-to-choose-the-right-hair-color-for-your-skin-tone-and-how-to
2 https://www.bustle.com/articles/88388-how-to-choose-the-right-hair-color-for-your-skin-tone-and-how-to
3 https://www.bustle.com/articles/88388-how-to-choose-the-right-hair-color-for-your-skin-tone-and-how-to
4 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/hair/g2754/haircolor-hacks-at-home/
5 https://www.totalbeauty.com/content/blog/can-you-dye-wet-hair-tbk-170822
6 https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/hair/g2754/haircolor-hacks-at-home/
7 https://www.byrdie.com/dying-black-hair-brown#:~:text=If%20you%20have%20virgin%20black,turn%20brown%2C%22%20Lee%20explains.
8 https://www.bustle.com/articles/150230-7-fun-colors-to-dye-your-blonde-hair-if-youre-looking-for-a-change
9 https://www.bustle.com/articles/150230-7-fun-colors-to-dye-your-blonde-hair-if-youre-looking-for-a-change
10 https://oureverydaylife.com/how-to-darken-bright-red-hair-12600269.html
11 https://botoxcapilar.org/en/what-happens-if-you-put-blonde-dye-on-red-hair/#:~:text=If%20you%20use%20blonde%20dye,the%20color%2C%20not%20lightening%20it.
12 https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/beauty/how-to/how-to-dye-your-own-hair-6656
