Wedding Blog
Back in LA, I was used to go to the salon for coloring, highlights and a perm every 3-4 months. But living in New York with no job has left me unable to maintain my beauty expenses. Soo…. I had to resort to my high school habits of dying my hair from a box.
I’m not sure if any of you have done this before, but just in case, I’ll tell you how I typically do it. Here’s the brand that I used– the cheapest brand. For this time, I used L’oreal in medium golden brown.
Here’s my hair color before. It was almost like a reddish brown but my roots started to grow in like crazy, so I chose a dark brown color that would last me a longer time. Must keep in mind about hair color fading!
I heard it was best to dye your hair when it’s dirty, so I waited 2.5 days until my hair was nice and oily. Lovely, I know. 
First I brush out my hair, and then wear a black top that I can get dirty. Then I put a hole through a plastic bag and put my head through it. Hee hee, don’t you love my frugal tactics?? I did this so much during high school!
I separate my hair and make sure to smother my hair in the dye. It’s probably best to have someone help you get the back of your head just in case, but if you don’t really care (like me) then you should be fine doing it alone. Just remember… smother!!
Make sure its a nice foamy lather. For people who have long or really thick hair, I’d buy two boxes just in case. You can always use one, and if you realize you are out of dye, then you can open the 2nd box. If you don’t end up using it, you can return it or just save it for later. My hair is sooo thin that I was able to use just one box. But if you aren’t able to get a good lather like this, then your hair might not dye correctly.
I end by wrapping my hair in a bun and sealing my entire head with saran wrap. It helps keep it warm and moist, and I like to walk around while I’m waiting the 20-30 minutes. I typically use the maximum time it suggests, just in case. What a waste if you went through all this and saw that you wanted it darker or a richer color! Might as well go ahead and wait those extra 5 minutes.
When I wash my hair out, I get entirely in the shower and rinse out my hair first by putting my head under the faucet rather than letting all the chemicals run through my entire body. Mainly because… I don’t want chemicals running through my entire body. After a good rinse, I take a regular shower.
And in the end, I get a slightly darker shade.
Does anyone have any personal tips for dying your hair at home?
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I use the same product in 4W. :]
My tip would be to put conditioner around your hairline before coloring- it looks like you did fine, but I used to end up with dark brown ears. And sometimes forehead. :] The conditioner makes the color wipe off.
I bet with the down economy, more and more women are ditching their expensive salon treatments and going with at-home coloring. I also tried an at-home kit, figuring I’d get back to my salon for the 3 months before my wedding. So far, so good (and I’m saving about $100/month!)
@lily1223: I was just going to recommend using Vaseline for the same purpose.
My other recommendation is to also wear pants that you don’t care about (or really, to be no where near *anything* that you don’t want dye on). It doesn’t take much of a drip to ruin your favorite pair of pants or shoes.
And ditto to having two boxes on hand. If you only need one, you have one for later. But it’s not like you can run out to the store once you get started!
FYI- to future Hair Dyers:
I use to use the Hi-Lift Feria Downtown Brown color when i couldn’t afford hilights and although I loved the color when I fist did it, it was quite the upkeep and each time I used it it made my hair lighter and lighter and eventually it turned my hair a hideaous blonde color instead of the light brown color. It has taken me a LONG LONG time to get it back to normal. I don’t suggest using the hi-lift products for an extended amount of time!
I know that Probably wasn’t exactly the advice you were all looking for, but if i can help prevent a hair disaster, then I have done my job!
My suggestion is to not use the dye that is supposed to wash out. It doesn’t always wash out evenly or it can leave behind a color you didn’t want (like green or purple). Better to go with the permanent coloring. Also, know how your hair reacts to certain colors. For example, my hair turns orange whenever golden tones are involved so I steer clear of those. I’ve used several boxed dye kits and have been pretty happy with the L’oreal lines.
This isn’t a tip so much for at home hair dyeing, but for saving money on salon habits. Look for a local beauty school and see if they charge less for your favorite treatments. Being in NYC I am a bit spoiled by the fact the the Aveda Institute is directly below my building, on Spring Street. You can get a 1 color process there for as little as $40.00, last time I checked. They are students so of course you must know what you want and be able to give them a clear idea, but everything they do has to be approved by one of their professional teachers. I’ve gone many times and I have never seen a woman walk out of the place looking worse than she did when she walked in the door. Check out Aveda’s website for more information!
i regularly dye my hair from a box, and have had everything from all different kinds of reds and browns to a summer of blonde (!)
i have very healthy/shiny hair and don’t ever really blow dry or straighten it (i use a wave iron on special occasions… but that’s all for heat treatments for me), so my constant dying (even the bleach) hasn’t hurt my hair, but i definitely suggest buying the brands/boxes that come with the multi-use after-dye conditioner. that conditioner works wonders, and they give you enough to use it once a week for six weeks.
also, i use shampoo and conditioner made specially for color treated hair.
Great tips ladies, and Desi I agree with you totally!! I always dye my hair out of a box, but i plan on getting my hair done at the Fila Academy about 20 mins from my house. My sister went there to get her hair done for her prom this past May (almost exactly how I plan on doing by hair for the wedding) and she only paid $35 including tip and she’s got long thick hair just like me! You can’t beat the price and those students work really hard to make sure you look great. They usually want to take pics so they can add it to their portfolio, so they def don’t want to do a bad job!
melodicsighs1 makes the most excellent point that I was going to make - invest in colorsafe shampoo after an at-home dye.
I’ve been dying my hair various shades of red for years now, and it’s always bothered me that the shade will go from deep auburn to almost orange in a matter of days using regular shampoo. Finally I bought the Suave brand colorsafe shampoo at all of $1.97 (if that), and the difference is night and day.
My second piece of advice: Herbal Essenses smells better than most brands, but in my experience the color runs out immediately. It’s worth suffering the smells of Feria to get a color that really stays in your hair. Suck it up and switch on the exhaust fan!
I use the Revlon boxes that are $2.97 (price may vary but I’m pretty sure they are the cheapest you’ll find) and while I have experimented a bit to get the color I want, I’ve been pretty satisfied. It would be easier to get a friend to help make sure you’ve saturated every strand but I am usually too impatient and most of my friends and family fear ruining my hair. The great thing is if I miss a spot it’s only $3 to redo and if you have longer hair and need a second box it’s still super cheap. I have fairly short hair but I’d say if you are near shoulder length or longer you should get 2 boxes.
When I lived in Louisiana, I would use the garden hose outside to do my initial rinse and then take a shower. Yeah, it was cold water but in the summer in Louisiana it doesn’t matter. (I don’t like chemical stuff running over my body either, Mrs. Caramel)
I used the same kind of hair dye but in 6C. I have really cool features and hate when my hair gets brassy. The C series is really great at minimizing the gold tones.
just curious if you tried using box dye to get a light brown/blonde shade? i’m asian and get my hair done at the salon and it’s getting to be too much $. i was thinking about a light brown shade (home kit) that i can try. any suggestions? thanks!
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Mrs. Caramel, Los Angeles
Age and Occupation: 24, Art Gallery/Museums
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Engineer
Engagement Date: January 8, 2007
Wedding Date: October 6, 2007
Venue: a beautiful church and hotel reception
About Me: I love dancing, singing, eating out, eating in, surfing on the net, and brainstorming fantastic ideas. I also love cats, coffee, and know every quote written on Sex & the City. I'm known to laugh really loud and have really crazy hand gestures while I talk. My fiance writes songs and I take pictures. What else? We're just a crazy young couple in love, trying to make a fabulous wedding!
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