How to dye your hair at home without hair damage

Successful DIY's are nothing but fulfilling. DIY hair coloring jobs aren't an exception. But as exciting as it can be, impulsively jumping right into it without the necessary knowledge may be detrimental to your natural hair.

That’s why we’ve prepared the ultimate guide showing how to dye your hair at home with zero hair damage and 100% obsession!

Can I dye my natural hair at home?

Of course you can! From Afro Kinky to Wavy hair, dyeing your hair at home without expert supervision is very possible. But just as hair care differs between hair types, hair dyes are accepted differently too. For example, kinky curly hair processes dye faster than wavy hair in terms of color penetration.

We also advise that if you just permed or relaxed your natural hair, you should wait a week or more before dyeing it. Since perming, Relaxing and Dyeing your hair are all processes that restructure your hair strand chemically or physically, adding another process on top of newly processed hair can put your hair at risk of extreme damage. 

TOOLS NEEDED TO DYE YOUR HAIR AT HOME

What do you need to ensure a stress-free DIY hair dye session?

• Shower cap to protect your skin from any leaky hair dye, since semi-permanent and permanent hair dyes are known to stain the skin for a few days if it comes in contact with it.
• Protective gloves (the more the merrier) to protect your hands from staining 
• Bowl and spatula to pour your hair dye into 

NT: do not pour your hair dye directly onto your  hair. Section your hair evenly then apply from across with a bowl using a brush.

• Tinting brush
• Clips for sectioning
• Toothbrush ( for highlights if desired)

And the most important tool of all,

• The Hair dye of your choice (Ie Temporary hair dye or permanent dyes) It’s better to have more dye with you than less. Imagine running out of your color mid-dye (yikes!)

Choosing the right brand of hair dye is a delicate process and you will have to answer three major questions: what hair color to use, what brand is best, and what type of hair dye to use.

What type of hair dye should I use to color my hair?

Permanent dyes ? Semi-permanent? temporary hair dyes? Which one!?

Hair colors differ in how much (if at all) they penetrate through the hair's protein layer. Permanent hair dyes penetrate deep within the hair strands to deposit it's oxidative color, therefore leaving a permanent change in the chemical makeup of the hair strands while semi permanent and demi-permanent hair dye cause color change by majorly coating the surface of the cuticle. Although it contains low amounts of peroxide which may potentially cause harm to your hair in the long run, it's still a safer alternative to permanent dye if doing it yourself at home. Demi-permanent hair dyes require a developer to work and is the best alternative if you’re considering coloring your grey hairs.

For anxious beginners, hair makeup like the ones at Curlfit, coat your hair strands without opening them up, this makes it the safest choice  since they’re non-damaging and just like makeup for your hair.

And while semi or Demi permanent hair dyes require 10-20 washes to go off, Curlfit hair makeup only require a single wash so you can change your hair color as many times as you want in a week without damage!

We suggest considering permanent hair dyes as a last resort if you’re considering dyeing your hair at home since it carries too many risks and like the famous quote goes- “prevention is better than cure”

What brand of hair dye should I use?

90% of the time, over the counter hair dyes a.k.a box dyes, are used for at-home coloring jobs and quite a good number of brands use high amounts of ammonia, MEA and metallic salts in their formulas. The safest box dye for your hair requires extensive research and trusted reviews.

What color should I dye my hair?

If you're using semi-permanent dye, we suggest you pick a color three shades darker or lighter than your natural hair pigment and it should resonate perfectly with your overall aesthetic. As tempting as it can be, selecting a color far away from your natural tone requires several processes that are best done by a professional stylist. Your hair may come out greenish, orangish or blotchy in appearance.

And nobody wants that :/

If you're still unsure, feel free to take this quiz evaluated by color experts to find the right hair color for you 

Coloring your hair with semi-permanent or demi-permanent hair dye:

STEP 1 PREP YOUR HAIR A WEEK PRIOR

Coloring your hair while it's a little dirty can protect your hair strands from excessive damage. The natural oils stripped from your hair by shampooing serves as a barrier against the harsh effects of the dye.

We advise washing your hair three days before you color your hair and ensure it's dry to prevent water in the hair strands from diluting the hair dye.

STEP 2 : DO A SKIN PATCH TEST AND A HAIR STRAND TEST

The result of your hair dye will depend on your natural hair color and your hair texture. Remember, not all box dyes are specialized. For instance most will instruct you to leave the color on for 30 mins, which is suitable for wavy hair, but it may be too long for kinky curly hair.

To do a strand test, apply your color on a small section of your hair and scalp that’s hidden (just incase something goes wrong). Observe how your skin reacts with the dye and the end results. This will help you adjust your timing to favor your hair type.

When it comes to semi permanent dye, specialization is key to acquire your healthiest and desired end result.

STEP 3 : APPLY THE HAIR DYE ON YOUR HAIR

Your tools are In Front of you, your dye in a bowl, gloves on and you're ready to go. When dyeing your whole head, apply the dye an inch away from your roots and continue down the mid-length of your hair. Then go back to the roots and apply more dye there. The heat produced from your scalp makes the dye develop faster at the roots. So to ensure an even color and texture, it's best to apply it this way.

NOTE: Do not mix your hair dyes for a custom color 

STEP 4: WEAR A SHOWER CAP AND WAIT

From the patch test, you should have determined the right time (how many minutes you would have to wait depending on your hair status). Wear a shower cap while you wait, to avoid any dye dripping down your skin.

 After, rinse the dye off till the water becomes clear and leave your hair to dry a little.

STEP 5:  INTRODUCE MOISTURE AND SOOTHE YOUR SCALP WITH A LEAVE-IN CONDITIONER AND A HAIR OIL.

 Your scalp may be sensitive at this point and your hair strands may lose moisture as well. Introduce moisture and soothe your scalp with a leave-in conditioner and a hair oil

DOING HIGHLIGHTS AT HOME

Highlights give your hair dimension and a natural appearance, especially if it's done well. Get a shade brighter than your hair color and use a toothbrush to gently brush down the parts of your hair you would like the highlights to appear. 

If you remember in our blog post on damage, adding semi-permanent dye on top of semi-permanent dye can be very detrimental to your natural hair. Instead of using semi-permanent hair color, we suggest you explore other safer options like Curlfit color wax.

Curlfit's formula is designed without harmful chemicals like metallic salts, ammonia or peroxide, to coat the outer protein layer of the hair. This makes it non-damaging and puts your natural hair in the safe zone- zero risks involved.

NOTE ABOUT BLEACHING, PASTEL COLORS AND OMBRE

If you intend to use demi-permanent or semi-permanent dyes, we advise to leave bleaching, ombre and pastel colors to a professional stylist when you can. Pastel colors require multiple lightening processes and a good number of products to achieve the desired result- same thing goes for bleaching. To minimize the risk of chemical damage and a blotchy appearance, save major hair color changes for the salon( a shade way lighter or darker than your natural hair pigment that requires bleaching). If this is your first time, sticking to simple processes like single coloring or root covering is best.

CONCLUSION

 Now, you have the knowledge necessary to be your own hair colourist-most importantly in the comfort of your own home! Just remember that every major change takes time to get used to. So don't mind the weird eyes, just be confident because you look amazing. And that is key to absolutely adore your new look.