(Photo: Tristan Fewings / Stringer)
Dye your hair safely at home with these pro tips.

Trips to the barber or salon may be a regular thing for a lot men and women, but lately, many opt to stay at home for healthy and safety reasons. While a lot of us have attempted to cut our own hair —thanks to YouTube tutorials — many still prefer leaving dye jobs to professionals and with good reason. Who wants to end up with orange hair, even if you mostly stay at home? However, we have compiled a list of pro tips so you can safely dye your hair at home.

Tools of the Trade

The first step to is to gather the things you need for this DIY project:

• Hair color
• Dye brush and mixing bowl
• Mirror
• Disposable gloves
• Lip balm, petroleum jelly or cold cream
• Barber's cape or old button-up shirt
• Shower cap
• Toothbrush or mascara wand

Also Read: Color-Changing Hair Dye Is The Next Big Thing

No Stylist, No Problem

Once you have chosen your hair color, buy at least two boxes so you do not run out of dye. In choosing a hair color, stylists would usually advise you to choose either two shades lighter or two shades darker than your own. L'oreal and Revlon are drugstore brands that are affordable and have a wide range of options for coloring at home. Glamour Magazine has also recognized Clairol's Natural Instincts line in 2019. If possible, chose hair dye that is free from ammonia to lessen hair damage.

Before you start the dyeing process, Marie Clare suggests doing a skin patch test and a hair strand test. The former is to make sure you are not allergic to any ingredient and the latter is to check if you are happy with the color that you bought. Mix a small amount of dye and color activator and apply behind your ear, then apply some to a strand of hair. Wait for a day or two. If there are no adverse reactions, you are ready to proceed.

As Good Housekeeping shares, spread a thin layer of lip balm along your hairline and on your ears to avoid staining your skin. Just make sure not to include any hair. You can also use petroleum jelly or cold cream.

Once your face is prepped, don your cape or old shirt to avoid staining your clothes and wear your gloves. Note that hair should be dry before dyeing. Follow the instructions that can be found inside the boxed dye and apply dye evenly on hair. According to Marie Clare, the trick is to divide your hair into four sections. Part it evenly in the middle, then divide again crosswise using your ears as your guide. Apply carefully from your roots to the tips then set your timer. It usually takes between 30 to 40 minutes for the dye to saturate your hair. Rinse with the special shampoo or conditioner that usually comes with the hair dye.

Aftercare

To maintain your new hair color, avoid shampooing your hair too often and opt to co-wash. This simply means to wash your hair using only conditioner. If this method causes your scalp to itch, use sulfate-free shampoo to avoid color fading. If you are happy with the results and want to try another color, wait for at least a couple of months to avoid drying out your hair. Good luck and have fun!

Related Article: How Toxic is Your Hair Salon? 3 Scary Salon Waste Facts