D.I.Y COLOURING

No need to book an appointment at the salon! It is now

possible to achieve and maintain a fabulous hair colour at home

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Extra tip: Before dyeing, an allergy test needs to be done using only a sparing amount of colour mix behind the ear and waiting 48 hours for any reaction.

You are begging for a change but even you do not know what you want. A good option is to experiment with the Hair Color by ModiFace (available for Apple iPhone iPod touch & iPad users in iTunes) app, first. This unique and realistic simulator allows you, with just a ‘photo upload’, to anticipate how you look with your desired colour. Remember that the appropriate tone should emphasize the colour of your eyes, warm your skin tone and fit with your personality. Once you are convinced you can purchase your kit.

PREPARE

Extra tip: Dyeing hair at home is like following a recipe so read all the instructions carefully before beginning and make sure you have everything on hand.

Colouring at home does not begin right when you open the packet. Natural oils act as a cushion to prevent irritation, so on that day, the dirtier your hair, the better it is! This is also makes it easier to section your hair, which ensures even colour distribution. For a great result, before your last shampoo bombard your hair with nutrients your hair needs to avoid dryness. A moisturizing mask like Alfaparf Cioccolato is ideal because it intensely nourishes weak and brittle hair.

FIND THE RIGHT PRODUCT

If you feel traditional colouring is too complex, you may need a foam version. The advantage of mousse formulas is that they don’t drip onto your face or hairline and suit very sensitive skin or skin that stains easily. Now, if you have a lot of gray hair, or your hair is super thick or curly you will get better results with classic cream formulas that provide full coverage and efficiently distribute throughout the hair. And an extremely important point: always buy two boxes. You don’t want to run out of colour in the middle of the process.

BLEACH

You must know that if you want a radical change, you have to discolour your hair completely. Otherwise, especially when it comes to light colours, the tone will set only at the root, while you will barely notice any change in the rest of your hair. Hence, use a quality bleaching powder (professional) with 30 or 40 volumes of hydrogen peroxide. It is difficult to give an average time for application because some women are more resistant to this mixture than others because their hair has low porosity. Sit pretty, ask someone to check the evolution every 3 or 4 minutes and wait for blonde hair to appear.

CARE

Each month you will have to touch up the roots but inevitably, after three or four months the wonderful reflections on the tips will reduce so if you want to maintain a rich colour you must re-dye it completely. I assure you that steadily hydrated hair, grabs the colour more evenly and the shine lasts up to seven or eight months. Before washing with an adapted shampoo, once a week prepare a homemade treatment that actually works by mixing a tablespoon of vinegar, a tablespoon of glycerin, a teaspoon of olive oil and two eggs. Spread the mixture on your hair evenly and leave it for half an hour.

Extra tip: Retouch every four weeks and add a reminder on your mobile.

GO CRAZY

At some stage, there are certain trends a woman feels she must try, at least once in her life, to experience a sense of fun. This can be done with highlights or temporarily colouring the tips. If you are bold, go for a wild Ombré, which consists of lightening only the ends to create an instant ‘dark-light effect’. It is high fashion and adds light and contrast to your hair colour. L’Oréal Paris Excellence Wild Ombré is a product with a patented brush to help you apply colour easily on the ends.

Extra tip: If you always wear bright and printed clothes go for subtle highlights to balance your appearance and not look too busy.

PROTECT

Once dyed, the challenge is to protect your hair from different external aggressors. Unfortunately the number one enemy is the most common: water. Water causes pigment dilution or in simpler words, a colour washout. Dyed hair should be washed as little as possible with warm water. If you live in an area above sea level, or rather where temperatures rise easily, you will have to add, to your daily routine, a UV filter to prevent oxidation of the dye caused by UV rays.

LIGHTEN THE TONE

Extra tip: If you want a subtle change, try a light colour close to yours with a different reflective tone.

Too dark! You trusted the colour displayed on the box and now you are desperate. In this case there is an easy and inexpensive remedy. You just have to make a mask with your usual conditioner and lemon juice. Wrap hair in a towel and leave it on for 20 minutes. Brush with a comb and leave the formula for another 10 minutes for best results.

MAINTAIN

Extra tip: If the colour you chose is very different from your eyebrows, tint them too by leaving dye on them for 10 minutes.

Now that you have the colour of your dreams do not drop your guard and use a shampoo with colour. These products come with added pigments to match the tone of your hair growth. They ensure uniformity in the fading of roots and half rusty spikes. Revlon Professional is the king of colour maintenance, so buy 45 Days Total Colour Care, the first 2in1 shampoo and conditioner that is specifically formulated to meet the needs of each hair colour shade.

STOP IT FROM FADING

By exposing dyed hair to sulfates and silicones it will be bleached and oxidized. Before applying any spray, gel, mousse or whatever is in your bathroom, have a look at the ingredients and review that they are free of these chemicals. If the damage is already done you can be sure that your hair is lacking in lipids and is hyper sensitive and dry. Rescue it with Wella Professionals Brilliance. This formula provides antioxidant actions that protect the keratin.