Be a Hair Color Expert at Home

Going to the hair salon, to get your hair colored, can be so expensive, money that could be better spent on other things, like shoes. Why not color your own hair at home or at a friend's house?

Coloring your own hair is not rocket science and you don't need to be a rocket scientist to do it. In fact, hair coloring is easier than getting a hair cut and yet costs a whole lot more.

There are a few things to know about coloring hair, but none of them are difficult to understand.

First fact is that hair holds all bi-products of the things that go into the body. That is why hair strands are tested for drugs and some other medical conditions. Taking certain medications can cause a reaction with the hair color. Anesthesia from a current surgery can cause a chemical reaction with the dyes in the hair color. Hormonal or thyroid condition can cause a different reaction with the hair dyes. Even your hairdresser, could deny you hair color service under certain medical conditions.

The condition of you hair prior to putting any chemical on your hair can cause a reaction. If you have very hard water, chances are that it would be difficult for certain dyes to penetrate the hair shaft. Hard water hardens on the hair shaft and needs to be removed prior to getting your hair colored, same with chlorine from pools and spas. Iron deposits in the water also seem to affect the out come of certain colors. It would be recommended to try and treat the hair as well with a clarifier that strips the hair of harmful chemicals before coloring.

Hair color is a chemical. Always do a patch test before applying any chemicals to the skin. Many people are allergic to the dyes in hair color. An allergic reaction to hair coloring can be very serious. So, color with caution.

Hair color will never lift hair color. If you should dye your hair one color and six weeks down the road you decide to dye your hair another color, you are headed for disaster. The only way to pop the old hair color off is to get a special product for lifting hair dyes. These products are available to the general public at beauty supply houses. Do not fool yourself in believing bleach will lift these hair dyes, it will not. You have to have the special hair color stripper, even if you are going from a light hair color dye to a dark hair color dye. The mix of the two different dyes can cause an undesired effect.

Lastly, if you are using any henna products, sun in or artificial sun lightening products, these usually have metallic dyes in them. There is no way to strip out metallic dyes out of the hair. If regular hair color is applied over a metallic dye, the hair could turn to mush and disintegrate. Always read the label of previous hair chemical applications to determine what if any dyes were in the product. Even some of the men's hair color products, have metallic dyes in them. Be cautious when applying different chemical treatments on previously treated hair.

That is about all you need to know as far as coloring your own hair at home. Most of the hair color products in the general market place are fairly good. Hair dye is hair dye; it is all in knowing how to do the preparation prior to coloring the hair.

Doing the actual hair coloring is pretty basic, as far as the basics. Always read the instructions on the box before starting the application and follow its instructions.

There you have it all. For under $10 you can be a hair color expert. Save yourself $50 and up every six weeks, when it is time for those touch ups.