If you’re ready for a change in hair color but a salon visit isn’t on the horizon, it’s time to explore the world of DIY hair coloring at home. Fortunately, home hair color options, like box dyes, have come a long way in recent years. Innovative formulas, such as Clairol Natural Instincts, can enhance your natural color, boost shine, and maintain the health of your hair.
Clairol Natural Instincts represents a significant leap in natural hair coloring. Comprising 80 percent naturally derived ingredients, including nourishing elements like coconut oil and aloe vera, it’s free from the usual culprits – no ammonia, no PPD, and no parabens. With this remarkable product in hand, you can confidently embrace bold, glossy, and irresistible color from the comfort of your home.
Now that you’ve selected your product, the next step is achieving professional-grade results. We consulted with award-winning colorist Belinda Jeffrey for her expert advice on how to master the art of DIY hair coloring at home. Here are her invaluable tips:
1. Choose the Right Scenario:
The ideal situation for home hair coloring is when you’re touching up your regrowth, covering grays, or transitioning to a shade that’s only two shades lighter or darker than your natural hair color. Major changes are best left to the professionals.
2. Clean or Dirty Hair?
For permanent color options like Clairol Nice’n Easy, it’s recommended to have slightly dirty hair. Natural oils on dirty hair can offer a protective barrier against scalp irritation or the chemicals found in permanent dyes, such as ammonia or peroxide.
3. Products on Your Hair?
If you use powders or sprays to blend grays, these can accumulate on your hair, creating a chalk-like texture. In such cases, consider washing your hair two days before applying the color at home.
4. Highlights or Balayage?
Techniques like highlights or balayage require specialized skills and should be left to the professionals for the best results.
5. Choosing the Right Color/Shade:
Stick to shades that are no more than two shades lighter or darker than your natural hair color. Straying beyond this range can lead to uneven results. Follow the instructions on the box and consult the color graph provided to ensure a compatible match with your natural color.
6. Proper Application:
Apply hair color in the bathroom and use old T-shirts and towels to simplify the process and avoid staining your clothes. Apply Vaseline along your hairline for a more natural look. Use the provided touch-up brush to mix and apply the color. When doing a touch-up, start at the roots and move through to the ends in the final five minutes. For a full-color application, begin at the roots and continue through to the ends. Don’t forget to use gloves, rinse off in the shower, and thoroughly remove any excess dye before shampooing and conditioning.
7. Semi-Permanent vs. Permanent Color:
Semi-permanent color, like Clairol Natural Instincts, washes out over four to six weeks, resulting in a natural blend and minimal regrowth. Permanent color penetrates the hair, providing longer-lasting results but with a more noticeable regrowth.
8. Ingredients to Look for and Avoid:
Avoid high levels of ammonia and anything exceeding two percent peroxide. Opt for products like Clairol Natural Instincts, which contains no ammonia, no animal-derived ingredients, and features an allergy-friendly formula.
With these expert insights, you can confidently embark on your home hair coloring journey, achieving salon-worthy results in the comfort of your own space.
