Take a section. If you're dyeing your whole head, and it doesn't already contain any colourant, dye the mid-length and ends of your hair first – hair at the roots will take colour much quicker, so leaving that until last will give your final style a more even colour.
The reason for this is that the root part always processes faster because it gets the heat from the scalp. So for long hair, where a lot of time gets taken up in the actual color application, color the root area last. Watch carefully. Then rinse when the root area has lifted to where you want it to be.
Going section by section, apply your color at the roots first, and then comb it through the rest of your strands with a comb. We love PINK PEWTER'S "Never Let Go" Carbon Fibre Color and Styling Comb for its cool, innovative design that makes it super easy to use, especially when doing your own at-home hair color.
The answer to this age-old question requires considering many factors. But the short answer is about every 4 to 8 weeks to touch up the roots from an overall hair coloring job.
For most people who have never colored their own hair themselves, it seems logical to color all of your hair. However, unless your hair has never been colored before, you should not pull permanent color through to the ends of your hair. This is because the mid-lengths and ends of your hair are more porous.
Many box dye formulas also contain ammonia, a chemical that can damage strands and cause them to be dry and brittle. Professional hair color formulas are often made without ammonia to ensure that hair isn't damaged during the coloring process.
For any hair type that receives a hair color treatment, it is best to wait at least 72 hours before washing your hair. This way, hair cuticles can have more time to seal in color and prevent it from bleeding out or washing out too quickly.
Because 1-2 days unwashed hair has a protective barrier on the scalp - it means there's less chance of any irritation and color pigment is better deposited. Also, just before dyeing, avoid using styling products (dry shampoo, hair spray, gels etc.). And blondies beware of silver shampoo.
For shorter hairstyles like a blunt pixie or a lob, it can be easier to dye your hair before you cut it all off. Removing length means there's a lot less to work with and we can section hair for color easier. The shorter you go, makes sectioning more challenging.
Because you shouldn't wash your hair before getting a color treatment, Papanikolas says that most salons do the color before the cut. “If you are only doing a slight trim, it's not a big issue, but if you plan to do a major cut it's best to do them on separate days,” he says.
Your roots are lighter than your ends
This is because the strands you've dyed before are more porous than fresh hair and quicker to absorb color molecules.
With slightly darker root shades, your thin hair appears to have more volume.
It's always a good idea to give your roots the most time to absorb color—say about a 20-minute head start from the rest of your hair. After that, you can gently comb the hair color down your hair, adding more color to your mid-lengths and then finally to the ends.
It may not feel like it, but your scalp is always a bit warm, so when you are coloring your hair, the heat from your scalp can cause your roots to respond faster to hair color than the mid-lengths and ends.
Use box dye to DIY your root-touchup
But if you are colouring your hair at home for the first time, it's important that you do a patch test behind your ear to check for any allergies. “Unlike professional colour, box colour kits are extra pigmented so you need to pick your shade carefully.
Hair dye is filled with chemicals that can burn your skin. Dye your hair with a hair coloring brush without touching your scalp. The brush allows you to apply dye to small sections of your hair, starting with the roots and working your way down to the bottom of each section.
Most people do retouch roots every 4 to 6 weeks, and it's a good rule of thumb to make sure you don't go more than 8 weeks between sessions. This is because you want to make sure that your roots don't get any longer than an inch, and according to All Things Hair, hair grows about half an inch every month.
DON'T: Wash Your Hair the Next Day
"I recommend clients give their hair two to three days to let their new color truly set in," says Pineda. While washing your hair the next day doesn't necessarily do any harm to your hair or color, waiting it out may offer an added boost for longer hold.
Shampooing the day after you dye your hair.
It's one of the most common mistakes, and one of the most costly. "After having your hair colored, wait a full 72 hours before shampooing," says Eva Scrivo, a hairstylist in New York City.
A: Yes, salons typically use shampoo after dyeing hair. Shampoo helps to remove any excess dye and ensure that the hair is thoroughly cleansed. Also, many dyes require a special shampoo to be used afterwards to help maintain the color and keep the hair healthy.
The main reason some hairdressers hate box dyes is because particular formulas might be too harsh for your hair, but also because the application of hair colour by anyone other than a professional has its own issues.
Reasons why hairdressers hate box dye is that it usually contains harsh chemicals which can easily cause damage, discolorations and irritation if used improperly. Some box dyes are known to contain low-grade ingredients that don't develop the same results as chemical-based products applied by a professional.