Being stuck at home during quarantine means sacrificing your usual beauty routine and because many of us can’t leave the house to get our hair colored, we spoke to Deb Rosenberg, professional colorist and AVP of Education at Color& Co., who shared with HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, steps to maintaining your hair color while at home. “Coloring your own hair at home can sometimes be a frustrating experience, but it doesn’t have to be,” Deb revealed. You can follow her five guidelines to make it easy, below.
1. Keep your target simple and realistic.
“At home hair coloring can be a gratifying experience as long as expectations are realistic. When coloring at home, it’s best to stick to all-over color applications such as root touch-ups, gray coverage or overall shade changes. A good rule to follow for the best results at home is to stay within 2 levels of your natural shade. Natural hair and color-treated hair respond to hair coloring differently. Natural hair can be lightened with hair color and end results are generally more predictable. Previously color-treated hair cannot be lightened using hair color and results are less predictable. If you are already color-treated and are looking for a change, it’s best to discuss your options with a professional. Applying foils or adding highlights yourself can get tricky, and should be left to the pros. If you are new to color and are looking to try something new, consider an ammonia-free demi-permanent shade. Demi-permanent hair color is a great option for people who do not have a lot of gray or for people who want to go darker. Generally speaking, demi-permanent hair color fades out of the hair gradually with shampooing and does not create a strong line as the hair grows in. This is a great option for someone who wants something that requires low maintenance.
2. Properly assess your starting color and condition.
“People often misdiagnose their hair health when coloring themselves at home, thinking that it’s healthier than it really is. That’s important when it comes to color, because hair that is dry or weakened (porous) will accept dyes differently and at a different rate than healthy hair. As a general rule, hair that feels or looks dry, hair that has been previously colored or chemically treated (such as a perm or straightener), and long hair that is past the shoulders should be treated differently than the healthy hair that’s close to the scalp, the roots. Believing that each hair strand has even porosity from root to tip is the biggest mistake a person can make when coloring their own hair and will lead to uneven results. Other factors that can affect hair color include the hair’s texture, abundance, percentage of gray and starting level (how dark or light it is). Your lifestyle and your ability to keep it maintained can also be a driving factor in what shade you should choose. If you are not sure of how to properly assess your hair, we recommend consulting with a Color&Co colorist through our video-chat feature.”
3. Be prepared.
“Get ready to color your hair by exploring the contents of your kit first. Read the instructions at least once before your application and follow the link provided on every set of Color&Co instructions to watch a how-to tutorial. Make sure you have everything you will need at-hand during the process. Protect your work area with towels and wear an old shirt that comes off easily when it’s time to rinse.
“Protect your skin, hands, and scalp.
– Protect the skin around your hairline from staining with Color&Co Stain Block or with a petroleum-based product. Dry skin is prone to staining.
– Protect your hands and nails by wearing gloves.
– Reduce the possibility of scalp irritation by applying color to unwashed hair.
“If you don’t have to do the application yourself, don’t. Recruit a family member to help keep the color placement where it should be especially when trying to get to hard-to-reach spots like the back of the head. If you’re alone, try positioning yourself between two-mirrors or use the camera feature on your phone, propped up opposite your bathroom mirror, as a second mirror.
4. Be mindful of your application.
“Don’t pull the color through ends every time. If your hair is already color-treated, chances are you are looking to maintain what you have. Keep the color only where you need it, at the roots, and only refresh the ends if it’s absolutely necessary for the last 5-10 minutes. While it might be tempting to run the color through the ends every time, you could be causing more damage than you intend. The long-term consequences of doing this with every application are ends that get too dark, dry and damaged with a likelihood to fade prematurely. When dealing with hair that is porous, timing is key to coloring success. Color left on too long can create ends that are too dark, and color rinsed off too fast can fade quickly. Always follow the recommended instructions you receive for timing, and if you have doubts test a strand of hair before rinsing. Use an old towel and pull a small section of hair from the back or side of the head and gently wipe the color off. Do this every 5 minutes to avoid under or over processing.
5. Take care of your color-treated hair.
“Develop a haircare routine. Avoid wetting your hair every day if you don’t have to. Consider using a dry shampoo at the roots on off days. When you do shampoo, use a sulfate-free shampoo such as Color&Co Respect Sulfate-Free Shampoo to keep color-treated hair looking fresh and shiny between color applications. During the week use a detangling conditioner such as Color&Co Flow Lightweight Conditioner. Focus the application on the ends to maintain volume at the roots and keep a healthy frizz-free bounce on the ends. Treat your hair with a deep conditioner like Color&Co Infuse Replenishing Conditioner every weekend or every-other weekend depending on how thirsty your hair is.
“If you use heat for styling always use a thermal protection product before applying heat.
Limit exposure to outside elements like the sun, saltwater and swimming pools which can cause premature fading of hair color.”