After going back to brunette from bleached blonde hair, Hannah switched to a D.I.Y. box dye to maintain her colour instead of heading to the salon.
A few rounds later and she has some of the best tips and tricks for dyeing your hair at home using the L'Oreal Paris Excellence Permanent Hair Colour in Light Ash Brown 6.1.
Each box dye shade and variation has its own instructions so make sure you read the instructions TWICE.
Always wear gloves when dying your hair at home.
If you have long or thick hair, you might need to use two box dyes.
Section your hair into four parts, this is particularly important if you have a lot of hair, as this will help make dyeing it feel more manageable. Start with each section and move through.
Wear clothes you don’t mind ruining or getting stained.
Hannah suggests that if you’re choosing between two colours, to go for the lighter shade, as you can always go darker.
You can put Vaseline or a balm on your hairline to avoid the hair dye staining. If you don't have any you can use some Micellar Water on a cotton pad to clean things up.
Protect your clothes and skin by putting on a towel and clothes before you start the dyeing process. In true beauty risk-taker style, Hannah has chosen to simply use the towel over her pants.
It is essential that you conduct an allergy test 48 hours before dying your hair. Most allergy tests involve dabbing a small amount of the dye solution behind your ear and leaving it to dry, but it is important that you follow the specific instructions on your packet dye.
Using a comb, separate your hair into 4 sections using a hair tie or clip. This will help the dye get even coverage over your hair.
Pour the colour creme (1a) entirely into the developer (1b). Close the applicator tip on the developer and shake the product to ensure a completely even mixture. Twist off the applicator cap immediately to avoid the product overflowing. You can then attach the comb applicator if you choose.
Apply the product to the roots of your hair and then bring it down through to your lengths and ends, massaging it in as you go.
Clean up any dye left along your hair line with some Micellar Water on a cotton pad then let the colour develop for 30 minutes.
In the shower add a small amount of water and massage it into your hair before rinsing off the dye completely, until the water goes clean. At this point you can take off your gloves and apply the shampoo treatment. Lather it up before rinsing it off.
Finally, go in with the Excellence Creme Nourishing Mask. Leave this on for 3 minutes before rinsing. You can continue to use this product throughout the week if you don’t finish it.
Partially dry your hair with a dryer like the Parlux Alyon 2250W - Pink. Then, douse your hair with the Color WOW Dream Coat Supernatural Spray before finishing drying it, using a brush to create tension. If you need to make your look extra sleek, try kissing your tresses with the ghd gold professional hair styler.
If your hair has become orange or brassy due to bleaching or dyeing, a great way to neutralise these tones is to darken your hair with a darker, cool toned pigment. This can come in the form of a toner, a semi-permanent or permanent box dye.
The first number on your L’Oreal box dye indicates how dark the colour of the dye is. The second number on the box dye indicates how cool or warm the tone of the colour is, making it easy to figure out what the best hair dye for you will be.
This routine was transcribed by India Williams
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