AS a beauty editor, I’ve always been happy to share all my tips and tricks.
That’s why I will happily admit that I colour my own greys at home, every single month, with a box dye..
Now, of course, the salon experience can be truly blissful.
From having my hair washed and getting a lovely head massage to drinking a leisurely cup of tea and reading a trashy magazine, there’s nothing quite like the relaxing me-time a trip to get my hair done can bring.
But is there really much difference in the dye used in trendy salons and the mixture I whip up myself in a plastic tray at home?
Turns out, not much.
Many people assume permanent home hair dye is inferior to what’s dished out at the salon, but “the actual mechanism is the same” says MDLondon founder, celeb hair stylist Michael Douglas.
“They use a developer plus an alkaline chemical, such as ammonia or monoethanolamine, to open the cuticle and deposit the colour into the hair.
“The real difference is that a salon colour can be custom-blended and applied perfectly by a pro.
“But when you’re just doing something simple like an all-over colour boost or a root touch-up, you can get great results yourself at home.”
So although professional colour options may get first dibs on formula innovations, DIY kits are getting closer to salon quality all the time.
And let’s be honest, painting your parting doesn’t require Nasa-level tech.
Even though I’m a beauty editor (which means that, yes, I do occasionally get my hair coloured by amazing celebrity hairdressers), I normally get to the root of the problem myself with a box dye.
It’s quick, it’s easy and it’s staggeringly cheap.
Since the mortgage rate tripled (gah!), I’ll always hunt down a discount or multi-buy deal, which means I never pay more than seven quid for any of my usual permanent dye staples, like Garnier, Clairol or L’Oreal Paris.
With my high-street hairdresser’s costing £100-plus for a retouch plus compulsory blowdry, it’s a luxury I can’t afford.
And while DIY dye is cheap, it’s certainly not nasty.
Even though I don’t have the skill of a professional hairdresser, I honestly don’t think anyone would look at my roots and think, “She obviously did that herself”.
In fact, people are usually shocked when I tell them my colour came from a box.
What you’re really paying for at the salon is the expertise of a professional, and yes, sometimes that’s priceless.
For instance, I’d never attempt to tackle my overgrown balayage. (I learned as a teen to leave hair lightening to the pros. Two words: Sun-In.)
It was also a straight-talking hairdresser who hauled me away from my rookie box dye mistake of applying dye all over, every time, instead of just targeting the roots.
I figured it was a genius way to cover every bit of grey but, no, my hair just got darker and heavier until it resembled a wig from a goth fancy-dress kit.
And yes, it was an expensive salon job to fix it.
So here’s how to dye the right way . . .
IT’S simple to swap from salon to home colour, as permanent dyes use a common numbering system for a flawless match.
I’m a shade 5, whether I’m at Boots or the swankiest salon.
Ask your hairdresser what you are, in a casual “just out of interest, not breaking up with you” kind of way.
But being serious, it’s no problem to flip between home and away, as all permanent dyes are compatible.
If you fancy a whole new hue, “stick within two shades of your current colour,” says celebrity hairdresser Chad Maxwell.
Anything more drastic is best done at the salon
COLOURING can affect your hair’s condition, but the real culprit is bleach (that’s when you should see someone who knows what they’re doing).
Today’s permanent DIY dye formulas have built-in conditioners and are kinder on hair.
Chad says: “If you do your roots then take the colour through your lengths for the final five minutes, you’ll get a refreshed vibrancy and shine that makes hair look healthy.”
IS it the end of the world if there’s a tiny bit of grey tucked away somewhere? I’d say not.
“If you’re colouring your roots, start at the parting and temples,” says Chad.
“Those are the areas people notice, plus they’ll get a longer dev- eloping time to fully cover any stubborn greys.”
My top short-cut: Every other month, I’ll use Clairol’s permanent root touch-up kit which is normally on sale for £6 or less at Boots, Superdrug or Amazon.
Maybe there’s not enough to cover every millimetre of root, but it’s speedy, there’s plenty for all the visible bits . . . and nobody needs to know what lies beneath
ALL that said, there’s no excuse to be sloppy.
I work in sections from my parting down, applying dye liberally to my roots then massaging it in with fingertips for good coverage.
I learned the importance of taking dye right down to my nape the day my husband helpfully remarked, “Did you know you can see a big grey streak at the back whenever the wind blows?”.
As he’s not volunteering to help and I don’t have eyes in the back of my head, I just apply by feel and it works fine.
REMEMBER all the practical stuff — patch test 48 hours in advance, wear dark clothes, have an old towel and wipes ready to remove forehead stains.
And, based on a clumsy wall-splattering incident, follow my golden rule:
NEVER drink and dye. I learned the hard way that root touch-ups and rosé don’t mix!
Clairol Colour Studio Permanent Colour Cream, £9.99, has built-in metal- purifier technology to neutralise the metal ions in tap water that can cause damage during colouring.
It’s similar to a pricey professional system used in posh salons.
Schwarzkopf Oleo Intense, £8, is the result of a decade’s research and has a HaptIQ technology which strengthens hair’s structure by creating inner micro bonds while you colour.
It promises hair that’s vibrant, glossy and up to 90 per cent more resistant to breakage.
Revlon ColorStay Long-Wear Cream Color, £5.50, is inspired by the staying power of its namesake budge-proof makeup range.
The dye kit includes a booster mask to use after a month.
Its pigments attach to hair to restore a just- coloured look.
