7 Things To Know Before Dying Your Hair

If you’ve never dyed your hair before, walking into a salon to have it done can be SUPER intimidating. I mean, once those chemicals are on your head… It’s kind of a done deal you know! So what do we need to know before getting our hair colored? Girl… do I have a list for you? Of course! Here are some things you should know before getting your hair colored!

1.- Book a consultation before your appointment!

It is absolutely necessary that you and your colorist be on the same page before you start the process. Appointment times and costs can vary not only based on what your desired color is, but also your hair’s willingness to take to color as well as your hair’s texture and thickness. Some processes may require more than one appointment in order to achieve the color you want, and if you book without having a consultation, it may be harder for the salon to get you on their schedule for the time your hair needs. Consultations are generally 15 to 30 minutes long, and they’re free! Taking the time to talk to your stylist about your hair is an essential step in having a great hair coloring experience, so don’t skip it! You can book a consultation with our stylists here!

2.- How often are you willing to color your hair?

If you don’t want to have to come in for root touch-ups every month, it’s important that you talk to your stylist about that during your consultation so that they can help you pick out a color that works for your lifestyle as well as your fashion style. There are lots of hair colors that look AMAZING, but require you to be meticulous about your hair care.

If you go platinum, you’ll need to pick up some purple shampoo, and come back into the salon to get your roots bleached every 4 to 6 weeks. That can be expensive, and time-consuming. If you go for a fantasy color, be prepared for it to fade and having to make appointments to get it refreshed as well as getting your roots done. If you’re not about that high maintenance life, maybe try a balayage or ombre look!

3.- Bring pictures of what you want, AND what you don’t want. 

Just like we talked about in the first point, it is SO important that you and your stylist are on the same page before you start the process of coloring your hair. A helpful tip is to always bring pictures to your hair appointments, both for cuts and for color! If you can pinpoint what you like about your pictures, you can help your stylist create a similar look to the picture while also allowing them to tailor it to you personally. In terms of color, it’s helpful to bring a picture so that you can more easily communicate the exact shade you’d like to see on your hair.

If you’re going blonde, for example, there are warm tones and cool tones you can opt for, so it’s best to bring a picture of the tone you’d like to see, and bring an example of something you consider to be too warm, too gold, etc. Showing your stylist your likes and dislikes creates a clear line of communication, which will help ensure that you have an awesome hair experience the first time you get your hair colored! If you need ideas for your new look, you can check out our hair gallery here!

4.- Start Simple!

There’s no need to jump right in and dye your hair fluorescent purple all over right away! Baby steps are perfectly fine. If it’s your first time dying your hair and you’re nervous, consider starting with a glaze or some subtle highlights. A glaze is a semi-permanent color that gives your hair just a little bit of pigment and eventually fades out. Adding subtle highlights to your hair can enhance your natural color without being too loud, and they’re quite easy to grow out. There are plenty of cool hair options to explore without using permanent color; just ask your stylist!

5.- DO NOT Use Boxed Dye!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, please, please do not use box dye before going to get your hair done professionally. Even when the box says that the dye is semi-permanent and should wash out in a few weeks, the pigment can actually stay in your strands for YEARS, and it will affect any other color you put on your hair. When a stylist goes to lift (lighten) your hair after you’ve used boxed hair color, there’s a large possibility that certain sections will turn pink or orange and leave you with uneven hair color. (Nobody wants that!) It is always better to let a professional handle your hair color, even if it is more expensive.

6.- Protect you color!

After you get your hair colored, you’ll need to switch to a color safe shampoo and conditioner. At TouchUps, we recommend the Minu shampoo and conditioner from Davines, or the Keratin Complex Color Care shampoo and conditioner set. Shampoos that contain lots of chemical ingredients will strip the color from your hair and cause it to fade extremely fast. The same goes for washing your hair with hot water! I know, taking cold showers sucks, but it’ll help preserve your color! If you can, you should also refrain from washing your hair everyday and opt for a dry shampoo like Perk Up by Amika to keep your hair from feeling greasy! (Most stylists recommend washing your hair 2 to 3 times a week; so every two days or so is fine.)

Pool water and hair color DON’T MIX. The chlorine is pretty damaging to your hair without color in it, so it’s always a good idea to try to keep your hair out of the water if you can, or spray in a leave-in conditioner (like the Oi All In One Milk that we all know and love) before you hit the pool. The conditioner will form a barrier around your strands and help protect them from the chemical damage chlorine causes. (Science!) If you’re using bleach on your hair, or you go on a summer vacation to the beach, we highly recommend that you use a hair mask or schedule a deep conditioning treatment to keep your hair feeling soft and hydrated. Color does damage your hair, so it’s important to keep your hair’s integrity in mind before and after coloring your hair.

7.- It’s hard to estimate how much the appointment might cost. 

Pricing varies a lot depending on several different factors, such as which stylist you’re seeing, what you’re having done, how much color product gets used during the appointment, and where your stylist is located. This is also why a consultation is SO important. The stylist will always be able to give you a better estimate on price in person than the receptionist can over the phone. The stylist will also better understand your goal for your hair when you communicate in person. Your hair’s texture, length, thickness, and history all affect the pricing of your color appointment. Be sure to do lots of research before booking your appointment, and trust that your stylist has you in good hands.

Thanks for reading this week’s edition to the TouchUps Beauty Blog, and we hope you enjoyed it! If you’d like to read some more, check out our other blog posts here! If you have questions or comments, you can always contact us at info@touchupssalon.com. We hope you’re having an awesome day, and we’ll catch ya next time! PEACE!