Hello all of my fellow lovers of all things hair. Recall how not too long away we gave you the scoop on the do’s and don’ts of dealing with henna. Although henna is arguably the best option if you’re looking for subtle changes in color, it is definitely not the best if you’re looking for something more dramatic. If you’re looking for a more full-blown change to your look, then dyeing your tresses may be a great option. If you do decide to dye your hair, we want for you to maximize results and keep your hair’s health in check. With that, take a look at some of the do’s and don’ts of dyeing your hair.

Do leave it to the professionals if you feel uncomfortable

I cannot stress this enough in every article that I write. Do not attempt to do something to your hair unless you feel 100% comfortable doing it. Your hair is your ultimate accessory, one of the first things people notice about you, and one of your best physical assets. There is nothing worse than feeling bad about yourself because of something you did on your own when you could have paid a professional to do it better. Do not cut corners if you don’t know what you’re doing. Save up some coins and go to a professional. I assure you that it is absolutely worth it.

Don’t go out into the sun for extended periods of time

One of the biggest causes of your hair dye fading is from overexposure to the sun. You know how your skin changes shades when you’re out in the sun too long? Well, your skin isn’t the only thing that can be affected. As great as it feels to soak up them sun rays, you really need to make sure that your hair is protected when you’re outside. Using a hat or a scarf should offer you some shield from potential fading.

Do take your time to make sure you apply the color properly.

Have you ever seen someone who looked like they hair got splattered with color? Unfortunately, that’s what can when you don’t put it on correctly. Take your time and either use a brush to apply the color or use a foamed dyed so that it saturates each strand evenly.

Don’t ever try to bleach your hair yourself

So, this is one of those ones that might hurt a few people’s feelings, but it has to be said. Unless you are licensed, we highly recommend that you do not attempt to bleach your own hair. It’s one thing to go and bleach your bundles—I’d know because I’ve done it several time—but it’s a completely different ball game to do so to the hair that is actually growing out of your head. You need knowledge of color theory and tints to ensure that you get the correct hue when finished, and you do not want to risk damaging a full head of hair because you tried to do something yourself.

Do keep your hair moisturized at all times

One thing that many people notice when dealing with dyes is that their hair gets a lot frizzier than usual. Unlike what you may have heard, frizzy hair is the result of dryness. When you dye your tresses, you’re putting some major pressure on those strands. Think about it like you’re playing a sport. After going through training and overexerting your body, don’t you need some water? Well, so does your hair. You’re going to need to keep it from being dry at all times, or it’s going to get frizzy and possibly break off.

Lots of people turn to protein treatments to combat frizz because it helps restore broken bonds in your hair. Well…protein is not the answer when your hair has been color treated. Moisturizing is. Protein treatments often leave the hair feeling drier because it’s strengthening the hair. Since frizz is already caused by your hair being dry, you don’t want to add protein to make the hair even more dry. Use some of the LENGTH₂O Aquaholic
5-in-1 Moisture Conditioner in between washes to keep your hair more moisturized and looking fresh.

Don’t use coconut oil or olive oil to moisturize it

While it’s super important to keep your hair moisturized, there are a couple of ingredients that you want to keep out of your hair if you want for your color to really pop and stay vibrant. The first is coconut oil. Although it is the holy grail of all things natural, you want to limit its use when dealing with the brighter colored dyes. The same goes for olive oil as well. Although the fade is not terrible, it’s enough to make you want to kick yourself for using the two oils at all. Take it from us and just steer clear of the two right after you get done coloring your hair.

So, there are a few quick tips you want to keep in mind when you’re dealing with traditional dyes. Do you have some other tips that you want to share? Drop them in the comments!

Written By: Bianca Scott