How to Dye Your Hair at Home in 30 Minutes

If you've recently started experimenting with at-home color or are thinking about making the switch (in the name of saving cash), use these tips as your guide. With them you can get salon-quality results in the comfort of your bathroom. So go ahead and cheat on your colorist -- with yourself! You and your wallet will be happy you did.

Think inside the box

Before you hit the hair dye aisle of your local drugstore, ask yourself: How much of a commitment am I willing to make? Then, pick a formula based on your comfort level. Semi--permanent dye rinses away after about 10 shampoos, so you won't be left with any of those nasty telltale roots.

Demi-permanent contains low levels of ammonia, so it will stay in your hair longer and fade out over about 25 washes. A demi can take you, at most, one shade lighter or two shades darker.

Permanent dyes alter your shade with peroxide and ammonia, so the color will last until it gets cut or grows out. These formulas give you the most versatility in how you can alter your color, enabling you to achieve more dramatic results.

Find the right hue

For the most natural effect, stay within three shades of your natural color. When in doubt, start lighter. If the shade isn't right, it's easier to go darker than lighter.

Undertones. Just like your skin, your hair's got them (they're either warm or cool), and the peroxide in hair color will expose them.

Deep-condition

If your hair is damaged, the pigment won't adhere well to your strands and it will end up looking streaky. So at least one week before coloring, pamper your hair with a deep--conditioning treatment. Giving your strands a dose of intense hydration also helps protect them from the harsh chemicals used in coloring so you can avoid fried, crispy ends.

And don't shampoo for a day or two before you color. Your hair's natural oils will protect your scalp and prevent irritation.

Do your prep work

Before you even rip open the box, apply a thin layer of Vaseline along your hairline--from earlobe to earlobe and along your neckline--to prevent the dye from staining your skin.

Next, mist the ends of your hair with water. Since the tips of your hair tend to be dry and damaged, they can soak up too much color. Some extra moisture will help color go on more evenly and prevent the ends from turning out darker than the roots.

Ready, set, color!

Pull out a comb and divide your hair into quadrants: Make one part down the middle and another from ear to ear, then clip each section securely in place. Apply the color one section at a time. This is an organized approach to working with color that prevents any section of your hair from "taking a holiday". Apply color from the roots to the ends, working it through with your gloved hands. Most color takes about 20 minutes to develop.

After dying, hold off on shampooing for three days. This will give the cuticles--which open during the coloring process--time to close and seal in the color molecules. Hot water can cause cuticles to expand and open, allowing some of the color to escape. The cooler the rinse, the better.

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