Don't go more than two shades lighter or darker. If you want a dramatic change, get your hair professionally done. If it's a subtle change you're after, then doing it yourself is fine. We've read of several top beauty editors who do it themselves (probably because they can't waste all that time in a salon).
The simpler, the better. At-home hair coloring is for people who simply want to go a couple shades lighter or darker or to cover gray. Anything more complicated than that should be handled by a pro. If it's a new base color and highlights you're after, go to a pro. If you have permed or relaxed hair, or if your hair is damaged, also see a pro, you don't want to over-process your locks. For those do-it-yourself pros who know a bit about color, here's a video on how to do highlights: Video: How to Lighten Dark Hair With Highlights. Good luck!
Don't go by the picture on the box. Pictures on hair color boxes can be deceiving. Hair dye reacts differently to texture, health of hair and the natural hair color so you may not end up looking like the person on the box. Focus instead on the color description. According to Ladies Home Journal, most boxes will call out the color (blonde, brown, black and red) and the shade of that color (light, medium and dark). There might also be mention of the tone (golden or ashy). This is a better guide to what you'll end up with.
Go online to pick the perfect shade. Picking the right color can be daunting because the hair color on the box isn't always the result you'll get. Most box brands these days offer online guides. L'Oreal Paris has an easy-to-use online tool and Clairol has a "try it on" feature that allows you to "put yourself" in a variety of different hair colors. Always test a few strands of hair first. Too many women skip this step and end up with a color they despise. Once the color is in, it's harder to change.
Consider trying two colors. We love this tip we got from 'Confessions of a Beauty Editor': Many stylists create lighter strands around the face. To get this look, invest in a bottle of dye a shade lighter and paint it on the strands around your face.
What to do if your color isn't as light as expected? Another tips from 'Confessions': If your new blonde or brunette shade turns out darker than expected, take another bottle of the same hair dye and mix in equal portion of shampoo. Lather and keep it on for 5 minutes. Rinse, and hair should end up lighter.
Don't over-process your ends. As hair grows out, and roots grow in, you can color the roots only to avoid over-processing the ends. To protect hair from dye, slather the ends of hair with conditioner when applying color to roots and around the crown. A few minutes before it's time to rinse color out, work the dye over the conditioned ends. This will add just enough process to update the color, without damaging your ends.
Make sure you prep before you color. Rub Vaseline around your hairline as a protective measure before applying color. (To remove after coloring, rub a small amount of cream cleanser and wipe off with cotton balls). Always wear gloves and wrap an old dark-colored towel around your shoulders.
When to wash hair before you dye? Many experts suggest washing hair a day before - not the day of - coloring. Natural oils protect scalp from the processing.
After you color, wait a full day before washing hair. You want the pigment in the dye to fully settle into your hair, so avoid washing hair at least 24 hours after you color.
Maintain with the right shampoo. A color-depositing shampoo and conditioner are good purchases. Otherwise, select a formula created for colored hair.
Try a natural lightening method. You can actually use lemon juice to lighten blonde hair. In this video, stylist Kimberly Steffen shows you exactly how to do this without harming your hair.
Try a washout blue strip in blonde hair. Wash out dyes are super popular these days. Watch how stylist Kimberly Steffen dyes hair blue in this video.
Super dry hair? Try a deep conditioner. Because the ingredients in hair dye are very concentrated (even more so than the salon dyes), it's a good idea to deep condition dry hair a week before you color hair. Once hair's colored, you'll want to deep condition every week to keep processed hair soft.
