The rise of the DIY dye job

When salons closed during lockdown, sales of at-home hair dye soared. And, two years on, demand for DIY colour is showing no signs of slowing down, with experts predicting another spike as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.

But creating salon-worthy colour yourself is no mean feat.

“We fixed a lot of at-home hair disasters after lockdown, mainly where bleach was involved,” says Luci Green, colourist at Larry King (larryking.co.uk).

“The key to at-home hair dye is to keep it minimal and simple. Leave tricky techniques like balayage to the professionals and stick to tinting your parting to reduce greys, and all-over colour.”

AT-HOME HAIR DYE Start by alternating

“Try alternating salon colour with at-home hair dye,” says Luci. “This means if you make any mistakes, they can be rectified quickly. What’s more, you can ask your colourist for advice to perfect your technique.”

Go a shade lighter

“When choosing a box dye, go a shade lighter than your hair as the dye always comes out darker,” says Luci. ‘Baby hair’ around the face especially goes really dark when dyed, so play it safe.

“Also, you can’t be as precise as a hairdresser, so you might get some dye on bits of hair that you don’t mean to colour. A lighter shade will be less obvious.”

Bin the bleach

Don’t bleach your own hair, as it’s hard to control.

“The product will say you’ll come out blonde, but there are loads of other things to factor in when it comes to the actual result, such as your natural colour, the condition of your hair and any previous colour you’ve had,” says Luci.

“This one really is best left to the professionals.”

Avoid at-home balayage kits too, advises Luci. “Stick to roots, all over colour and fun wash-in-washout shades,” she says.

Know your terminology

‘Semi-permanent’ is not the same as ‘wash-in-wash-out’. “Semi permanent dye uses a lower level of peroxide, and its colour will fade after, say, 20 washes. But it does still contain peroxide, which means it can alter your natural hair colour underneath,” says Luci. “This change can remain even after the dye is gone.”

Use a brush

“Where you can, choose a kit with a thin brush included – or buy one to use while dyeing your hair,” says Luci. “This allows you to be more precise with where you put the dye so you’re less likely to overlap colour where it’s not needed.”

Stick to the front

You can minimise room for error by dyeing only the hair you can see. “Stick to the hairline and parting, you don’t necessarily need to do the whole thing – only the bits that will actually be seen,” says Luci.

DYES TO TRY Best for… ROOTS

Color Wow Root Cover Up, £39.50, uk.colorwowhair.com is a highly pigmented powder, available in a variety of shades, that provides wash-off grey coverage.

L’Oreal

Paris

Magic Retouch Permanent Root Concealer, £9.99, Superdrug is a brand new product complete with a precision brush, designed for easy DIY root colouration. Lasts for up to four weeks.

Best for… ALL OVER COLOUR

Garnier Nutrisse Creme, £6.49, Boots delivers shine, along with a shade selection you can trust to deliver. There’s an online ‘try-on’ service available at garnier.co.uk too. Bleach London Pearlescent Toner Kit, £9, bleach london.com, adds a subtle wash of rosy pink to the hair. Ideal for

some fun experimentation, it fades out in six to eight washes.

Best for… BESPOKE eSalon Custom Hair Colour, from £22, esalon.co.uk

is a bespoke at-home hair dye service that, after an online consultation, ships your perfect shade directly to your door. ■■Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahrbritt