Daily Star Sunday

Your hair dye

- I’VE HEARD HOME HAIR DYE IS DANGEROUS... WHAT IF I STILL NEED SOME PRO ADVICE? I’M STILL SCARED I’LL BODGE IT... WHEN SHOULD I COLOUR MY ROOTS? HOW CAN I COVER MY ROOTS PROPERLY?

There hasn’t been much to smile about online lately, but I had to grin when I saw this meme: “In eight weeks’ time we’ll finally know everybody’s real hair colour.”

Allergic reactions are rare but can happen with both salon and home colour. “That’s why it’s vital to patch test every time,” says celebrity colourist Josh Wood. Both the Josh

Wood permanent colour range and

Clairol Nice’n

Easy use alternativ­es to

PPD, the main potential allergen in dye, minimising risks of a reaction.

Forget loo-roll shortages. For many women the real panic is the thought of not being able to nip to the salon for a touch-up. Overnight, millions of us will have to become DIY colourists – unless

However, this is not the time to take chances and skip the patch test. “Hospital is the last place you want to be right now,” warns Josh.

Most box and salon dyes use a universal colour code – 10 being lightest, 1 being darkest – and letters for tones. If you can contact your hairdresse­r, ask for your shade and buy a matching box dye. If that’s not an option, it’s fine to look at box photos. “The tone match doesn’t have to be exact if you’re only trying to match two centimetre­s of roots,” says Josh. “With my system you just assess how dark you are and decide if you want a cool or warm

finish.That’s it.”

Most brands have advice lines or we fancy Skyping our roots to family and friends.

It might sound scary if you’ve never coloured your own hair before, but DIY dye is easier than you’d imagine. I regularly switch

live chat. “There’s an online consultati­on at Joshwoodco­lour. com and we’re just introducin­g live consultati­ons,” says Josh. eSalon is another brand that offers pro help to home colourists. Or how about asking an expert directly? “If people get in touch and send photos via my Instagram @mdlondon, I’ll always give them free advice,” says Michael.

Start with a semiperman­ent like

“It’ll cover greys by

50%, so you’ll still get a nice softening effect – and there’s no commitment because it only lasts 28 shampoos,” says Michael.“Even if it’s not enough grey coverage for you, it won’t affect any other dye you might try next.”

If your hair is permanentl­y dyed, wait at least eight weeks before between salon and home colour, and I’ve done my roots for years with a host of great brands that I mention below. So here’s how you too can maintain the secret of your real colour…

touching up your roots.“The longer the roots, the easier it is to avoid overlappin­g the dye, which can create ‘bands’ in your hair,” says Michael.“Stretch it out by using a cosmetic concealer on your parting.”

is brilliant for brunettes.

Do not just smother permanent dye all over your hair for 30 minutes. Apply dye only on roots, working in small sections – clips and a tail comb will help. Josh advises putting little dots of dye on to roots, then massaging in before moving to the next section. A tinting brush is great if you have somebody to help, but if you’re doing it yourself, you may find it easier to use the product nozzle to apply the dye at the back. “If you’re struggling, just do the bits people see, like parting and hairline,” says

Michael. Nobody will see the rest on FaceTime.

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