Dye your hair without leaving home
Dear Answer Angel
Ellen: I’ll cut to the chase. How do I dye my gray roots myself?
Since I’m in quarantine, I can’t go to the salon and every time I pass a mirror — like washing my hands in the bathroom — the gray stripe down my hair part and at my hairline seems to be more noticeable. Even though nobody but my husband and kids are looking at me, I’m looking at me and I don’t like what I see. But since I’ve never colored my own hair before, any tips would be welcome. Please, please help.
— Tricia T.
Dear Tricia: It’s messy. And if you’re not careful you’re going to stain something (in my case, a beautiful white shower curtain) and you’ll be kicking yourself. To put these instructions together, I talked to two salon experts. I know they’re good at their job because they’ve colored my hair: Mark Rudnick at Chicago’s Nancy Angelair Salon (nancyangelairsalon.com) and Maritza Brigantti-Armstead at Hair by Maritza in Fort Myers, Florida. Mark says, if possible, call your stylist and ask what level number coloring they use.
You’re probably going to buy a kit at the drugstore or online made by a familiar name such as Clairol, Garnier or L’Oreal. You can buy based on the number or color description (“medium brown”) written on the box. It will have most of the stuff you need to do the job. Both stylists say to go one shade lighter than you think you need. It’s easier to fix a mistake on too-light hair than too dark.
Your equipment: The coloring kit (make sure it comes with gloves, a brush, mixing tray and plastic cap), an old towel and ratty clothes you’re willing to wreck. One option is to apply Vaseline on your skin at the hairline to prevent the dye from staining your skin. Hair dye is the devil to get off your face (and you will have this problem), so you’ll find yourself madly rubbing with soap and water, alcohol or special liquid sold for this purpose, which doesn’t work all that well.
Maritza suggests
Windex to remove dye from your skin. Also try this Maritza tack: cut holes for your arms and neck in a big black garbage bag as extra protection and secure the old towel around your neck.
Follow directions on the box. I leave it on longer — five, 10, 15 minutes more — but don’t do that if your scalp is sensitive.
Apply dye to your hair part and your hairline. Remember this stuff will wreck anything it touches, including counters and walls. “Nobody’s going to see the back,” says Mark, so forget dying your roots at the back of your head. It’s nearly impossible without help as it’s almost impossible to do a good job there.
And if you have to wear your glasses while doing this, be sure to cover the temples with saran wrap or foil. (My white prescription sunglasses have a brown sheen now.)
Rinse thoroughly over the sink or bathtub or in the shower. In the shower, the dye sometimes will briefly cascade down your body but it’s no big deal. It doesn’t stick. Shampoo and condition as normal.
Dyeing your own hair is much harder than the ads would lead you to believe. If it seems overwhelming, you can spray or powder grays at the hairline and hair part for a quick but very temporary fix.
My go-to for these temporary touch-ups is a powder that stays put and resembles eye shadow, Style Edit root touch-up (amazon.com, $33.99). Color Wow has a cover-up powder that’s popular with stylists between appointments (amazon.com, $34.50). Amazon and some drugstores have cover-ups that spray on, but they’re harder to control than the powder.
One more thing: To get rid of eyebrow grays, add a very small amount of dye on them, but use great care to not get it on your skin
Dear Answer Angel: When working at home I do a lot of video meetings. I look terrible on the screen. How do I improve that?
— Candace O.
Dear Candace: Good lighting, especially real daylight, can help. If your company is not super casual, wear office attire from the waist up. If you usually wear makeup, wear makeup. If possible, create a neutral backdrop. At least it should be tidy and not distracting.
Zoom has a “Touch Up My Appearance” option to “help smooth out the skin tone … to present a more polished looking appearance.” (support.zoom.us for instructions.)
Angelic Readers
From Margie B: I had my mom’s wedding dress cut to tea length to wear. Had the same seamstress make a christening gown, bonnet and booties that 17 grandchildren have worn from the leftover satin fabric. Easy to hand wash and delighted my mom!
Reader Rant
Jan writes: When are fake eyelashes (big ones) gonna be gone!?! They are so fake!! Just like blunt haircut and beards!! When are they going away!?!
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