NOW IT’S TIME TO ACTUALLY APPLY THE COLOR
We’ve already talked about choosing your color, understanding your hair, plant-based options like henna, and preparing your hair before color day.
Now it’s time to actually apply the color.
If you’re coloring your natural hair at home, getting a good result often comes down to a few simple things: being organized, applying the product evenly, following the directions, and knowing when a color job may be better left to a professional.
The goal is not to become a professional colorist overnight.
The goal is to avoid the most common mistakes and make the process as smooth and predictable as possible.
DON’T SKIP YOUR TWO TESTS
Before applying color to your entire head, make sure you complete the two tests that matter most.
PATCH / ALLERGY TEST
Follow the manufacturer’s directions to check for a possible skin reaction to the product.
STRAND TEST
Test the color on a small section of hair first so you can see how your hair responds and get a preview of the color result before committing to your whole head.
These tests serve two different purposes, and both are important parts of the process.
SECTION YOUR HAIR BEFORE YOU START
Natural hair can be dense, which makes it easy to miss areas during application.
Working in manageable sections helps you see where the color has already been applied and makes it easier to reach the hair underneath.
The thicker or denser your hair is, the more important this becomes.
MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH PRODUCT
Running out of color halfway through your application is one of the easiest ways to end up with uneven results.
If your hair is long, thick, or very dense, check the product instructions ahead of time and make sure you have enough product to completely cover your hair.
Trying to stretch too little color over too much hair can lead to patchiness.
SATURATION MATTERS
Color cannot work evenly on hair it never reaches.
Simply coating the outside of a thick section may leave the hair underneath untouched.
Take your time and make sure the product is distributed thoroughly according to the instructions for the color you are using.
ROOTS, LENGTHS, AND ENDS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE SAME
Your roots are newer hair.
Your lengths may already contain previous color.
Your ends are the oldest portion of your hair and may respond differently.
That means a root touch-up is not necessarily the same process as coloring an entire head of virgin hair.
Follow the directions for the application you are actually doing rather than automatically applying permanent color from root to tip every time.
USE A TIMER
More time does not automatically mean more color.
Follow the processing time listed for your product and use a timer rather than guessing.
The same rule applies to heat.
If the instructions do not tell you to add heat, do not assume sitting under a dryer will improve the result.
THE PICTURE ON THE BOX IS A GUIDE, NOT A GUARANTEE
The person on the package probably did not start with the exact same hair color, gray percentage, previous color history, or hair condition that you have.
That means your result may look different.
Pay attention to the starting-shade guide on the package when one is provided.
Your starting color plays a major role in where you can realistically end up.
WATCH A PROFESSIONAL DEMONSTRATE AT-HOME COLOR
Sometimes seeing the process makes everything easier to understand.
We’re also sharing a professional stylist demonstration that walks through coloring hair at home and explains some of the mistakes people should avoid along the way.
It gives you a chance to see many of the techniques we’re discussing in action.
WATCH: HAIRDRESSER’S GUIDE TO COLORING YOUR OWN HAIR AND NOT RUINING IT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98dPekpSVGQ
Use the demonstration as a guide, but always follow the specific instructions that come with the color product you are actually using.
SOME OF THE BIGGEST DIY COLOR MISTAKES
A few mistakes show up again and again:
- Skipping the patch/allergy test
- Skipping the strand test
- Trying to color the entire head without sectioning
- Not using enough product
- Missing areas because the hair was not fully saturated
- Leaving the color on longer than directed
- Adding heat when the directions do not call for it
- Repeatedly applying permanent color over hair that is already colored
- Rushing through the application
- Attempting a complicated color correction without professional help
A good at-home color job is usually less about doing something fancy and more about doing the basics carefully.
KNOW WHEN DIY HAS GONE TOO FAR
There are plenty of color services people successfully perform at home.
But some jobs are much more complicated.
Consider professional help when you are dealing with:
- Dramatic lightening
- Major color correction
- Several different existing colors
- Uneven bleach or lightener
- Complicated highlights
- Previously damaged or heavily processed hair
- A color result that has already gone wrong
Sometimes the best at-home hair decision is deciding not to do it at home.
WHERE PHAMILY HAIR CARE FITS IN
During the coloring process itself, follow the directions for your specific color product.
Do not add PHamily Hair Care to the dye mixture or change the color formula.
Once your color has been processed and rinsed according to the directions, you can return to your regular PHamily Hair Care routine to help maintain moisture, manageability, styling, and your overall healthy-hair routine.
Shop PHamily Hair Care:
https://www.phamilyhair.com
THE MAIN LESSON
Better at-home color does not necessarily require professional equipment.
It requires patience.
Do your patch test.
Do your strand test.
Section your hair.
Use enough product.
Apply it evenly.
Follow the timing.
Do not improvise with the formula.
And recognize when the result you want may require professional expertise.
The more carefully you approach the process, the less you leave to chance.
BEAUTIFUL COLOR. HEALTHY HAIR. BETTER DECISIONS.
NEXT: PART 6 — AFTER THE COLOR
In the final part of our PHamily Hair Coloring Series, we’re talking about what happens after you get the color you wanted.
We’ll cover:
- Maintaining moisture
- Protecting your ends
- Reducing unnecessary breakage
- Managing heat
- Dealing with fading
- Maintaining gray roots
- Adjusting your routine now that your hair is color-treated
- How PHamily Hair Care fits into your after-color routine
Because getting beautiful color is only the beginning.
Keeping the hair underneath it healthy is what matters next.
