As natural girls, we are prone to being DIY queens with our need for products and styles that are intentionally created with our hair’s best interest in mind.
If you’ve ever tried your own do-it-yourself dye job at home you know that you’re playing a game of risk with very sensitive chemicals that could really do a number on your hair, if you aren’t careful during the process.
Whether you are attempting to lighten your tips, boosts your highlights or darken your strands – there are times when things can go completely haywire.
Here are some tips for surviving your DIY disasters.
When Hair Color Goes Wrong
1. Don’t Freak Out
First things first — remain calm! Panicking about your situation will truly only make things worse.
Take a deep breath, stop agonizing at your hair in the mirror and collect yourself. This can be fixed! Assess the damage and start to think critically about what you can do to correct this issue. It’s not the end of the world and although it may feel like a major disaster, you will survive.
PHOTO COURTESY OF EVELYNFROMTHEINTERNETS
2. Step Away From the Bleach
You first thought to remove or at least lift the heinous coloring from your hair might be bleach, but that’s a no-no. Your hair is already gone through enough processing and adding bleach on top of your dye will only make it more dry, more brittle and will eat away at your underlying color.
Resisting this knee-jerk reaction will save you from another tragic fiasco.
PHOTO COURTESY OF EVELYNFROMTHEINTERNETS
3. Act Fast
You don’t have to throw your whole DIY philosophy out of the window just because this dye job didn’t quite work out.
The weird hues, whether it’s orangey, greenish or some other unintentionally unflattering shade, can be helped a little with at-home treatment that acts fast. Baking soda is good at stripping unwanted color from your hair due it’s mild bleaching properties but should be combined with a thick cleaning agent like dish detergent [great for removing unwanted oils] or dandruff shampoo. Don’t go overboard on the baking soda, though, just double up on the number of times you’re washing. Aim for 3 or 4 times to start.
4. Clarify, Clarify, Clarify
If you’ve gone too dark, taking action quickly is incredibly important. The pigment is already sticking to your strands but you can help lift some color with a thorough shampoo session with an intentionally clarifying product and very warm to hot water. If you have any color removal product, now is the time to use it. Keep in mind that permanent black dye is nearly impossible to remove and will require professional assistance..
PICTURED: CURLS PURE CURL CLARIFYING SHAMPOO, ELUCENCE VOLUME CLARIFYING SHAMPOO, KINKY CURLY COME CLEAN SHAMPOO
5. Consult a Professional
Look, you tried your best and it didn’t work out. Sure you saved a few dollars, but the results were clearly not worth it. Research some beauty shops, dig deep down into those pockets, put your ego on the shelf for a second and take yourself to get the look you really wanted done right. Sure, they might be using the same brand of dye you just tried and seemingly doing the same exact thing you are doing, but please believe they are called professionals for a reason. Let them help you.
