Many of us have experimented with our hair on a whim, be it a new haircut or a new colour for our beautiful locks! Colouring hair, if done correctly, is an enriching experience. It changes your look, and you seem like a new person. And this is more true for people who are trying to hide their grey hairs. But getting your hair coloured all the time professionally can burn a hole in your pocket and is also time-consuming. So, we are here with a complete A-Z guide on safely colouring your hair at home with a box colour and what to avoid at any cost!
1) Choose shades that compliment your skin tone
Striking the right contrast between your complexion and hair colour is of utmost importance.
If your hair colour is not as per your skin's undertone, it might look unnatural.
For Example- Darker shades of brown usually compliment people with warmer undertones.
(To understand your undertone, you must look at the veins in your wrist. If your veins are blue or purple, then your undertone is cool, and if they are green or yellow, then your undertone is warm)
When trying to cover the greys, try choosing lighter shades of colour that compliments your undertone. Dark shades, although look good, contrast very sharply against the lighter colour of the new hair growing out of roots.
2) Follow the Two-Shade Rule
The two-shade rule suggests that you shouldn't go beyond two shades lighter or darker than your natural hair colour. It's the safest way to choose the right hair colour for yourself. All you have to do is determine the natural colour of your virgin hair (look at the regrowth in case you are already using hair colour) and then stay in the two-shade rule range.
When covering the greys, always go from lighter to darker shades. Because lighter shades always give you an option to cover them with a darker shade.
3) Look through the ingredients before Colouring your hair
Some hair colours might have some ingredients that do not react well with your scalp or are harmful chemicals altogether. So be sure to steer clear of those. Avoid hair colours that have chemicals as they are associated with adverse effects on health. Here are the list of chemicals that should be avoided:
- Ammonia
- Ethanolamine
- Hydrogen peroxide
- PPD (p-phenylenediamine)
Ayurvedic hair colours will be your best bet as they are organic and free of such chemicals. Check out the 3-Step Natural Hair Colour Kit and 4-Step Natural Hair Colour Kit by Sesa! They are 100% natural active-based DIY hair colour kits that are perfect for first greys. Free of harmful chemicals and safe for frequent use, these kits contain the richness of curry leaves, henna powder, indigo powder and kokum in the form of its key ingredients!
4) Do not mix different colours in hopes of getting the desired shade
We know it can be tempting to attain a custom shade perfect for you. Still, we strictly recommend not doing that as it might alter the properties of your hair colour that were safe individually but harmful when mixed.
5) Shampoo a day before
Clear your scalp of any product build-up a day before you plan to get your hair coloured. This will help even out your hair's porosity so that your hair is evenly coloured. Remember not to wash your hair the day you get it coloured, as it will strip you of your natural oils and might cause irritation.
6) Don't want to commit to a permanent Hair Colour? Try demi-permanent colours
.Colouring your hair permanently is a big decision. So it is best not to rush it or make a decision in haste. If you're unsure about the colour, try a demi-permanent hair colour. Demi-permanent colour is a mixture of semi-permanent and permanent hair colours. It neither darkens nor lightens your hair colour; instead, it can match or deepen your hair's natural colour. The colour fades a little bit every time you wash your hair.