Given below are a few measures that you must-must take before you color your hair at home safely and effectively.
Things that you will need for improving your hair coloring experience:-
• Clarifying shampoo
• Protein Conditioner
• Plastic wraps or Shower cap
• Wax or Vaseline
• Alcohol solution
• Wide teeth comb
• Alarm clock
First thing first, read the information leaflet carefully before you begin the procedure because the way every product works is different and the company which made it knows the best way to use their product.
Most of the toll-free customer care services don’t work for 24 hours. So, try coloring your hair at the time they are available. So, if in case something happens you can get in contact with them. You can get this toll-free number from the box and the website of the product.
Before you even think about using a hair color you must be sure that it won’t cause any allergic reaction. To do this you need to conduct a simple “Patch test.”
Patch Test:
Step 1: Clean a small area on your skin (preferably, behind the ears) with alcohol solution.
Step 2: Apply mixture of hair color to it.
Step 3: Leave it for 48 hours.
If an allergic reaction, such as burning, itching or swelling takes place, then you should not go ahead and use the product. It is advisable to not to use any other hair product too because every hair coloring product has similar ingredients. You should consult a dermatologist. He/she will conduct few skin tests on you to diagnose the element in the hair product which is causing the reaction.
It is a known fact that you can develop allergies with time. So, even if you have already colored your hair before you should still conduct a patch test.
For coloring the hair properly we need to clean it thoroughly. For this job you’ll require a “Clarifying shampoo”. You can use a normal shampoo too but it won’t be as effective and might not give expected results. It is advised to use lukewarm water. Always make sure to gently scrub your scalp while you apply shampoo, otherwise, it will result in opening of pores in the scalp which will cause a burning sensation when the hair color is applied.
The next step is to apply protein conditioner to your hair. It basically forms a thin layer of protein, making your hair smooth, so that the hair color can be applied evenly. Now, cover your head with a thin plastic sheet or a shower cap. This prevents body heat from escaping. This heat helps conditioner to penetrate deeper into the hair shaft. Make sure that the sheet is perfectly insulated.
After 5 minutes, remove the sheet and wash your hair with lukewarm water. Remember, the water should neither be cold nor be hot because hot water will wash off all the protein and cold water will leave too much conditioner on your hair.
* Note- [ Protein conditioners are little more viscous than a normal conditioner, therefore, you need to rinse it for a little longer time. ]
While drying, remember that you should not scrub your hair with towel. You just need to squeeze it with a towel to remove excess water.
The last step is to apply wax on your hairline, top of the ears, back of the ears or wherever you think the color can touch the skin. This will prevent undesirable staining of the skin. (You can use Vaseline instead of wax)
Make sure to brush your hair properly with a wide teeth comb before you begin coloring. This will help while parting your hair in sections for coloring.
You might also need an alarm clock to remind you of the time.
