At-home hair color has come a long way since the days of accidentally dyeing our strands orange before the winter formal. Between a much wider shade range to custom kits, there are plenty of user-friendly options to choose from, but let’s go over a few basics of DIY dyeing first.
To start, take a good look at the chart that’s typically printed on the back or side of the box to see how the color will turn out, based on your starting shade. And if you’re still unsure, a good rule of thumb is to choose a shade that’s within one to two shades of your natural color if you’re going lighter and no more than two to three shades deeper if you’re going darker.
Once you’ve settled on your shade, make sure to follow the instructions on the box carefully. (If it says to wait 30 minutes before rinsing, wait the full 30 minutes.) On a related note, you know that tube of conditioning treatment that comes with your dye? It’s not a suggestion; it’s a crucial step of the process. Not only will it add back some much-needed moisture to your freshly colored strands, but it also smooths the cuticle down, which prevents the ends from absorbing too much color.
Now that we’re caught up to speed on best practices, let’s shop some of the best at-home hair color options.
