Firstly, choosing the colour. Think long and hard about what you'd like as this will be permanent, however a good idea would be to try a wash in wash out product first and see if you are happy with the results. The worst thing you could do is choose a colour based on a celebrities hair because unless they are sponsored by a hair company and openly admit what they use, it will be near impossible to get the same shade as them. Even if you do know the exact number and shade it will always be different because your hair will be a different colour to theirs upon dying. So if you're inspired by a colour that a celebrity is sporting, by all means go for it but remind yourself that it won't look exactly the same.
Think about your eyebrows too! If you have fair eyebrows and are dying your hair dark then your eyebrows will probably need dying too, although I wouldn't recommend dying it the same shade or with hair dye. Book in to get your eyebrows tinted once you've dyed your hair.
It may also be useful to buy two kits just incase one doesn't cover your whole head. I generally find one does for me, even though I've got thick hair, but its always good just incase you run out half way through. Some kits offer more dye then others as well.
Next, think about when you want your hair ready for. Are you covering up your roots for an important interview tomorrow? Maybe you want to try a sexy new shade for a hot date next week. Generally, if you've never dyed your hair before, do it at least a few weeks in advance so that if something goes wrong you have time to fix it. If you have dyed before then a week or so beforehand should be okay, but always make sure you have a back up plan to sort out your hair in time for whatever reason.
When it comes to the actual dying of the hair, get everything ready beforehand. Things you will most probably need would be 2 old towels that you don't mind getting dirty, a plastic bag, some old hairbands, some scissors and some hair clips. It's best to follow this list instead of realizing half way through that you need something and have to risk leaving the bathroom with hair half dyed to find it. The plastic bag is ideal for when you are done dying and have to leave the dye on, tie it up, pop a plastic bag over your head and tie it at the bottom - it means if you want to you can move around without getting dye anywhere and don't have to stay confined to your bathroom for half an hour!
Open the packaging and follow the instructions. It may be obvious but cut off the top of the packaging too - the bit that has the shade name and number on - so that if you do like it you can pick up the same shade next time. You wouldn't believe how many times I've really liked a shade but forgotten to note down these details and have never found it again!
You may also want to do a strand test to see what colour it comes out with and to check that you do not have an allergic reaction to the dye. This is very important if you are dying your hair for the first time or using a new type of dye.
The instructions will tell you how to dye your hair but generally its pretty simple, just put the dye on, rub it in and try to get everything! Remember though its important to really rub it in, especially with your roots, and take extra time applying dye to the back/bottom of your hair. Try lifting your hair over your head to get these parts. The hair right next to your ears often gets forgotten about too. When you think you've got everything, if you still have dye left, pour it into your hands and just grab all of your hair into a high ponytail or above your head and just massage and rub it in.
You can also get a friend to help assist you with areas of hair that you cannot see like the back of your neck etc.
When you are done, secure everything into a ponytail and a plastic bag and set a timer on your phone. You can choose to go by the minutes recommended with the instructions but these too will say that if you are going for a big change then you can keep the dye on a little bit longer. Now is a good time to get off all that dye that is on your skin too - it is a bitch to get off but soap and water usually does the trick (it takes time though!).
When the time is up wash the hair dye out until the water runs pretty much clear (this will again take a while) and make sure you shampoo and use the conditioner within the kit as this leaves your hair feeling extra smooth and will help lock in the colour. If you are pleased with the results, take a photo for future reference and go out and enjoy your new hair!
It's always daunting dying your hair, worrying about how it will go or whether the shade will suit you but once you get used to home dying and learn about the colours and shades that look good on you then you'll be bypassing the hairdressers to do it yourself every time! The most important part is to have fun though and to experiment with different colours! I myself have been blonde, brunette, black, red and purple!
