"Dye It Yourself.
ver the past year, we've become master banana bread bakers, skilled house decorators, obsessive plant parents, and... our very own at-home beauty therapists. True, some of our endeavours have been more successful than others – there's nothing like waxing your own crotch for the first time to make you appreciate the salon – but in general, we've become a lot more open to learning new tricks. Case in point: home hair dye has surged, unsurprisingly, with more of us dipping our toe into DIY. Not all of us will have come out victorious (step one: know your limits. A drastic dye job is best left to the professionals). But for those looking at basic upkeep and minimal maintenance –like covering roots and refreshing your existing hair colour – the success stories have been far more encouraging. Luckily, the science behind at-home formulas has come a long way in recent years, meaning it's possible to achieve glossy, vibrant colour for a fraction of the cost of an in-salon appointment. To help make DIY dyeing that little bit easier, we caught up with the king of colour, Josh Wood, colourist and founder of Josh Wood Colour and Atelier, to reveal the three most important home hair dye tips.
Over the past year, we’ve become master banana bread bakers, skilled house decorators, obsessive plant parents, and… our very own at-home beauty therapists.
True, some of our endeavours have been more successful than others – there’s nothing like waxing your own crotch for the first time to make you appreciate the salon – but in general, we’ve become a lot more open to learning new tricks.
Case in point: home hair dye has surged, unsurprisingly, with more of us dipping our toe into DIY. Not all of us will have come out victorious (step one: know your limits. A drastic dye job is best left to the professionals). But for those looking at basic upkeep and minimal maintenance –like covering roots and refreshing your existing hair colour – the success stories have been far more encouraging.
Luckily, the science behind at-home formulas has come a long way in recent years, meaning it’s possible to achieve glossy, vibrant colour for a fraction of the cost of an in-salon appointment.
To help make DIY dyeing that little bit easier, we caught up with the king of colour, Josh Wood, colourist and founder of Josh Wood Colour and Atelier, to reveal the three most important home hair dye tips.
1. Get the best consultation you can
First up, before you even consider adding a box dye to your basket, get some expert help. If you don’t feel comfortable seeking advise in the salon, there are online options too. “Self-selecting in the home hair colour aisle can leave people confused. I was really keen to change that with the Josh Wood Colour expert online consultation,” reveals Josh whose haircare range includes professional at home hair dye. So do a bit of research online, or get in touch with your usual colourist to see if they can offer guidance.
2. Don’t overdo it
If you’re looking for a whole new look, leave it to the professionals. Josh warns: “Drastic colour changes like highlights and balayge simply won’t work at home because they require skills and expertise.” If you’re thinking of revamping your dark hair into a platinum blonde, it might be best to hold fire (playing with bleach when you don’t know what you’re doing can mean irreversible damage on hair). Instead stick to enhancing and touching up the colour you currently have, or if you’re already blonde you can play around with bright colours much more easily as they’ll show up better.
3. Aftercare is crucial
While salon colour changes usually come hand-in-hand with aftercare treatments, when it’s just you and a box of colour, it’s super important to change your haircare regime accordingly. “Use a shampoo and conditioner that is suited to the colour and texture of your hair and to the tone that you want to protect from fading,” says Josh.
