Save on Hair Coloring Services

Coloring your hair is a great idea. Yes, pricey salon services can add up. Here are some money saving ideas.

If you have more time than money and are not terribly picky, you can go to a beauty school. When the student asks what color you want and shows you the color swatches, I recommend that you select the next color lighter than your own hair. In coloring gray, it is better to err on the side of being too light rather than too dark. Gray hair is God’s way of softening our look. So if you color your gray back to your original dark brown, you may look harsh. It may accentuate your lines and wrinkles. A color with a little red or gold will liven up your skin tone. However, if you think that you are a “Winter” or a “Summer” with blue undertones in your skin, you may want to go with an ash tone. The hairdresser will know if a color is gold or ash base.

Low cost “bargain” salons often have hairdressers straight out of school. Or they have beauticians who work really fast and earn their money on the speed of service. So you may get slow or quick service. All the stylists must be licensed. You can save at family salons like this.
Coloring you hair at home is the least expensive way to go. Select a color with the suggestions above.
The kits from the drug store come with applicator, developer, and vinyl gloves. If you buy your products from a beauty supply house, you will need to buy thin rubber gloves, an applicator, and developer like peroxide. The tint package will tell you what strength developer to use. Some Ninety-Nine Cent type stores and other over-stock outlets may have hair tint. Buy a brand that you know. Saving a dollar with an off brand just isn’t worth it.
The problem with home tinted hair is that it frequently lacks shading and depth. It seems to be all one color. So here is the solution to looking like a high price salon color without the price tag every 4 weeks:
Ask your friends about who does the best color, highlights, and lowlights. Go to the best salon that you can afford. Talk to the stylist. Tell her what you are planning to do. Tell her that you will return twice a year if you are happy with the work. Come on, you can afford to take care of yourself twice a year.
Have this la-de-dah stylist cover your gray, put in highlights and lowlights. You will look fabulous. Watch how she works. See how skinny she makes the parts to cover the gray. Learn how she blows and styles your hair. You will do this all yourself for the next six months.
When your gray re-growth appears, it’s time for your do-it-yourself. Select a color one shade lighter than the base color of your hair (so neither the low lights or the highlights). Use an applicator bottle (it comes in the kit). It is easier to stay on just the gray with a pointy applicator than with a brush. Remember, you hairdresser uses a brush, but she can see what she’s doing.
Clear the rugs and towels from your bathroom so you don’t spatter on them. Take the rubber mat out of your shower. Wear an old shirt that buttons down the front. I have a man’s shirt from the thrift shop that I wear. It is covered with stains. Shirt MUST open and not slide off over your head.
Do not wash your hair. Comb out all tangles. Part your hair down the middle and from ear to ear. READ AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. Wear gloves. Apply to the hairline first, all around your face. This is the most resistant gray on your head. Keep some toilet paper and a lined trashcan or the toilet convenient (lid and seat up). As the tint starts to run, mop it up with toilet paper and toss.
This is the important step that will make your lovely salon color last: Apply the tint in a thin bead line on your skin only. As you manipulate the hair, the tint will get on the gray. The tint must stay on the GRAY ONLY. Do not mush it through your hair. Do not cover the old color. Do not spread it with a brush or your finger.
Make tiny parts with the tip of the applicator. Squeeze on only a thin line of tint. Then make another tiny part and squeeze on another thin line.
Your arms will wear out. You will vow to pay for the salon next time. It’s much easier if you have a friend do this for you. Have a girls’ night in and color each other’s hair.
After all the gray is covered, wait the time recommended in the instructions. If you have no instructions, wait 25 minutes. Keep checking the hairline and ears. Clean off any drips as soon as they happen. Check your neckline.
Do NOT mush all your hair together into a topknot. Let is stick out all over so the oxygen gets to it evenly so the developing can take place. Do NOT comb or drag the color through your hair. Keep it on the gray. This technique is different from what you may have done before where you comb or drag the color through ½ way through the developing. The reason we don’t bring the color through is that we don’t want to color the highlights and lowlights.
When the time is up, get in the shower. Put a little bit of warm water on your head and mush all your hair around for about 3 to 5 minutes. Add more water. Mush. Now rinse, rinse, rinse.
If you are using a professional product from the beauty supply, you can shampoo. Home products have shampoo in them, so just mush and rinse.
Grab up a lump of hair and scrub your hairline with it. That will help remove any stains on your skin. Rinse some more. Use a conditioner. Done.
If you have stains on your skin, rub with a little cream. If that doesn’t take off the stain, rub gently with cuticle remover.
Comb and dry your hair.
Now get critical. Examine your hair. Are there gray patches? Next time make the parts narrower. Notice if the gray is covered. If not, make a note to let it develop longer next time.
Are the roots too light? If so, make a note to buy a darker shade next time. Are the roots too dark? If so, make a note to buy a lighter shade next time. If all over seems too dark (with your hair dried) shampoo with hot water and dish soap (like Joy) and deep condition immediately. That will lift some of the color.
Go only one shade lighter or darker. Keep the package so you know how to shop next month.
Now the happy part. You have dimensional color, which is rare for home done tinting. This is because you still have your highlights and lowlights.
Always use shampoo and conditioner made for chemically processed or tinted hair. Cover your hair in the sun. Use a conditioner with each shampooing.
The last shampoo before a tint should be followed by a deep conditioning. Do this before coloring because a deep conditioner sometimes removes a bit of color.
If you have product build up in your hair, for the last shampoo before your next coloring you can add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to some shampoo. This will strip product, including some color. Then use a super rich conditioner.

Mimi Barre is the owner of International Day Spa, 325 Cajon St., Redlands.
Send your skin care questions to her at MimiB@INTLdayspa.com. She and her estheticians are available for personal consultations. (909) 793-9080. Past columns of Ask Mimi are on the web at www.INTERNATIONALdayspa.com.