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Pros and Cons of DIY Hair Dye

diy hair dye dye your hair at home
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Disclosure: The following product(s) may have been sent to Earn Spend Live in exchange for a review. All opinions are the author’s own.

Have you ever tried to dye your hair at home? Nothing is better than the VIP treatment at a salon, but DIY hair dye is not only cheaper, it can also give you a great sense of pride. But before you decide to go with the DIY hair dye, you may want to read these pros and cons to know what you’re getting into.

Pro: It’s Super Affordable

The biggest benefit of dyeing your hair at home is that it’s affordable. Buying your own DIY hair dye costs a fraction of the price of hiring a stylist. Madison Reed offers a personalized permanent hair color for as low as $19.95, and eSalon has a custom hair color for $25, although your first order is only $10. Since a stylist can cost as much as $100, you will only spend 10% to 25% and get the same results.

Con: It Can Be Limiting

One of the biggest benefits of going to a stylist is that you can get any color you can imagine by combining pigments. When you get DIY hair dye in a box, you only get one formula for a single color. You cannot add highlights, lowlights, or ombre styles unless you buy another kit. Dyeing your hair at home can feel limiting because you can only purchase what’s on the market. Purchasing the pigments on your own can be difficult if you don’t know a certified stylist, and it can be risky combining the pigments yourself without the proper training.

Pro: It’s Convenient

I love doing things myself — especially if I don’t have to leave my house to do it. If I can dye my hair at home, I’m going to do it because I can watch Netflix, play games, and do whatever I want while the dye is setting. Last time I had my hair professionally dyed, it took five hours total. That’s five hours I can spend reading a new book or watching my favorite shows.

Con: It Could Get Messy

With DIY hair dye, you’re risking your clothing and your flooring unless you’re careful. The last thing you want is to leave a red dot on your floor or stain your shirt, which is easy to do if you add too much dye to your hair. To prevent this, just put newspaper under your workspace and wear your least favorite shirt. If it gets stained, who cares? Even if you’re totally confident about your skills, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. I learned that lesson the hard way when I got black hair dye all over my countertops.

Pro: It’s Extremely Easy

Regardless of where you purchase your DIY hair dye kit, companies have made it incredibly easy to mix the chemicals and dye your hair at home. All you need to do is put on gloves, read the instructions, mix the solutions, and soak every strand of hair in the dye. Most kits label bottles using numbers and tell you to mix “Bottle 1” into “Bottle 2” then mix. It couldn’t be easier.

Con: It Can Go Wrong

Even though the steps for DIY hair dye are easy, things can still go wrong. We’re not professional stylists, so we don’t know when we’ve mixed something incorrectly or when a color doesn’t develop the way it looks on the box. Over time, you’ll figure out exactly what colors look best on you and how long to leave in your hair, but that takes practice. You could end up like me – fiery red hair when I attempted to dye my box blonde hair to black. It didn’t look bad, and I rolled with it, but it was an experience I’ll avoid in the future.

Pro: It Can Still Be VIP

One of the main reasons I love the salon is because it’s pampering, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get the same VIP treatment if you dye your hair at home. No one says you can’t buy your favorite snacks, light some candles, and dye your hair. Doing something good for yourself doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. Take the time to also deep condition your hair after dyeing it for a silky smooth feel. Usually, when I buy DIY hair dye, I get deep conditioner and leave it in for an hour after coloring. It’s left my hair silky smooth and revives it after the chemical treatment.

Con: It’s Unreliable

When I was younger, I used to grab a box of dye from Walmart, but it wasn’t until later that I learned this method isn’t ideal. Ask any stylist, and they’ll tell you that boxed hair dye is unreliable – you never know what you’re going to get. Usually, the dye in supermarkets and some beauty stores sit on the shelves for months and sometimes years. If you’re getting DIY hair dye, it’s important to pick a reliable distributor like Madison Reed or eSalon so you know you can count on quality products.

Featured image via Stucky Creative

Last modified on April 2nd, 2020

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