8 Crucial Hair-Dyeing Tips Colorists Want You To Know

This is the Holy Grail.

Andrew Richard / BuzzFeed

1. If you've never dyed your hair before, don't feel like you need to go full throttle.

@colourpopcosmetics / Via instagram.com

"If someone has never dyed their hair before and they're feeling nervous about a new color, I like to take it slow," Joel Warren of Warren Tricomi salon told BuzzFeed. You can always add more color as time goes on, so don't feel like you need to rush the process.

2. Please, in the name of all that is holy, talk to your stylist about the condition of your hair.

@colourpopcosmetics / Via instagram.com

Is your hair dry? Do you notice it breaking? Have you colored it within the last 6 months? Bleached it? Going lighter than your current shade will only mean more bleach and more damage. Potentially consider a semi-permanent rinse or highlights instead of a full dye-job.

3. If you're a little nervous about dyeing your hair, go for a shade that's about three shades away from your natural color.

@colourpopcosmetics / Via instagram.com

This makes it easy to transition back to your natural hair color (if you've had enough) and also allows for a stylist to build on that color if you want to take it to the next level.

4. Consider whether or not you have commitment issues when you're picking a shade.

@time_lord_chick / Via instagram.com

"Bright colors require the most bleach and the colors wash out quickly, which means you have to be committed to the upkeep," AJ Lordet of Pierre Michel Salon in New York City told Buzzfeed. If you don't want to visit a colorist every 3 weeks, figure out a look that you'll still feel good about if it's grown out a little or the color has faded.

5. If you're a lazy girl, you also might want to rethink going red.

@colourpopcosmetics / Via instagram.com

Next to bright, colorful shades, red is the most high-maintenance color because it fades easily, according to Lordet. If you want a super easy color, this might not be the one for you.

6. And if you're low-maintenance, try highlights first.

thebeautydepartment.com

"Since highlights are added to only select strands of hair, you can personalize your color without it becoming high-maintenance," said Lordet. This is also a great solution if you're low maintenance AND you have commitment issues.

7. Ask your stylist what maintenance would actually look like for your ~dream~ hair color.

@colourpopcosmetics / Via instagram.com

Different colorists have personal philosophies and techniques when it comes to maintaining hair color. "For my touch up sessions on neon hair, I mix the bright color with conditioner and apply it to the hair to keep the color fresh without drying out the follicles," said Lordet. See what your colorist would recommend in terms of upkeep moving forward — and find out how much it would cost.

8. If your hair is damaged, getting a gloss is a good way to refresh your hair without damaging it with more color.

@colourpopcosmetics / Via instagram.com

"A gloss is a highly acidic semi-permanent translucent color that seals the hair's cuticle for shinier, softer hair," Lordet said. A gloss also enhances the richness of your natural color for a ~new~ look that's not quite so drastic.

Now, you can dye with all the colors of the ~*wind*~.

thegloss.com