Learn how to fix hair colour mistakes at home

May 15, 2015 10:08 PM

For DIY patriots, we like to do everything by ourselves and it has its own advantages but they could be a disaster after the first run.

Hair colour mistakes and repairs

Cassondra Kaeding, a colourist at Hally Hershberger Los Angeles tells us how to fix every possible at-home hair colour disaster.

For colour left on too long:

Just in case you got too immersed in your movie and left your hair colour on longer than the advised 30minutes, here's what to do. If you were going lighter, chances are you'll have "hot roots". Wait a day or two for the color to oxidize, then treat just the roots with a color that's one shade darker. If you were going darker and now have deep-dark roots or ends, then either dye the rest of the hair to match or go to a salon for help.

Don't try to lighten your roots; that could be disastrous, says Kaeding. And make sure to choose shades within the same hair-color family. "Mixing brands could mix chemicals and produce unpredictable results," she says.

For neglected brows:

Now, this might not have been a mistake at all (you rock those dark brows with bleached hair, girl). But as a general rule, brows look best one to two shades darker than your hair color. Either seek a professional tinting job or use the dye sparingly.

"Do one brow at a time, leave on the color for a minute, then wipe it off," says Kaeding. "If you want it darker, put it on for another few minutes. It's better to work in stages than to leave it on too long and turn your brows orange or even too dark. That never looks good."

For wrong colour results:

If the brown you chose came out too warm or too cool, try this trick from Kaeding. "Buy the same shade but in the opposite tone—ashy or warm," she says. "If you color comes out too warm, apply an ashier tone, and if the color is too ashy, apply a warmer tone.

This will make the color more balanced. And you can do it the same day because you're not changing the level." If you want to change the shade entirely, wait several days before going darker. If you want to go lighter, seek professional help.

For dye stains on your table or sink:

Spray the sink or tile with Clorox bleach and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing.

For colour stains on the ears or neck:

Before rinsing off the color, use your pointer and middle finger (with gloves on) and rub the hairline to break up the molecules. Then, once you've washed your hair, apply a dab of clarifying shampoo on the end of a wet towel and rub it into the skin to remove the color.