If you’re an absolute perfectionist and want all the hair colouring tips the top professionals use, this is the guide for you!
Colouring hair at home is a great way to save money. However, it can be daunting for first-timers – hairdressers and stylists go through a lot of training for a reason!
Our home hair colouring guide has all the basics covered, but if you want to take your skills to the next level, this guide will help you achieve hair colour perfection.
If you're wondering how many pots of Directions you'll need to get the best coverage, go by our rule of thumb: we recommend one pot for hair that's shoulder length.
Directions Pre Colour Shampoo has been especially formulated to give you soft, shiny and manageable hair to work with.
While you’ll no doubt want to admire yourself from all angles once your vibrant new look is in place, this tip is about practicality, not vanity.
Whenever you’re looking to try out a new colour, spend some time browsing the instructions so you’re perfectly prepared.
Knots in hair can obscure certain strands and result in areas being missed. Tackle any tangles early on to leave your hair in the best state for complete coverage. No knots – no problem!
First, do a skin patch test to avoid any irritation or allergic reactions. Then, do a strand test on a small, hidden section of hair to find out if the colour will come through as you expect.
Divide your hair into multiple segments using hair clips or bands so you can get full colour coverage of your hair.
Avoid wearing your favourite shirt or dress and instead stick to old clothes you won’t mind getting a little messy.
You don’t just need to wear gloves for applying your colour – you’ll also want to have them on when you’re rinsing to stop your hands getting stained.
Use old towels or clothes to protect floors, walls and carpets. But, if you don’t want to waste any of these, bin liners, newspapers and other materials can offer great cover for your surfaces.
Covering your hairline, neck and ears with vaseline or petroleum jelly will make excess colour far easier to clean off later on.
Perfect hair colouring is all about precision. Approach it like a professional with a bowl and a brush to mix and paint on the colour. This makes colour mixing easy and less messy!
One colour not enough? If you want to embrace every shade of the rainbow and beyond, make sure the different sections of your hair are washed and dried separately.
Diluting your chosen colour with white toner or conditioner can introduce you to a whole new selection of pastel shades.
The level of your hair might restrict the number of colours you can apply and how successfully they come through. Speak to your hairdresser about options for lightening your hair, before you get to work with the colour at home.
Did you know that you can mix Directions colours to make your own unique shades? Craft your own colours and share your results with us – we love to see people getting inventive with our vibrant range!
Always start from your roots when colouring your hair, as this is the area where regrowth will happen fastest and is the least damaged part of your hair.
Not all shampoos and conditioners are created equal, and some are far from friendly for coloured hair. Directions Colour Protecting Shampoo and Directions Colour Protecting Conditioner are both formulated especially for this purpose.
Over time, any and all water or shampoos on your hair will cause the colour to fade away faster.
When you do have to brave the shower and put your hair on the line, wash with cold or lukewarm water. Colder water will keep your hair cuticles closed up, stopping colour from running out as quickly.
Bad news for swimmers and sunbathers – hair colour doesn’t react well to either of these. If you really care about your colour that much, then sun hats, swimming hats and UV hairsprays are highly recommended.
The vibrant hair dye range at Directions offers the best selection for honing your DIY hair colouring.
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