Congratulations. You've decided to color your hair for the first time, and it's super exciting. There are so many things you need to keep in mind before your big appointment. Along with figuring out which new shade you're going to be rocking, and if you'll be getting a semi or demi-permanent shade, you also have to figure out the best way to maintain your newly-colored mane. Seventeen tapped Mahshid Baghaei, balayage expert, and Kari Hill, celebrity hair colorist at Méche Salon, for their best tips for dyeing your hair the right way.
Whether you're going for a fun dark purple or platinum blonde, or something a little less drastic like balayage, there are different factors you should consider before making your big decision. And since it's no secret coloring your hair costs $$$, you want to make sure you're going in with all the info you need. Here's everything you need to know before coloring your hair for the very first time.
Evaluate the Maintenance Before Taking the Plunge
Certain color processes require more maintenance and upkeep than others, so it's important to consider that when choosing your color. According to Baghaei, the average time to get your roots touched up is typically four to six weeks. No matter how well you take care of your strands, fading is inevitable, and since hair grows about half an inch every month, you'll have to get your roots redone in that time frame.
If you don't have the time or the money to keep redoing your look, stick to a color that's closer to your natural shade, so your roots won't be as noticeable. Or go ombre so you only have to worry about it once or twice a year. If you're looking for a low-maintenance color option, here's what you need to know.
Balayage is the easiest color treatment to maintain
"The easiest and lowest maintenance treatment is a seamless balayage on the natural hair color," says Baghaei. According to Baghaei, balayage is a win-win because you get your desired color plus highlights, but it's also easy to preserve.
"You can either let it grow out and never go back for a touch-up, and it will still look beautiful, or you can keep up with the balayage by getting it touched every six to 12 months," she says. So if you want to avoid frequent trips to the salon but still want a touch of color, balayage is a great option.
If you're dealing with a low-maintenance change like balayage, Baghaei recommends getting a gloss treatment now and then, rather than an actual color touch-up, to freshen up the tone and add shine to your hair. A hair gloss is a shiny treatment for color-treated hair that'll enhance your color and make it last a little longer.
Red shades are the hardest to maintain
If you're looking for a low-maintenance shade, you might want to reconsider going ginger. "The red color is the hardest to get, the hardest to achieve, the hardest to get rid of, and also has the possibility to fade the fastest," says Hill. "It's the trickiest color that's out there." If you want to go red, be ready to commit!
Ask for Pricing When You Make the Appointment
Every salon ranges in pricing — it depends on whether it's a single process, the type of salon, and what products they're using, among so many other factors, says Baghaei. "Typically, a single process starts from $80 to $200," she says. "For highlights, it can vary from $100 to $500 depending on the look you're going for."
So make sure you ask for a quote before you go in. Just call and tell them you'd like a price estimate for [insert hair treatment here]. If their services are in your price range, then you can ask if there are any available appointments. And don't forget the tip: just like at a restaurant, you should add on a 15-20% tip when you pay.
Bring Pictures with You
You should always bring photos of your desired color, says Hill. "Sometimes your definition of 'blonde' can be different than your colorist's," she says. "Pictures are a great way of ensuring you're on the same page."
Telling your colorist you want "Taylor Swift blonde" might get you her golden-bronde shade from 2012 instead of her natural honey blonde.
Keep Your Skin Tones and Natural Hair Color in Mind
You may see a pic of Selena Gomez’s throwback highlights or Billie Eilish’s infamous green strands and want the same, but before you run to the nearest salon or drugstore to pick up a box dye, keep in mind that certain colors will look different on different skin tones.
"If you have a pink skin tone, you want to stick with a cooler, ashier tone," says Hill. "If you have a yellow skin tone, you can go with the golds and the warm [shades]. And if you have no idea what undertones you have, talk to your colorist — they should be able to help."
And when it comes to coloring your brows, it's not usually necessary. But if that's the look you're going for, then Hill says that it's best to go to a professional eyebrow tinter or a colorist. Keep in mind that dyeing your brows is illegal in some states because of the danger of getting harsh chemicals in your eyes. Because of that, you should never try to color your eyebrows yourself.
At the end of the day, your colorist is the expert, and luckily, most colorists will do a consultation to help you decide if the color you want is realistic and if it'll turn out how you envision it will. And if you need a visual, try doing a peek-a-boo strand, which is dyeing one lock of hair that hides under the rest of your hair to see if you like the color.
You Might Not Get the Color You Want On Your First Try
"As a general rule of thumb, going from dark brown hair to a beautiful bright blonde is more of a journey rather than nailing it on the first service," says Baghaei. "The hair has to go through all of its underlying tones to reach the desired level without compromising the integrity of the hair." So if you've got chocolate brown strands, it's going to take work to go megawatt blonde, and you run the risk of the color turning brassy.
Coloring Your Hair Can Damage It
Big changes can damage your hair severely, so most colorists prefer to do it in stages, allowing hair to recuperate for a few weeks between sessions. So if you're aiming for a serious transformation, make sure you know what you're in for. For this reason, it's also a good idea to see a pro if you're looking to do something major.
Your Color Will Fade
Though fading is unavoidable after time passes, there are tips you can follow that'll make your color last as long as possible.
Before you color your hair, use a clarifying shampoo
Whether you're dyeing your hair yourself or going to a profesh, Baghaei highly recommends washing your strands with a clarifying shampoo beforehand.
NatureLab. Tokyo Perfect Shine Clarifying Scalp Scrub
Colorproof Clear It Up® Shampoo
CURLS Hair Under There Detox Tea Cleanser Shampoo
MONDAY Haircare CLARIFY Shampoo
The Body Shop Tea Tree Purifying & Balancing Shampoo
Camille Rose Clean Rinse Shampoo
"Shampooing your hair with a clarifying shampoo can remove all the build-up in the hair shaft," she says. So if you use it before dyeing your hair, the color will stick better and last longer. But avoid clarifying shampoos post-color, because it'll cause your hair color to fade.
Use products made for color-treated hair
Though this one might not seem that important, using products that aren't specifically formulated for color-treated strands really can affect the longevity of your color, Hill says.
L'ORÉAL Paris Sulfate Free Bond Repair Conditioner with Citric Acid
Paul Mitchell Color Protect Locking Spray
Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream
amika Gloss Action Oil Treatment
If you go blonde, use purple shampoo to banish brassiness
Get on board with this miracle product. "Purple shampoos are excellent for blondes and brunettes who have highlights," says Hill.
Not Your Mother's Blonde Moment Treatment Shampoo
Joico Joico Color Balance Purple Shampoo
Redken Color Extend Blondage Color Depositing Purple Shampoo
Ouidad Tone It Away™ Purple Shampoo
Sun Bum Blonde Purple Shampoo
"It's great to use as often as you personally feel 'the need'. I suggest to my clients to alternate their purple or lavender shampoos with a daily shampoo for color-treated hair, so they don't get an 'over-toned' or a 'smoky' appearance."
Avoid washing your hair too often
If you're an everyday hair washer, you'll probably have to rework your washing routine. Washing your hair too often can cause your color to fade, says Hill. Two to three times a week is a good rule of thumb, but less often is better for maintaining your shade.
While we're on the subject, you also don't have to wait four days to wash your hair after your color it. "It does not make a difference if you wash it the next day," says Hill. "The color is there. The color molecules are in the hair. Color will fade over the next couple weeks just by default because of the elements in the water."
Protect your hair from the sun, like you would your skin
Sun can cause your color to fade faster and turn brassy, as well as leave your hair feeling dehydrated, says Baghaei. Protect your color with hair products that have UV protection (yes, they exist) to shield your hair from the sun. Plus, hats or head scarves are beach necessities.
Sun Bum Revitalizing 3 in 1 Leave-In Conditioner Spray Detangler
OUAI OUAI Heat Protection Spray
Coola Organic Scalp Spray & Hair Sunscreen Mist with SPF 30
Rahua Rahua Hydration Detangler + UV Barrier
Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil
Bed Head Bed Head Beach Bound Protection Spray, 3.4 Fluid Ounce
Pool water can ruin your color
Chlorine really messes with your hair color. Because copper is often found in water, the metal can mix with the chlorine and oxidize your hair, causing it to actually turn green.
To protect your strands, Hill advises applying a hair mask before you get into the pool. "You can get it wet first and then apply a mask created for color-treated hair that will help fill the cuticle with the conditioner so the water doesn't get in there and strip the color," she says.
But real talk: most of us probably aren't going to do this, but even just getting your hair wet in the shower before you jump into the pool will help, since dry hair is more absorbent.
If You’re Going the DIY Route, Make Sure to Test the Color First
When you're choosing an at-home kit, look for one with the least amount of harmful ingredients, like ammonia, peroxide, and alcohol. According to Hill, these ingredients can cause breakage and brittle strands.
Once you have your kit, make sure to do a swatch test first to avoid an allergic reaction. According to Hill, allergic reactions to dye aren't common, but we've all seen horror stories, so you always want to be safe. Swipe a little dye on a small patch of skin on the nape of your neck and then follow the directions on the box before dyeing.
Hill recommends setting up a workstation before starting with a wipe, comb, and a couple of towels (one for around your neck, one for your workplace). "Don't take your mom's best towel, though," she says. "Make sure you have a towel and wear a shirt designated for color." Hair dye can stain your clothes and towels.
A Colorist Can Fix Your Hair If You Hate It
Whether you DIY-ed your dye or had a pro work their magic, if you end up with a shade you're not happy with, it can be fixed. "If your color is not exactly what you were hoping for, there's no need to worry," Baghaei says. "Usually, your colorist can fix your color with a simple glaze or toner that can shift the tone and tweak the hair."
But to prevent any hair disasters, you should always be candid and open with your colorist throughout the entire process, says Hill. If the red she picked is too purple-y for you, ask her if you can see some options with an orange undertone instead.
Yerin Kim is the Assistant Editor for Snapchat Discover at Seventeen, covering beauty, sex & health, lifestyle, and entertainment. Originally from New Jersey but raised in Seoul, she is a proud Syracuse grad who loves fluffy puppies and a good Instagram opp. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram!
Jasmine Washington is an Assistant Editor at Seventeen, where she covers celebrity news, beauty, lifestyle, and more. For the past decade, she has worked for media outlets, including BET, MadameNoire, VH1, and many others, where she used her voice to tell stories across various verticals. Follow her on Instagram.
