Coloring Your Hair At Home: Some Pros And Cons

Do you color your hair at home or go to a salon to get your hair professionally colored? Nothing beats being pampered at a salon but doing it yourself can be an option for some as well, especially if you are trying to cover those pesky grays.  One topic that gets discussed amongst my friends and myself, especially in the days of COVID, should you attempt to cover your grays yourself or go to a salon?

With so many hair-coloring products on the market, I know that it may be tempting to do it yourself.  But is it a smart thing to do? Should you always go to a salon to get your hair colored, or are there benefits to staying at home and doing it yourself? It's difficult to find a concrete answer to this question, but here are the main pros and cons of coloring your hair at home:

Pro: Far Cheaper To Color Your Hair At Home
The most significant benefit of coloring your hair at home is that it's much cheaper than going to a salon. This is because you don't just pay for the dye at the salon - you pay for a stylists' experience. (which is the most important to me). Also, the products used by professional beauticians are far better than over-the-counter products. Unless, of course, you have a friend that can give you access to a place like SalonCentric, where stylists purchase products.

Con: Can Cost Your More To Color Your Hair At Home
Now I know you may be thinking, Barbie, you just said a pro to coloring your hair yourself is cheaper. And yes, the initial investment can be.  But to me, coloring your hair at home can be a bit of a lottery. The products you use might not produce the desired results. Or, you could make a mistake and not end up covering all of your gray hairs. Gray hair is more resistant to color than younger hair because of its texture. Heck, I've had stylists who can not correctly dye into the roots and completely cover all of my grays.  For me, natural gray hair is the most disgusting look, aside from thinning hair. I can say this as I am 80% gray!! And while many can hide their roots by wearing a hat more because of COVID restrictions and working out of the home.  No matter what product you are purchasing, unless you are an experienced stylist, there's a high chance that something could go wrong, and you don't end up with the hair you wanted. And in my case look like Grandma Barbie. Then what? You have to spend more money on products to correct the situation, driving the overall costs up. So, while it may seem like coloring your hair at home is cheaper, it can quickly be more expensive if the results don't come out as you expected.

Pro: Much More Convenient To Color Your Hair At Home
Another advantage of coloring from home is that it's highly convenient. If you need to touch up your roots or cover up those nasty gray hairs, you can do so without the COVID drama of booking an appointment, as this, to me, is what is the real pain in the ass.

Coloring your own hair, you do not have to:

• Wait for your stylist's schedule to clear up.
• No worries about having to wear a face mask for three-plus hours straight.
• There are no concerns about being exposed to COVID because your stylist is right up on you and all of her other clients- no 6 feet away when getting your hair dyed at a salon.
  

The bottom line many of us are still stuck in lockdowns with limited availability to a fully staffed salon because of restrictions there as well. Therefore, you have to wait weeks or months before you can get into the salon.  With some hair dye at home, you color your hair whenever you want.

Con: Limited Color Options When Dying Your Hair At Home
Coloring your own hair only really works for the basics of single-process hair color; all-over color using is a one-step process. For a person like me, whose hair is naturally dark and I had to go blond because of all the grays, I need more than a one colored formula.

One of the most significant benefits of going to a stylist is that they have more control over perfecting the end result as they will be using a bespoke of coloring.  Meaning they understand your hair type, skin tone, and natural hair color and then make tints for you, which is not possible with box color. A hair coloring expert can play around with different colors and shades, giving you a unique look. They also know things like the balayage highlighting technique, which is very hard for the average person to do at home.

Pro:  Virtual Shade Colors Can Make A Single Color Process Work
Unlike the above, where I discussed needing more than a single process. If you are a person who only needs a single process, then doing it yourself could actually work. Things are far more advanced these days, and trying a new hair shade has never been easier with something like a virtual makeover tool! Where you will upload a selfie or virtually try on the shade you like. You can use our shade selector tool to find the best hair color to change your hair color. Heck, I did it just for fun!

Con: It Can Get Messy When Coloring Your Hair At Home
As we've seen, mastering coloring your hair at home can be difficult. Aside from stressing about achieving the perfect hair color with no damage, there’s always a chance of making a mess in your bathroom.  Ever dye your hair red, and the tub resembles something straight out of a murder scene from your favorite crime TV show. Yikes!  Red hair dyes and darker colors will stain everything it touches. This includes your clothes and towels as well.

Pro: Coloring Your Hair Can Be A Quick New Look
The thought of a new hair look is exciting, and a single colored hair dye can be a way to give a fresh fun look. Looking for something to add even more attitude? Why not consider making your own clip-in hair extensions?