Dyeing your hair: everything you need to know

Are you feeling a bit bored with your hair and fancy a change? Maybe you want to try something different, but don’t want to change the style or the length?

One of the quickest ways to switch things up a bit, is by changing your hair colour. And the good news is, you can do it yourself at home and save yourself time and money in the process!

Before attempting any natural hair lightening techniques, always test your chosen mixture on a few strands of hair first to make sure you don’t have an allergic reaction or any irritation.

It’s also a good idea to test out any homemade mixtures on a small section of hair first to ensure you don’t have an allergic reaction.

Which hair dye is best?

Rather than choosing a shade that you happen to like and then applying it to your hair, it’s important you consider the overall ‘hair picture.’

I.e. will the colour that looks great on the model on the front of the box look the same on you? Will the shade suit your skin tone in reality?

Warm skin tones = warm hair hues

Warm hair colours tend to work well with warm skin tones. If you’re looking to go blonde, then make sure it’s more of a golden beige and buttery blonde. And if you’re itching to go brown, then make sure it’s more of a caramel or butterscotch shade. As for red, stick to golden copper colours.¹

Cool skin tones = cool hair hues

On the other end of the spectrum, cool skin tones go together with cool hair colours. Platinum, beige blonde and baby taupe blonde are among the best blonde shades for cool skin tones. If you want to go brunette, then stick to dark chocolate and espresso-type colours. As for red, it’s perfectly do-able, but it needs to be cool red, e.g. merlot, burgundy or subtle shades of mocha.²

Neutral skin tones = hundreds of hair hues!

If your skin has neutral undertones, then you’re in for a treat, as you’re most likely to be able to pull off most hair colours! Pretty much any shade of blonde – from pale beige to amber blonde – will suit you. So too will most shades of brown and red – let the hair colour experimenting begin!³

When it comes to deciding which hair dye is best, it’s always worth doing some research on the ingredients.

This is because some hair dyes can contain irritants and chemicals that can negatively impact our body – e.g. this means we can have allergic reactions to hair dye – so it’s always worth spending a minute to check the ingredients list in the small print. As a general rule of thumb, try to clear steer of p-Phenylenediamine, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and lead acetate.

How to determine your skin tone

Not sure what your skin tone is? Then it’s best you do the wrist test.

Take a look at the underside of your wrist where your veins are and see what colour they are. If they are blue/purple, then you have a cool skin tone. If they look more green/yellow, then you have a warm skin tone.⁴

If you’re still not sure, then focus on your eyes and natural hair colour.

People with cool skin tend to have blue, green, pale brown or grey eyes and naturally blonde, brown or black hair with ash tones.

Those with brown, amber or hazel eyes and hair that’s naturally auburn, brown or black hair with hints of red, copper or golden tones, are warm-toned.⁵

While we’re on the subject of eye and hair colour, check out these hair/eye colour facts:

• Dark hair is more common than light hair – more than 90% of people worldwide have naturally brown or black hair⁶
• Red hair is really rare – 1 to 2% of the population have it⁷
• So too is naturally blonde hair – 2% of people worldwide have naturally blonde locks⁸
• Brown is the most common eye colour – over half of the global population has brown eyes⁹
• Green eyes – are rare too, with only 2% of people being born with green eyes¹⁰
• Grey eyes are incredibly unique – so much so that 1% of people have them¹¹

Still not sure about which colour to choose?

We hear you. If only we could just click our fingers and have the hair colour of our dreams….For some of us, changing shade is more of a transitional thing, especially if we’re going from dark to light or vice versa.

Two top tips for you:

• Try to stay within two shades lighter or darker than your current colour to achieve an end result that’s between your natural colour and the colour on your hair dye box¹²
• You can dye your hair when it’s wet. In fact, doing it this way means you’ll lose less dye and get more even results¹³

What colour should I dye my hair?

These shades have been flagged by the ‘in the know’ stylists as being among the ‘in’ colours²⁰:

Ways to dye your hair

If you’re having your hair dyed professionally, then your hairdresser will ask you how you want your hair to be dyed. How much or how little you want your hair dyed will inform how they apply your hair dye.

For instance, you can have:

• A full head

This is where all of your hair is dyed.²¹

• Top section or half a head

This involves just dying the top layer or top half of your hair (everything underneath will remain the same, so if your hair’s long enough to put into a pony, you’ll see the non-dyed colour below).²²

• Highlights

 Highlights are where slices of your hair are dyed, usually lighter to add more depth to your hair.²³

• Balayage

Balayage is one of the most popular hair colour trends of the moment and involves hair being dyed using a freehand approach to give more of a natural finish.²⁴ (Note – balayage is not the same as ombre. Balayage is the hair dying technique, while ombre is a gradient of colour).⁵

Summary

• Match your new hair colour to your skin tone for best results
• Choose to dye your whole hair or just one section

Nasty or nice? The ingredients in your hair dye

Greys peeping through or want a bold new look? Before reaching for the hair dye, check for any potential hair damaging ingredients on the label. Millions of us regularly colour our hair, whether that’s with an at-home kit or at the hairdresser's.

However, certain chemicals in dyes are irritants or could be bad for your body – in some cases provoking severe allergic reactions – so it’s a good idea to know what you’re putting on your scalp.

Handpicked content: What is an allergy?

What chemicals should I look for?

There are dozens of ingredients that help hair dye work its magic. But there are some potentially harmful chemicals that are quite common in hair dye.

p-Phenylenediamine

The most common culprit that people react to is PPD, or p-Phenylenediamine, found in darker shades. Symptoms vary from dermatitis (itchy, red skin), to, in rare instances, life-threatening anaphylaxis.²⁶

PPD is often used in black ‘henna’ tattoos instead of the natural ingredient. The NHS warns levels of PPD in this dye could be toxic, so these tattoos are best avoided.²⁷ If you have had a black henna tattoo in the past you may increase your risk of allergy to PPD. If you have reacted to black henna or PPD containing hair dyes before it is best to avoid dyeing your hair. However, hair dyes containing PPD should be safe as long as you follow the safety instructions, including a patch test (see below).

Ammonia

You probably learned about this colourless, alkaline gas in chemistry lessons at school. It’s used in colourants as it opens up cuticles – a hair’s scaly outer coating – allowing the colour to penetrate. But over time, ammonia can leave tresses dry and brittle.²⁸

In strong concentrations, ammonia causes severe burning. But even in low concentrations, like those in hair dye, it can irritate skin, lungs or eyes if you’re sensitive.

Hydrogen peroxide

This is widely used in hair dye as it removes hair’s pigment, allowing new colours to be absorbed, from chestnut brown to hot pink.²⁹

Concentrated hydrogen peroxide comes with potential risks if ingested or inhaled, and causes tissue damage if it comes in contact with skin or eyes.³⁰

Even at the low levels used in hair dye, repeated use can leave hair parched and lacklustre. A study published in the Journal of Dermatology found exposure to hydrogen peroxide left hair weaker.³¹

Handpicked content: How to get shiny hair - 10 easy steps

Lead acetate

Used as a colour additive for years, this works by combining with protein in hair to gradually darken your barnet over time.³² These days it’s banned in Europe, with calls to ban it in the US too.³³

This is because lead is poisonous, causing serious health problems even in small amounts.³⁴ However, trials by the US Food and Drug Administration found lead wasn’t absorbed into the bodies of those using lead acetate-containing hair dyes.³⁵

How to be colour-safe

Always conduct a skin patch test at least 48 hours before using dye to check you’re not allergic, even if you’ve used that colourant before.³⁶ If you’re visiting the hairdressers, request a patch test at least two days before your appointment.

If you’re dying your hair at home, follow the instructions on the packet for a patch test. Monitor your skin and health carefully; if you develop any redness, itchiness or burning, or you start to feel poorly, avoid using the hair dye.³⁷

Even if your skin doesn’t react, avoid prolonged contact with hair dye chemicals; wear gloves while applying the dye, don’t leave it on your head longer than recommended, and thoroughly rinse it off.

What can I use instead?

If you think that you are allergic to PPD it is recommended that visit your doctor to be referred to an allergy clinic.³⁸

You could switch to natural dyes such as henna, derived from the Lawsonia inermis plant, which has been used for centuries as a natural hair dye in countries like India.³⁹ Or switch to semi-permanent hair dyes. Take care though – if you are switching to semi-permanent, consider avoiding Para-toluenediamine sulfate (also known as PTDS) as 40% of PPD allergy suffers also reacted to this dye.

If you think that you are reacting to the chemicals/irritants in the hair dye such as ammonia switch to vegetable-based dyes that are free from ammonia and other additives.

Don’t forget your patch test though, as you can still react to natural ingredients.

Summary

• Check the ingredients on your hair dye for chemicals such as p-Phenylenediamine, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide and lead acetate
• Skin patch test before you use a new hair dye

How to dye your own hair at home

Here’s our 5 easy steps to dying your own hair⁴⁰:

1. Select a hair dye that’s suitable for you

Once you’ve decided on your shade and checked the ingredients, spend some time thinking about if you want a temporary or permanent colour change.

2. Patch test the hair dye

As we mentioned a bit further up, the certain ingredients may mean you wind up having a reaction to hair dye. Always carry out a patch test 48 hours beforehand.

3. Brush your hair and section it into four

Separate your hair it into four equal parts (two at the back and two at the front). This will make application much easier and allow you to measure out the dye properly.

4. Apply the dye evenly and in the right places

If you’re colouring all of your hair, make sure you go right from the roots to the tips. If you’re just doing your roots, you only need to apply the dye there. Then, leave it to take.

5. Rinse off the dye and condition your hair

Wash the dye out until the water runs clear and condition your hair. Ta-dah, all done!

How to naturally lighten your hair

Are you dreaming of sun-kissed locks?

Going to the salon is one option, but if you’d rather save time and money – as well as avoid harsh chemicals – there are other options.

You may be wondering how to naturally lighten hair using at-home methods.

You may have heard that you can harness the power of the sun’s rays alongside natural lightening agents like honey, lemon juice and even vinegar to lift the colour of your strands.

But what results can you expect? Can you really get lighter hair without using bleach or dye?

What are the benefits of lightening your hair naturally?

• It’s cheaper

With a full head of highlights costing upwards of £100 in many salons, going the natural route is the most budget-friendly option.

Considering you’re likely to have these natural lightening agents in your kitchen cupboard anyway, the cost of natural hair lightening is next to nothing.

• You avoid chemicals

To achieve a lightened look with dye, you’d have to use bleach, high-lift dye or permanent hair dye.

These formulas are effective – usually giving several shades of colour lift in just one application.

However, they also contain chemicals including peroxide, ammonia, toluene, para-phenylenediamine, and lead acetate.^41,42

The effect of breathing these in on a regular basis isn’t entirely known – but some chemicals in hair dye have been linked with adverse health effects in large amounts.⁴³

• The effect is gradual

A salon dye job can be a dramatic transformation – but what if that’s not what you’re after?

Natural lightening methods offer a gradual approach to lightening which won’t have you looking in the mirror wondering who is looking back!

Natural lighteners allow you to increase the lightening effect with further applications – or not – as it suits you.

• Gentler on the scalp

Commercial hair dyes and bleaching agents can be too harsh for the delicate skin on your scalp.

Itching, tingling, and redness of the scalp aren’t uncommon when undergoing hair bleaching, especially if heat is applied to boost the development.⁴⁴

By going the natural route, you’re dodging the discomfort and allowing your scalp to breathe.

• Less upkeep

When you dye your hair a lighter colour, regrowth can be visible in at little as two weeks.

Even in the hands of the best colourists, you’ll be left with a harsh line of demarcation marking where your natural colour is growing in.

Even natural highlights should be touched up every 6 – 8 weeks to avoid the rooted look.

When using natural methods to brighten your hair, the lighter strands will be subtle and regrowth won’t be a concern.

• Available on your own schedule

You won’t always be able to get to the salon for a much-needed touch-up appointment.

Natural highlighting methods can be done at home, without taking time out from your other activities.

All you need is an ingredient or two from the kitchen – and a sunny day!

• Softer results

How many of us take our skin tone, eye colour and even wardrobe into account when choosing a new, brighter hair colour?

Lighten hair naturally for subtle results like brighter highlights and tones on the strands the sunlight usually catches.

You won’t have to deal with that brassy, block of colour you can see a few weeks after a dye job.

• Better for your hair

Bleach and other permanent lighteners are incredibly harsh on the hair.

To dye a strand of hair, the formula must penetrate the first two layers – the cuticle and the cortex – to degrade the melanin (the pigment which gives hair its colour) located in the medulla beneath.

As a result, there is extensive damage to the cuticle and cortex, which are responsible for the hair looking sleek and smooth.⁴⁵

• Better for the environment

Where does hair dye go once it’s been washed down the drain?

Unfortunately, into the ecosystem.

Some of the chemicals in hair dye and bleach may cause environmental toxicity, and the effects of this are only just being studied.⁴⁶

And the cons?

• It’s not for every hair type

Unfortunately, using natural extracts to lighten hair won’t work with every hair type.

Very thick, dark hair and black hair may not lighten at all using natural methods.

This is because they’re not powerful enough to penetrate dark hair strands and lighten the large quantity of melanin (colour-causing pigment) inside.

In grey hair, using lemon juice may remove some yellowing and improve overall brightness.

The hair type which is best suited to natural lightening is fine and light brown, dark blonde or medium blonde.

• It isn’t instant

Naturally lightening your hair can also take longer to achieve visible results.

It may take several days and multiple applications of natural methods before you start to see any changes.

• It can still be harsh on the hair

Ironically enough – choosing to lighten your hair the natural way could still end up causing damage (although not as much as bleach).

Lemon juice and baking soda are especially drying on the hair, so stock up on treatment masks.

Summary

• Lightening hair naturally is cheaper, safer, subtler and less damaging to the hair
• Natural hair lightening methods are less effective and take longer than dye
• Natural lightening methods may not work on thick, dark hair

9 ways to naturally lighten hair

Have you been wondering how to lighten hair without bleach?

Here are 9 natural ingredients you can try out.

Are products to lighten hair bad?

Bleaching and lightening DIY spray products have been on the market for decades.

They usually contain hydrogen peroxide – a chemical which penetrates the cuticle and cortex layers of the hair – which lightens hair together with either sunlight or heat applied with a hairdryer.⁵⁴

These products can damage the hair, as the chemicals in them open the hair’s cuticle, leaving it roughened and prone to frizzing.

How to lighten hair naturally overnight

Unfortunately, there isn’t any natural way to lighten locks as you sleep.

Natural methods may yield visible results in just one application – but the effect will be very subtle and more time is required to show results.

What causes hair to lighten naturally?

It’s the sun’s rays that cause the melanin pigment inside some shades of hair to degrade, thus slightly lightening the colour.

Agents such as lemon juice, baking soda, salt and vinegar help lift the hair’s cuticle and make the VIS and UV rays more able to penetrate and break up some of the melanin.^55,56

How to lighten hair without damage

The reality is – to lighten a strand of hair at least some of the melanin pigment must be broken down.

Melanin is buried deep within each strand. To get to the melanin, both commercial dyes and effective natural methods must lift the hair’s cuticle.

Therefore, it’s not really possible to lighten hair without some degree of damage.

However, compared to the extensive damage of bleaching (which dissolves melanin) or other chemical processes, natural methods are much gentler on the hair.⁵⁷

Summary

• To lighten hair strands, the cuticle must be lifted to allow the melanin inside to be broken down
• Various natural methods may lighten both natural and colour-treated hair, including baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar, vitamin C and salt. Others may impart a golden tone, like chamomile and cinnamon.
• Most natural lightening methods work with the sun’s rays - but don't forget your SPF to protect you from the harmful UV rays!

How to remove hair dye

If you’ve grown sick of your current hair colour and are keen to either go back to your natural shade or try a brand new one, you’ll have two options to consider.

The first is to simply wait until the dyed hair has grown out and then snip it off.

The second, much faster option, is to remove the hair dye yourself.

Can I remove any hair dye?

Whether you can remove your hair dye at all will largely depend on the type of dye you originally used:

• Permanent dyes

 Permanent hair dye does what it says on the tin and can be almost impossible to remove without bleaching it. All you’ll be able to do is dye over the top of it, a process which doesn’t always achieve the desired shade and could also damage your hair

• Semi-permanent dyes

 If you’ve opted for semi-permanent hair colour, it’s possible to remove it safely and easily if you have the right know-how.

• Wash in, wash out dyes

 For wash in, wash out dyes, all you’ll need to do is simply have a shower!

How to strip hair dye

If you’ve currently got a semi-permanent hair dye on your locks and are keen to switch it up, there’s a few easy methods you can use to remove it safely and quickly.

1. The vinegar method

What you’ll need:

• White vinegar
• Warm water

What to do:

1. Mix equal parts vinegar and warm water together (the amount you need will depend on the length of your hair).
2. Apply the mix all over your hair and the wring out any excess. You might want to put a shower cap on to keep your hair contained and prevent the vinegar mix from dripping.
3. Leave for around 15 minutes and then wash your hair.
4. Repeat again if needed.

2. The shampoo method

If you don’t like the sound of putting vinegar on your hair, you might see some results simply by washing your hair a few times. While shampoos containing sulphates are not usually recommended as they can dry the hair out, they can be very effective at easing the colour out of dyed hair.

For the best results, leave some on your hair for around 20 minutes.

After you’ve attempted one of these hair dye removal methods, make sure you condition your hair to replenish its moisture levels and help keep it soft.

Summary

• Dying your hair at home is straightforward – always follow the instructions
• You can naturally lighten your hair with lemon juice, henna or cinnamon
• Vinegar and shampoo can help remove unwanted hair dyes

Last updated: 6 September 2021