How to Dye Your Hair and Keep the Color
Donald Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani held a press conference yesterday and inadvertently redefined the concept of public collapse. Standing in front of the cameras, Giuliani began to sweat, prompting what many journalists and fascinated viewers considered a torrential shower of hair dye for the former New York City mayor.
A brown liquid ran down his face. Cameras went off. Twitter was awash with jokes about the man’s poor hair care, which were likened to a burst sewer pipe. While it was an instant goldmine of viral comedy, a follicular disaster of this magnitude is easy to avoid, whether you’re outside on a warm day or standing in the stands in front of the entire country.
Everyone’s hair is different, but some general rules apply.
Of course, everyone’s hair is different, and not everyone dyes their hair for the same reason. But there are a few rules that apply to everyone. As measures to contain a pandemic may gradually move closer to where you live, it is good to take stock as you may not have access to the skills of a true hair care professional.
As an in-depth overview of the process from Men’s Health explains:
- Wash your hair first, but do not add styling products. Colorist George Papanikolas told the magazine, “Wash it the night before and don’t put on any styling products. You want natural oil on your scalp. “
- The article also explains that these natural oils form a protective barrier on the hair against scalp irritation.
Know your color
Do you lighten your hair because you were inspired by LP Slim Shady when you were young? Are you hiding the natural graying of your hair because you are an American psychopath and want people to think that you bathe in the fountain of youth every morning?
Whatever your reasoning, understanding what color you want – and one that will go well with your complexion – is of the utmost importance. Under normal circumstances, a colorist will guide you through the entire process. As Bumble and Bumble’s Kara Hoskins explained to Esquire :
Find pictures of the hair color you like, ideally a few of them. If we know what specific shade and tone you want to achieve, we can find for you the best way to get as close to it as possible. And based on this, we will make recommendations.
It might not be safe to sit in a chair with your colorist, so you might only be able to get their feedback through video chat, email, or text. If MIA is your trusted hair care professional, you can shift that responsibility to a friend you value.
Apply dye
Make sure you do this in a clean area, preferably a bathroom or kitchen sink. You will usually have to mix the paint yourself. In this case, it is very important to wear gloves if they were included with the paint.
Men’s Health explains how to physically apply whatever colorant you use:
Put on your gloves and start stirring if you need to. Then start applying it to your hair in sections. As a general rule, you should start at the front and gradually work backward if you are going to fully cover, and backward forward if you are doing a gray camouflage situation. If your hair dye kit includes a brush, you can use it or your hands.
Maintenance is the key to success
There are a number of best practices to keep you from going down the sweaty Giuliani path. In other words, using the right hair care products will help prevent color from spreading across the face when the sweat glands are activated.
Especially immediately after staining, use a shampoo and conditioner of a specific color. As Sal Misseri, owner and creative director of Reverie a Sal Misseri, told GQ : “ After each coloring service, the hair sometimes goes through several processes and needs to be treated appropriately with a shampoo and conditioner of a specific color.”
And with the priority of hair comes sacrifice; There are also many things to avoid, such as the plague. As GQ explains:
As expected, there is a small list of things to avoid when it comes to maintaining hair color. Swimming (bleach), heat styling (with a hairdryer ) and exposure to the sun (ultraviolet radiation) are the main culprits, but of course they are difficult to completely avoid, according to Misseri. This is why thermal protectors, brightening shampoos and color conditioners are so essential.
You will also want to tweak the color periodically, because sunlight and a lot of other everyday facts can blur your color. This is why people who are serious about keeping their looks tend to build relationships with their colorists. However, in the absence of a trusted professional, simply follow the steps above and you should be fine.