Salon vs. At-Home Hair Color

Do-it-yourself hair color sounds easy enough because you simply mix, apply, and rinse. This basic 3-step system has worked for men and women of all ages for years; however, the trend has become even more popular over the last 4 years due to the shady economy. And while getting your hair done every month may have been the "thing" to do, it's no longer economically viable for some people.


Luckily, home dye kits are affordable at only a fraction of the cost of a salon trip - not to mention convenient! Technology has played a part in the improvement of home hair dying systems, and there are many more options to choose from these days.

Another upside to doing it yourself is being able to use an at-home hair dye kit any time of day or night, without making an appointment or even leaving the house. This convenience factor definitely beats having to wait for your appointment, then working around the stylist's schedule.

Of course, there are also some reasons not to dye, bleach, highlight, or touch-up roots by yourself, and these things should be considered before trying to go it alone. Here are some of the most common mishaps that occur during an at-home color treatment.

At-Home Hair Coloring Mishaps

Trusting the Box

When you're trying to choose a hair dye color in the store, the color can definitely be misleading. This is especially true when all you have to go by is a little picture on the side of the box, and a pretty model with perfect hair on the front. The color that you choose might seem like the perfect color on the box, but after you apply it, the product could be completely different than what you wanted.

Wrong Color Choice

There are a lot of questions that come up when you’re trying to find a new hair color such as the following:

• What will look best with your skin tone?
• Do you want to go lighter or darker than your natural hair color?
• What color matches your style?
• Do you like warm colors, cool colors or neutral colors?

To start answering these questions, keep in mind that your own hair color plays an important role in the dyeing process, as well as with the overall health of your hair. And be advised that not all hair absorbs color evenly, and if you're not careful, you can end up with splotchy color.

Hot Roots

This is what salon stylists call roots that are brighter and more intense than the rest of your hair. Hot roots occur when the whole head of hair is colored, but the roots become over-processed due to the heat from your head. Also, the ends of hair are more porous, and able to absorb more color, which leaves you with bright roots and dark tips over time.

This problem happens to a lot of women who use home dye kits, and it can be avoided by visiting a salon because they use different types of hair color on the roots and tips to ensure even color. Salon stylists may also use more than 2 formulas in order to give your even hair color. So next time you're thinking of dyeing your hair at home, consider ditching the box and visiting a salon.

Missed Spots

Having missed spots is a regular occurrence with home hair dye systems. After all, it's easy to miss some spots when you're dyeing your own hair because you can't always cover the hard-to-reach areas. You might miss large chunks of hair, and if you don't have any way of seeing the back of your head, there's an 80% chance of this happening. The chances of missing spots lessen with the help of a friend; however, your friend won't always know the best technique to use.

Also worth noting is that, when you’re trying to cover up gray hair, it can be incredibly embarrassing to miss spots. The same is true with trying to achieve an entirely different color - for example, going black to blonde. So once again, a trip to the salon might be worth the money in order to avoid missing spots.


Damaging Treatments

Your hair can become damaged after just one bad coloring mishap. And it isn't easy gaining the health of your hair back after it gets damaged from this, or other styling tools and treatments. Fortunately, when you go to a salon, the stylists are able to tell you things like if your hair is starting to become damaged, products you can use to help maintain your hair color, and advise you to take a break from using hair treatments on your hair.

You might not be able to spot damaged hair as quickly as a stylist because they've been trained to know what to look for, and are educated on how to repair it. Salon stylists can also suggest products to combine to help your hair recover, as well as products to avoid for color-treated hair. For instance, some hair lighteners used in combination with certain dyes can cause hair to fry, and they can also burn your scalp. In contrast to this, salon stylists will use professional products, thus leaving you a less likely candidate for scalp irritation and damaged hair.

If you've used an at-home dye kit already and didn't get the results you were hoping for, visit a salon for advice. Stylists are able to fix your accidents, and help you get the color you want. Sure it won't be as inexpensive as the at-home coloring systems, or as fast, but youll be closer to the look you're trying to achieve this way.

So to sum things up, at-home dye kits work fine for people with short hair and for someone looking for a quick fix; but if you truly care about the quality of color, salons are the place to go. Just keep in mind that not every stylist is going to be perfect, so do some research before you make an appointment. It's important to talk to your stylist about concerns and expectations easily because if she isn't able to answer your questions, then she might not have enough experience or skill to color your hair.