4. CORRECT YOUR MISTAKES
Most problems arise because the dye doesn't take evenly, and the reason is because your damaged hair accepts the color much more quickly than your undamaged hair (e.g., frequently-blown-dry bangs will take to the dye quicker). The result can leave you with a streaky result, which might be desirable . . . or not so desirable. Many products on the market allow you to reuse the mixture if this streakiness happens. Others don't, because the mixture becomes useless thirty minutes after you first mix it. If you're concerned about potential unevenness, make sure you buy a product that allows you to reuse the dye. Then all you'll have to do is "spot color" the parts that didn't take as well. Put the plastic bag back over your hair again and set the timer for the amount of time that is relative to how much the hair didn't take. For example, if the hair that didn't take is about a third lighter than the rest of your hair and the original time was thirty minutes, set the timer for ten minutes. Don't worry about it matching EXACTLY. Non-dyed hair never has perfectly even color. It's like getting a nose job that's too perfect . . . imperfections make it look natural.
Another potential problem: you somehow screwed up and now have orange hair. You have two choices:
- If your hair is only mildly orange, you can try using a very, very low peroxide demi-permanent color in a cool brown or a dark blonde.
- If this doesn't work or if you already look like Ronald McDonald, go to a professional colorist. He/she can try to get you back to your original color with minimal damage to your hair. Chalk the entire thing up as a learning experience and a funny story for the grandkids.
