5. MAINTAIN THE COLOR

The golden rule of maintaining color is to take care of your hair. Make sure to avoid the common hair enemies listed in Step 1. Remember that the chlorine in pools can strip or dull color, so pour bottled water (which can lessen the effects of chlorine) in your hair before swimming, and consider wearing a swimming cap. You should also use a quality shampoo and conditioner made especially for color-treated hair. Most companies that make hair dyes also make these types of shampoos and conditioners.

If you used permanent dye and have to worry about roots, you will most likely have to dye your roots every 4 to 6 weeks. This process is slightly different, and the instructions for a root job should also be in the box. Keep in mind that this process may be more time-consuming than the original dye job, because you have to work the dye only in the root area, which is much trickier than covering your whole head. Do not dye your hair more than necessary, as there have been studies that suggest that long-term use of hair dyes may cause certain types of cancer. As with any cancer warning, you can take it or leave it, but, at the least, only re-dye when necessary and take great precautions to avoid contact of the dye with your skin.

A great trick for allowing permanent dye to grow out when you're finally sick of it is to use a highlighting kit. The highlights will break up the solid color with soft streaks and make your roots less noticeable. Besides, this method is infinitely easier than trying to dye your hair back to its original color, which is virtually impossible if not done at the salon.

You're now ready to begin your love/hate relationship with hair dye. Follow the directions, take precautions, and have fun! Dye with a friend so you can celebrate or commiserate together. And if you look disastrous, remember that hair grows back in your original color. You're not stuck with it for life, so feel free to experiment. Anyway, hair is already dead, so you can't kill it. We'll cross our fingers for you, and in the meantime, we're working on "SoYouWanna find the perfect hat?"