Pin It

How to Dye Gray Hair Red

JustJulie | Nov 14, 2010 |

0 Comments | Rating: 0

Dealing with premature gray hair is never fun and it can make you feel old long before your time. But look on the bright side, if you have to dye your hair to cover unwanted gray anyways, you might as well experiment with a new hair color. Red hair dyes will look much brighter on gray hair than dark blonde, brown or black hair so if you only have a small smattering of gray, you could end up with some bright red highlights.

You'll Need:
Red hair coloring kit
Old clothes
Latex gloves
Mirror
Warm water
Conditioner

Step One
Purchase a permanent red hair coloring kit intended for use on gray hair. Some types of hair dye are not appropriate for gray hair and these dyes will not cover your gray.

Step Two
Wear old clothes because dyeing your own hair can get messy and you wouldn't want to ruin any of your favorite clothing.

Step Three
Pour the bottle of hair color and developer into the plastic applicator bottle provided in your hair coloring kit and shake the bottle to mix the contents. The developer may already be in the applicator bottle.

Step Four
Put on a pair of latex or plastic gloves to protect your hands from the hair dye. Even if you do not have sensitive skin, the red dye could stain your hands and inspire some strange questions from friends.

Step Five
Apply the red hair dye to your dry hair from the roots to the tips.

Step Six
Look at your hair closely in a mirror and use your fingers to part your hair and make sure that all of your roots are covered. If you miss a spot, your gray hair will stand out in stark contrast to your new red hair.

Step Seven
Wait for the hair dye to process for the amount of time indicated on the packaging. Some dyes require as little as 10 minutes while others need to sit on your hair for 35 minutes.

Step Nine
Rinse your hair in warm water until the water runs clear, indicating that all of the dye is removed.

Step Ten
Apply conditioner to your hair and let it soak into your hair for at least two minutes. Many home hair coloring kits include a small container of conditioner for this purpose.

Step Eleven
Rinse the conditiner from your hair with warm water.

Step Twelve
Let your hair dry completely before you decide whether or not you like your new red hair color. Red hair often looks much darker when it is wet so don't get disappointed until you see your hair dry.

Tips:
Red hair color fades faster than any other shade according to Milady's Standard Cosmetology textbook so it is important to avoid overwashing your hair and to use a color safe shampoo to keep your red locks vivid.