I’m a beauty editor and I swear by hair dye to save £100 on your hair

As a beauty editor, I like to share my tips and tricks.

That’s why I happily admit that I dye my gray hair at home every month with a ready-made hair dye.

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Of course, the salon experience can also be truly blissful.

From getting my hair washed and a lovely head massage to drinking a cup of tea and reading a bad magazine, nothing beats the relaxing time that a visit to the hairdresser brings.

But is there really that much difference between the paint I use in trendy salons and the mixture I make at home in a plastic container?

It turns out not to be much.

Many people think that permanent hair dye made at home is inferior to what you get in the salon, but “the mechanism is actually the same,” says Michael Douglas, founder of MDLondon and celebrity hairstylist.

“They use a developer plus an alkaline chemical, such as ammonia or monoethanolamine, to open the cuticle and deposit the color into the hair.

“The real difference is that a salon color can be custom mixed and applied perfectly by a professional.

“But if you just do something simple, like an overall color boost or a root touch-up, you can get great results at home.”

While professional color options may have the first chance to develop innovative formulas, DIY kits are getting closer to salon quality.

And let’s face it: you don’t need NASA technology to paint your partition wall.

Even though I’m a beauty editor (which means I occasionally get my hair dyed by some awesome celebrity hairstylists), I usually tackle the problem myself with a hair dye kit.

It’s fast, easy and surprisingly cheap.

Since mortgage rates have tripled (yuck!) I always look for a discount or a multi-buy offer. This means I never pay more than £7 for my regular hair dyes, such as Garnier, Clairol or L’Oréal Paris.

Given that my high street hairdresser costs me over £100 for a touch-up plus mandatory blow-dry, it’s a luxury I can’t afford.

And while homemade hair dye is cheap, it’s certainly not dirty.

Even though I don’t have the skills of a professional hairdresser, I honestly don’t think anyone would look at my hair regrowth and think, “She clearly did that herself.”

People are often shocked when I tell them that my color comes from a box.

What you’re really paying for in the salon is the expertise of a professional, and yes, sometimes that can be priceless.

For example, I would never attempt to tackle my oversized balayage. (I was taught as a teenager to leave bleaching to the professionals. Two words: Sun-In.)

It was also a hairdresser who was honest about it and who talked me out of my rookie mistake of dyeing my entire head of hair every time, instead of just the roots.

I thought it was a genius way to cover all the gray hair, but no, my hair only got darker and heavier, until it looked like a wig from a goth costume.

And yes, it was an expensive salon job to have it repaired.

This is how to paint properly…

LYNNE’S STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

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COLOR TO MATCH YOUR SHADE

It’s easy to switch from salon color to at-home color because permanent hair dye uses a common numbering system for a perfect match.

I have shade 5, whether I’m at Boots or the fanciest salon.

Ask your hairdresser what you are, in a casual way: “just out of interest, not because I’m breaking up with you.”

But seriously, switching between at-home and out-of-home dyes is no problem as all permanent hair dyes are compatible.

If you’re in the mood for a completely new color, “stay within two shades of your current color,” says celebrity hairstylist Chad Maxwell.

Anything more drastic is best done in the salon.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT DAMAGE

COLOURING can affect the condition of your hair, but the real culprit is bleach (which is why you need to consult someone who knows about it).

Today’s permanent hair dye formulas contain built-in conditioners and are gentler on the hair.

Chad says, “If you dye your hair at the roots and spend the last five minutes applying color to your lengths, you’ll get a fresh, vibrant shine that makes your hair look healthy.”

FOCUS ON WHAT YOU SEE

Is it the end of the world if there is still a little bit of grey hiding somewhere? I would say no.

“When dyeing your roots, start at the parting and temples,” says Chad.

“These are the areas that people notice, and they also have a longer development time to fully cover stubborn gray hairs.”

My quickest way: Every other month I use Clairol’s permanent root touch-up kit, which is normally on sale for £6 or less at Boots, Superdrug or Amazon.

There may not be enough to cover every millimeter of root, but it’s fast, there’s enough for all the visible bits… and no one needs to know what’s underneath

Put the carrot to work

That being said, there’s no excuse to be sloppy.

I work in sections from the parting down and apply the dye liberally to the roots, then massage it in with my fingertips for good coverage.

I learned the importance of applying the paint up to my neck when my husband helpfully remarked, “Did you know you always see a big gray stripe down your back when the wind blows?”

Since he doesn’t want to help voluntarily and I don’t have eyes in the back of my head, I just apply it by feel and it works fine.

FOLLOW THE RULES

REMEMBER all the practicalities: test a small patch of skin 48 hours in advance, wear dark clothing and have an old towel and wipes at hand to remove any stains on your forehead.

And, based on an awkward incident where someone splattered on a wall, follow my golden rule:

NEVER drink and paint. I learned the hard way that root touch-ups and rosé don’t mix!

BEST BOX PAINT

Clairol Color Studio Permanent Color Cream, £9.99has built-in metal purifying technology to neutralize the metal ions in tap water that can cause damage during coloring.

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It is similar to the expensive professional system used in fancy salons.

Schwarzkopf Oleo Intense, £8is the result of ten years of research and features HaptIQ technology that strengthens the hair structure by creating internal micro bonds while you color.

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Revlon ColorStay Long Lasting Cream Colour, £5.50is inspired by the enduring power of the budget-friendly makeup line of the same name.

The paint set includes a booster mask that you can use after a month.

The pigments adhere to the hair and make it look like new again.

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