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Exactly How to Dye Your Hair at Home and Look Completely Perfect

DIY dye jobs have a bad rap—but here's why they rock.

Mar 3, 2015

Stephania Stanley

Real talk: DIY dye jobs have a bad rap. But this is 2015, meaning dyes are better and easier to use than ever before. Here, with the help of the new Vidal Sassoon Salonist™ kit, our model gets the red hue she's always wanted—without the help of pricey pros.

Meet Charlotte Cho, co-founder of <a href="http://sokoglam.com/" target="_blank">SokoGlam</a>, a U.S.-based Korean beauty destination site. Months ago, she experimented with a deep red hair color, and now that the vibrant hue is almost completely grown out, she's ready to revitalize her statement-making mane with <a href="http://bit.ly/1CoP5zP" target="_blank">VS Salonist™ 5/45² Medium Intense Red</a>.

Stephania Stanley

The Before

Meet Charlotte Cho, co-founder of SokoGlam, a U.S.-based Korean beauty destination site. Months ago, she experimented with a deep red hair color, and now that the vibrant hue is almost completely grown out, she's ready to revitalize her statement-making mane with VS Salonist™ 5/45² Medium Intense Red.

The <a href="http://bit.ly/1E7IJr1" target="_blank">Vidal Sassoon Salonist™</a> kit comes complete with the following: one pair of protectant gloves; one tube of rich color cream; one bottle of color-activating lotion; one sachet of VS Serum™; one tube of color-preserving conditioner; one expert brush; and one expert bowl.

Stephania Stanley

The Supplies

The Vidal Sassoon Salonist™ kit comes complete with the following: one pair of protectant gloves; one tube of rich color cream; one bottle of color-activating lotion; one sachet of VS Serum™; one tube of color-preserving conditioner; one expert brush; and one expert bowl.

If you've previously dyed your hair, like Charlotte, your roots and lengths are different colors and will react differently to new color. This is why colorists treat the roots (any new, uncolored hair growth) and lengths (the rest of the hair) separately in the studio. <a href="http://bit.ly/1E7IJr1" target="_blank">VS Salonist™</a> uses the same two-step process.

First up, the roots. Drape a towel over your shoulders to protect your clothing. Wearing the gloves, empty the entire contents of tube 1 and bottle 1 into the bowl.

Stephania Stanley

The Prep

If you've previously dyed your hair, like Charlotte, your roots and lengths are different colors and will react differently to new color. This is why colorists treat the roots (any new, uncolored hair growth) and lengths (the rest of the hair) separately in the studio. VS Salonist™ uses the same two-step process. First up, the roots. Drape a towel over your shoulders to protect your clothing. Wearing the gloves, empty the entire contents of tube 1 and bottle 1 into the bowl.

Using the brush, evenly blend the mixture until it's smooth and creamy. Don't worry about the color in the bowl—that's not your final hair color!

(Pay close attention to the measurement indent on the inside of the bowl; you'll use ¾ of the mix on your roots. Save the rest for a later step).

Stephania Stanley

Mix, Mix, Mix

Using the brush, evenly blend the mixture until it's smooth and creamy. Don't worry about the color in the bowl—that's not your final hair color! (Pay close attention to the measurement indent on the inside of the bowl; you'll use ¾ of the mix on your roots. Save the rest for a later step).

Starting at the hairline, use the brush to apply the color just on your roots. The length of your roots depends on how long it's been since your last color. A few weeks? Paint about ½ an inch to an inch. Several months? Your roots could be up to two inches long or more. (If you've never colored your hair, cover both your roots and lengths with the mixture).

For even distribution, brush the mixture down towards your ears, then start moving back towards your crown, parting each section roughly ½ inches apart with the tip of the brush. (When you're done with the top section, start over at the nape and work your way up).

Stephania Stanley

Paint It On

Starting at the hairline, use the brush to apply the color just on your roots. The length of your roots depends on how long it's been since your last color. A few weeks? Paint about ½ an inch to an inch. Several months? Your roots could be up to two inches long or more. (If you've never colored your hair, cover both your roots and lengths with the mixture). For even distribution, brush the mixture down towards your ears, then start moving back towards your crown, parting each section roughly ½ inches apart with the tip of the brush. (When you're done with the top section, start over at the nape and work your way up).

Don't take your gloves off just yet! For this shade <a href="http://bit.ly/1CoP5zP" target="_blank">(5/45² Medium Intense Red)</a>, go directly to the second step and add the VS Serum™ packet into the leftover ¼ color mixture. Take your brush and blend it together until it's nice and smooth. (Tip: Always read the instructions for each shade, as they are different depending on the shade, just like at the salon.)

This serum adjusts the formula so the color of your lengths blends seamlessly with your roots. It also gives the color of your ends visible depth and tone.

Stephania Stanley

The Second Phase

Don't take your gloves off just yet! For this shade (5/45² Medium Intense Red), go directly to the second step and add the VS Serum™ packet into the leftover ¼ color mixture. Take your brush and blend it together until it's nice and smooth. (Tip: Always read the instructions for each shade, as they are different depending on the shade, just like at the salon.) This serum adjusts the formula so the color of your lengths blends seamlessly with your roots. It also gives the color of your ends visible depth and tone.

No need for the brush this go round; scoop the mixture into your hands and apply it to the rest of your hair, pulling it all the way down to your ends. Gently massage it in—that way you can ensure you'll evenly coat every single strand.

Stephania Stanley

Work It In

No need for the brush this go round; scoop the mixture into your hands and apply it to the rest of your hair, pulling it all the way down to your ends. Gently massage it in—that way you can ensure you'll evenly coat every single strand.

It takes 30 minutes for the <a href="http://bit.ly/1CoP5zP" target="_blank">5/45² Medium Intense Red</a> to completely process, so kick back and catch up on some Netflix while you wait.

An FYI: Because Charlotte's lengths were previously colored, the hair texture below her roots is porous and will change color more quickly. That's why salons always treat roots first.

Stephania Stanley

The Waiting Game

It takes 30 minutes for the 5/45² Medium Intense Red to completely process, so kick back and catch up on some Netflix while you wait. An FYI: Because Charlotte's lengths were previously colored, the hair texture below her roots is porous and will change color more quickly. That's why salons always treat roots first.

Time's up! Rinse the color mixture out with lukewarm water, before lathering up with a color-safe shampoo. After rinsing out the shampoo, apply the VS Colour Preserve Conditioner™ and leave it on for two minutes, then rinse it out with cool water.

Stephania Stanley

Cleanse and Condition

Time's up! Rinse the color mixture out with lukewarm water, before lathering up with a color-safe shampoo. After rinsing out the shampoo, apply the VS Colour Preserve Conditioner™ and leave it on for two minutes, then rinse it out with cool water.

Blow-dry and style your newly colored strands, and you're all set—no drive home or cab hailing required.

Oh, you need pro tips for an at-home blow out, too? <a href="http://www.marieclaire.com/beauty/hair/a11705/10-celebrity-stylist-hair-styling-hacks-mc/" target="_blank">Got you covered</a>.

Stephania Stanley

The Big Reveal

Blow-dry and style your newly colored strands, and you're all set—no drive home or cab hailing required. Oh, you need pro tips for an at-home blow out, too? Got you covered.