This is a basic guide for dyeing your hair using semi-permanent hair dyes.  Please always check manufacturer’s instructions before using any hair dye.

What you will need:
Hair Dye 
Tint Bowl 
Tint Brush 
Tail / Sectioning Comb
Hair Clips
Plastic/Latex Gloves
Old Clothes / Towels 
An Extra Pair of Hands if Possible

It is not always necessary to bleach you hair before using these semi-permanent hair dyes as some colours may show up on unbleached hair or give a sheen/glow to the hair.  For a really good vibrant colour however it is recommend these dyes be used on lightened or naturally pale hair. Yellow or Orange tones in hair can often be neutralised using toner (see under Using A Toner Guide). Don’t use the same tint bowl, tint brush, gloves etc for dyeing hair that you used for bleaching your hair.  Plastic containers can often retain residue of their previous contents and therefore you would be trying to apply dye to your hair that has faint traces of bleach in it, this can cause the dye not to stick and streaky/patchy areas. Skin Patch & Sensitivity Testing is highly recommended before using these products and, as with all hair dyes, if a reaction occurs rinse off immediately and discontinue use. Strand Testing is also advised as this will give an indication of colour result and brand suitability. More information on these can be seen in our Hair Dye Guides section. Tips and Hints on making colour last longer to removing dye stains from sinks can also be seen in this guide. Semi-permanent hair dyes are not permanent and therefore should not damage your hair however always try a strand and sensitivity test before use.

Choosing A Semi-Permanent Hair Dye:
There are many semi-permanent hair dyes on the market and what works great for one person make not take well on another type of hair.  The final results will depend on hair type, colour, porosity etc although as a general rule blue based tones tend to last a shorter period of time than red based ones. Semi-Permanent Hair Dyes can be mixed to create unique. On the other hand you can ‘dilute’ these dyes using conditioner or the relevant toner/mixer to give a more pastel shade. It is worthwhile taking a look in our Hair Dye Gallery to see actual hair dye results on others to help you decide which colours you would like to try.  

Using A Semi-Permanent Hair Dye:
Do NOT use these type of Semi Permanent hair dyes on hair that has recently been conditioned as conditioner coats the hair and can stop the dye from adhering! If you are using a hairdresser to apply these dyes please make them aware of this. Step by step instructions for each brand/type of dye can be seen in our Hair Dye Instructions section and on each bottle/tub of dye. When re-dyeing your hair you are best reapplying the semi-permanent hair dye to all previously dyed areas as this will give your hair a top-up of colour all over. If, like me, you have some natural dark hair and some bleached/dyed you can apply the dye to the coloured areas only or you can apply it to your whole head.  This uses more dye but may give your hair an all over sheen of colour as well as brightening up the already coloured areas.