Don't touch that box!

Drugstore shelves are stacked with rainbows of hair colors. When roots start to show or you need to shake up your look but a trip to the salon isn’t in the budget, those little boxes of do-it-yourself haircare seem really tempting. But before tackling a dye-job yourself, consider a few important things.

Models are only required to dye a 1-inch section of hair in order to be considered truthful in advertising. When woman on the hair color box shows off her shiny, healthy hair, you can bet it’s not the actual color on the box. It’s more likely a professional stylist made her hair look that great. In fact, most often the color you end up with is not the color on the box. That’s because there are many factors that go into hair coloring—it’s more than just applying a color and rinsing.

Image by Arturs Budkevics from Pixabay

For instance, if you want to lighten dark hair but leave lightener on too long, you’ll permanently damage your hair. Going from brunette to blonde will probably make you a redhead, but not in a good way. Using the same boxed color multiple times on the same sections of hair will result in the hair turning darker and darker or lighter and lighter, possibly resulting in a color that's not intended. The shade you end up with is determined by the color that is already on your hair, as well as the condition of your hair.

A professional stylist considers more than just the color you want. She takes into consideration your current color and the processes needed in order to arrive at your desired color. For instance, black hair cannot be bleached to gray in one visit without severely damaging the hair. It has to be done in stages over multiple visits. A stylist knows how light she can take it at each stage to achieve the look you want while maintaining the integrity of your hair. Think of coloring as a process, a navigation to a destination with your stylist as a guide, rather than focusing on an end product. A professional stylist will help you figure out how to get you to your desired look while maintaining healthy hair.

If price is a concern, consider staggering services. For example, get a color this visit and schedule a cut for the next. Also consider getting a more basic service, as single-process colors are much cheaper than, say, an all-over highlight. Also ask about specials. Some salons, such as Tres Beau, offer a 10% discount if you pre-book your next visit.

While boxed color may seem like a good, inexpensive option when you’re in the drugstore aisle, it could end up being much more expensive to professionally correct when damage is done.