Home Dye Experiment

In an last-minute effort to save money and time, I thought it would be a good idea to try out a do-it-yourself home hair coloring kit. (See above, No ammonia, I went with Shade 3).  Like most ideas that come to me on a whim, this experiment managed to effectively waste a large amount of time while also causing wreaking havoc throughout my bathroom, kitchen and on my hands.

Allow me to explain, I am always up to save a pretty penny, and even more valuable to me than saving a buck, is the chance to save TIME.  Time is money right? So I figured - how hard could it be to simply dye my own hair, touch up the roots, from a dye-in-a-box? Women have been home dye-ing for years...
I bought a box of Loreal Hair Dye, and crossed my fingers the mixture I shook up matched my strands.
While removing the items from the box, I frantically searched for the gloves which Loreal promised were included within.  Applicator bottle, check.  Solution, check.  After-dye conditioner, check.  Gloves, no where to be found.  I stared at the instructions, including the promised contents, and shook the box feverishly to no avail.  So I turned the house upside down looking for a glove.  Ah ha! I found a black, work out glove which belongs to my beloved.  I thought, it's black, this should work.

I started the process, and began to realize that I couldn't see the back of my head, and my arms contorted around as I tried to minimize the splatter.  A few drops landed on my shoulders, then the sink, and by the time my head was coated, I had streaks of Darkest Brown all over the white wood trim of our sink and counter.  While I was processing, I began to make Mac n Cheese, and took the black glove off.  I had stains all over my fingers! Ugh. Can I save the glove? Then, the thought occurred to me - my dish washing rubber gloves! Why didn't I think of that sooner? So I strapped my pink rubber gloves on to finish the job up.  After I had cooked for about 20 minutes, I left the Mac n Cheese on the stove and got in the shower to rinse out the dye and see what damage I had done.  Luckily, I had the fortune of knowing to put some kind of barrier around my hairline and neck, (I used Vaseline) which kept the skin stains at bay.

After a LONG shower, and lots of rinsing, I towel dried and was rather impressed.  True, my bathroom may have looked like a paint can exploded inside, and my dinner was now cool and thoroughly pasted to the stainless steel pan, but I had roots no more!

I have to say, after a few rounds of practice, I have a feeling I will be skipping the salon for budget saving purposes and learning to perfect my technique at home!

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Makin' Waves

What the Code says about:

Ceramic Wands.  First of all, I caution the validity of any product that must be sold with an accompanying thermal protectant glove.  However, I must say that wrapping your hair around these little wands does create the waves seen below (me on my wedding day channeling Kate Beckinsale's gorgeous strands) My hair was wrapped around a wand seen to the right, alternating each strand. The curls stay a long time and you get a beachy wavy look!

Another one of my all-time favorite ways to rock the curls is by using good 'ol fashion hot rollers! The large 1 1/2 inch rollers (shown right) don't really do much by way of curl, they mainly give your hair body, if anything. But get the set with 3 different sized rollers.  This way, you can create a natural bouncy look, with some large curls and some smaller ones woven throughout.  And, if you are like me, you can roll your hair on your way out the door, set the curls on your commute into work, and remove as you arrive! If you are hitting up Starbucks though, you may want to opt for a drive-through.  I'm undecided still on the social acceptability of rocking hot rollers in public.  I am leaning towards, things one should not do.

Roll the hair back over the curlers, away from your face for the look above.  Role them under for a more sleek and 40's style look.  Spray hair before rolling with styling spray or heat setter, and when you unroll, do NOT shake the curls out, twist them around your fingers. 

If you want to shake the curls out, you have to be careful and it will be a totally different look! It depends on your hair type, but if you have thinner hair and you want more body, you can shake it. :)

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