BEAUTY
rules to DIY by
Keep this listhandyto avoid
color catastrophes.
► DON’T GO IT ALONE
Deputize
a friend, sister, mother, or daughter
as your master colorist—someone
you trust to not miss that crucial
spot on the back of your head.
► PICK YOUR TOOLS
Make sure
everything’s at your fingertips:
• C over your bases with two boxes
of color (yes, two!) to ensure you’ll
have enough product.
•A bowl and brush to mix the color
•Hair clips and a rattail comb for
sectioning off your hair
•Two dark towels: one to drape
around your neck, another to clean
up spills
•Vaseline: a smear around your
hairline keeps dye off skin
•Latex or rubber gloves
•An alcohol-based toner to remove
stains from skin (and countertops!)
•A timer
► LOCATION, LOCATION
Position yourself near a window.
Natural daylight helps accurately
gauge color intensity.
► PREP YOUR MANE
Make sure
hair is clean, product-free, and
completely dry before you get
started. Blow out curls or waves
before starting to make it easier to
distribute color.
► DO THE STRAND TEST
Everyone skips this step, but it’s
important. Swipe a t^-inch strand
of hair above your ear. Wipe it off in
half the recommended time and
gauge the color against a white
towel. If you like it, that’s all the test
time you’ll need; if not, reapply dye
and then check again before
committing your whole head.
color keepers
► END RESULTS
Avoid uneven
hues by adding color to roots first.
“The biggest mistake I see people
make is coating the hair root to tip
with dye,” says LouAnn Vena, VP
of Revlon’s hair research depart-
ment. “Hair’s ends are drier, so
they absorb more color. Pull color
through to the ends only in the last
10 minutes of processing time.”
► HOME BREW
Tempted to try
lemon juice, red wine, coffee, or
another home remedy to tint
your hair? The pros say no.
“Don’t play ‘Bill Nye the Science
Guy’ in the kitchen. Who knows
the kind of result you’ll end up
with?” says Evangelista.
► HELP!
Ifyou’re unhappy with
your shade or something’s gone
wrong, call the hotline (see
below). The advisers have heard
everything, and they’re trained to
help you fix it. Just avoid dyeing
late at night, says colorist Sharon
Dorram of the Sally Hershberger
salon in New York City—many of
the hotlines are closed.
HAIR HELP HOTLINES
No matter
how careful you are, dye j obs can go
awry. Luckily, help is close at hand.
►
L'ORÉAL PARIS
800/631-7358,
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. EST
►
REVLON
800/473-8566, Hours:
Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. EST
►
CLAIROL
800/223-5800, Hours:
Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-8:30 p.m.,
Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. EST
►
GARNIER
800/442-7643, Hours:
Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. EST
COLOR SHAMPOOS
Color-preserving
cleansers are formulated to be extra-gentle
and moisturizing. Try
L’Oréal
Paris EverPure
Color Care Shampoo, $
6
, or
Ken Paves
Self-Help shampoo, $
20
. Neither includes
sulfates, which can dry strands.
GLOSS OR GLAZE TREATMENTS
Add
shine and enhance color with a glossing
treatment or glaze once a week.
John
Frieda
’s Luminous Color Glaze, $
10
,
recharges your shade with a hint of color—
extending your time between touch-ups.
Just want extra shine? Try a clear glossing
treatment instead, like
Frédéric Fekkai
Salon Glaze Clear Shine Rinse, $
28
.
SUMMER PROTECTION
UV rays and
chlorine in pool water will fade or alter color.
Wear a hat or scarf in the sun, and rinse hair
immediately after swimming to wash
chemicals away. For extra protection, wet
hair and coat it with conditioner before
swimming—it forms a protective barrier
around the cuticle. A color conserving
UV-filter shampoo or sun protective product
can also help minimize fading. Try
Aveda
’s
Color Conserve Sun Protector, $
14
, which
includes natural (and delicious-smelling) UV
filters like cinnamon and wintergreen. ça
1 5 8 JUNE 2010
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