Cómo teñir su cabello en el hogar: una guía paso a paso

Discover the dos and don’ts of do-it-yourself (DIY) hair dyeing — plus insights on ways to keep your color vibrant and shiny.

If you’ve never dyed your hair at home, that trip down the hair color products aisle might feel overwhelming. Semipermanent, bleach, temporary color — what do they all mean? And what is a shade called Double Mochaccino Deluxe Foam Frost actually going to look like on your head?

But done right, at-home hair color allows you to get the color you love at a fraction of the cost. While you won't have the usual salon pampering, coloring your hair at home can save you time and money. From there, your most important decisions are which type of hair color you should use and how long you want that color to last. Consider the following hair coloring tips next time to make it that much easier.

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Preparing for the hair dye process

If you're new to dyeing at home, preparation is fairly simple. Once you've done this process a few times, it'll be a breeze.

Choose the right hair color

For the most natural-looking color, stick close to your own natural hair color. "It's best to stay within one to two levels darker or lighter of your natural color," says Wendy Gutkin, former research hair stylist at Henkel, a multinational corporation of consumer and industrial brands.¹ Going too far afield colorwise can result in unevenness.

Gather necessary hair coloring tools

When you purchase an at-home color kit, it will usually come with a pair of gloves and an applicator. However, if you want to take your preparation a step further, you could purchase a small tool kit. This kit will typically include clips for putting your hair into sections, a timer, a mixing bowl and a tint brush. Don't forget to wear an old button-down or wide-necked shirt, which may become discolored from the dye.

For example, consider an at-home coloring kit like the Salon On 5th Ave/NYC The Essentials Kit for At-Home Hair Coloring

Perform a strand test

Before treating all your hair, section off a one-inch strand from an easy-to-hide area. Coat the section in the dye, wait for the processing time indicated on the box, and then rinse and dry. This is the best way to see if the result is the color you want. You can also wrap the strand in tin foil, both to protect the rest of your hair from the dye and to help quicken the processing time. A strand test is important because your own hair may not take the color in the way you anticipated. This way, you can change dyes if it's not what you wanted.

Different types of hair dye

In the hair color aisle, you’ll find three main types of hair color: temporary, semipermanent and permanent.

Temporary hair dye

Unlike permanent color, which actually enters the hair cuticle and chemically changes the hair, temporary color simply sits on the surface and makes a purely cosmetic change.

As a result, "this type of color is easily removed with your next shampoo," says Gutkin, former research hair stylist at Henkel, a multinational corporation of consumer and industrial brands. That makes nonpermanent hair dye a great way to try on a new color without fully committing. "A temporary color can also be a great solution for gray hair if you are running a bit behind on your root touch-up," she says.

Semipermanent hair dye

According to Gutkin, semipermanent hair dye usually lasts six to eight washes. She likes these dyes for amateur colorists because they don't require a peroxide activator to develop the color. This tends to make them easier to use at home because they require no mixing and are also less damaging to hair.

"Semis are usually best for adding sparkle to any natural shade or doing a slightly darker shade than you are currently wearing," Gutkin says. For instance, they can make brown hair look richer or cool down brassiness in blondes.

A good example of a semipermanent hair color is a gloss. Glosses are typically an in-shower application that acts as a temporary hair color hybrid.

Consider such products as the L’Oréal Paris Le Color Gloss One Step Toning Gloss.

Permanent hair dye

"Permanent hair color is used with a developer, which opens the cuticle of the hair to either lighten or darken the hair," says Gutkin. "These colors are removed only by cutting the hair or by using a bleach. Permanent hair color works for all hair types and is the best choice for coverage of grays."

Celebrity hairstylist and L’Oréal Paris creative director of style and color Jonathan Colombini calls permanent hair color your “heavy hitter” since the formulas are your most powerful pick.²

Consider such products as the L'Oréal Paris Excellence hair color o Revlon ColorSilk ammonia-free permanent hair color.

There are a few ways to tell if your hair is damaged.³ For instance, if it is tangling more than usual, has a lot of frayed or split ends or dries very quickly after being wet, it could be considered damaged.

How to dye your hair at home

Gutkin recommends following a few key steps when coloring your hair to get the most vibrant hue — whether you’re going for au naturel or flouncy and fun.

1.    Prepare your hair

Use a clarifying shampoo the night before. Don't wash your hair on the day you are going to apply color because stimulating the scalp with shampoo increases the risk of skin irritation. Make sure your hair is completely dry when applying your color.

2.    Mix the hair dye

Before mixing the dye, turn on the ventilation fan in your bathroom or prepare (and apply) the dye in an otherwise well-ventilated area. Some dyes can make you dizzy. To ensure proper processing, follow the mixing instructions and safety information on the back of the box. Generally, the ratio for combining dye and developer is one part dye and two parts developer.

3.    Apply the hair dye

Section your hair into four quadrants: from ear to ear and from the middle of the forehead to the back of the neck. Within those sections, apply color to small sections to ensure full color saturation on the hair. If you're trying to cover grays, apply your color right around the hairline as your first step because this is usually where the most resistant grays are located.

4.    Wait and let the color process

It's a good idea to keep the dye on for the full amount of time suggested in the directions of the color product. Often, this time will be between 30 and 40 minutes. This allows the chemicals in the color to finish the job they were meant to do. Colors will also last longer if they are kept on for the full length of time.

5.    Rinse and condition

When rinsing the hair, always make sure you rinse all the color out first to reduce any scalp irritation or itching. Using a wide-tooth comb, apply a deep conditioner after rinsing to make sure the product reaches the very ends of your hair, which usually needs the most attention. A final cold rinse helps to shut the cuticle down and gives the hair extra shine after a conditioner.

Tips and tricks for better at-home hair coloring

It can take some practice when learning how to color your hair at home. From slippery, sloppy gloves to uneven color, here are some tricks to achieve the best results.

Avoid hair color stains on the skin:

• Wear gloves to avoid staining on your hands.
• Create a skin barrier with petroleum jelly around the hairline.
• Remove dye stains as soon as you notice them.
• To fix color stains, try soap and water or makeup remover, both wipes or liquid.

Add volume and shine after coloring:  

• Wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner, particularly ones made for colored hair.
• Avoid scalding showers — a challenge, to be sure, but voluminous, shiny hair loves warm water, not hot water.

Maintain hair color longevity:  

• Use hair color care products made for maintaining color-treated hair.
• Reduce the frequency of hair washing in the shower to maintain color and healthy natural oils.
• Know your color tolerance. Red hair varieties are more likely to fade quickly, whereas black and other dark colors last longer.

Common mistakes to avoid while coloring your hair at home

When learning how to color your hair at home, it can be intimidating to move forward. A good hair color kit can make you feel like a superstar, and these top tips can help avoid hair disasters.

• Neglecting full coverage. Be sure you are covering your whole head equally with the dye. You want to ensure coverage by saturating your roots to your tips. Pro tip: Use a gloved hand to emulsify the color into your strands after each quadrant has been colored!
• Forgetting to section off your hair. It may be time-consuming, but to achieve saturation with your color brush, you need to section your hair. This helps keep the sections separate while also showing which areas still need to be dyed.

How to take care of color-treated hair

The three biggest enemies of your freshly dyed hair are water, heat and the sun.⁴ To keep color looking fresh, wash your hair with a color-safe shampoo and conditioner. Also, says Colombini, don't wash your hair every day.⁵ This will wash your color quite literally down the drain. Invest in styling products that will guard your hair against the harmful effects of both sun and heat.

For example, the Pantene Miracle Rescue 10-in-1 multitasking leave-in conditioner spray hydrates and detangles while protecting strands against heat damage and ultraviolet rays.

When you want to capture the perfect shade, box dye can be a fun way to experiment with hair color. Whether you're doing a full transformation or covering up new growth, a DIY dye job can give your locks a major upgrade.

Preguntas frecuentes

What materials and products do I need for home hair coloring?

For DIY hair color you will need box dye and some basic materials like gloves to protect from dye stains. You will also want an old shirt and/or towel you don't mind getting stained or bleached from the chemicals.

How can I choose the right color for my hair?

Outside of style preferences, hair colors often complement skin tones that mirror the base color. For instance, a light color may complement light undertones, while black hair can complement darker undertones.

How can I maintain my hair color long-term after coloring at home?

It's important to use color-safe hair products in the shower after treatment. Color-safe shampoos and conditioners will help prolong the life of your hair color. Also, avoid hot showers and overwashing.

Este contenido es solo para fines informativos y no constituye un asesoramiento médico. Consult your health care provider before taking any vitamins or supplements and prior to beginning or changing any health care practices.