Okay, so I’ve always wanted to lighten my hair, but I’m, like, super scared of totally frying it. I’ve seen those horror stories online, you know? But my friend, she’s a hair-dying pro, convinced me to try a lightening hair dye instead of straight-up bleach. Here’s how it all went down.
Getting Ready
First, I picked out the dye. This was the hardest part! There are so many shades. I finally went with a light ash blonde, hoping it would lift my naturally dark brown hair a few levels without turning it orange.
Then I grabbed all the other stuff:
- Gloves (don’t skip these!)
- An old t-shirt
- A plastic bowl and mixing brush
- Vaseline (to protect my hairline)
- Clips to section my hair
I made sure I had everything laid out. Being organized makes the whole process way less stressful.
The Dyeing Process
I started by putting on the old t-shirt and gloves, of course. Then, I applied Vaseline all around my hairline and on my ears to avoid staining my skin. It’s super greasy, but it works!
Next, I mixed the dye according to the instructions on the box. It was pretty straightforward – just pouring two things together and stirring them up.
Then came the scary part: actually putting the dye on my hair. I sectioned my hair with the clips, starting at the back and working my way forward. I carefully painted the dye onto each section, making sure to saturate every strand. It took a while, but I wanted to be thorough.
Waiting…and Hoping
Once my whole head was covered in dye, I piled it up on top of my head and waited. The box said to leave it on for 30 minutes, so I set a timer and tried to distract myself. I paced around, checked my phone a million times, and generally felt super impatient.
The Big Reveal
Finally, the timer went off! I jumped in the shower and rinsed out the dye. It took forever to get all the product out. Then I used the conditioner that came with the dye kit – it smelled amazing.
After towel-drying my hair, I nervously looked in the mirror. And… it worked! My hair was definitely lighter, a nice, soft brown. It wasn’t as light as the box, but I actually liked it better this way. It looked natural and healthy, not fried at all.
I was pretty stoked that the dye had not destoryed my hair.
Overall, I’m super happy with how it turned out. It was a bit of a process, but totally worth it for the subtle change. I’d definitely do it again, maybe even go a shade lighter next time!