Step 1: It’s not a dye job.

The first thing you need to know is that there are three types of hair color: semi-permanent, demi-permanent, and permanent. Semi-permanent is a good choice if you have never colored your hair before or are looking for something more natural than platinum blonde. Demi-permanent allows for more coverage and deeper tones than semi-permanent but will wash out over time. Permanent dye is not recommended unless you want red hair forever!

There are two general ways to go about coloring your hair: at home with box dye or at the salon with professional help. Both have their benefits and drawbacks so it’s important to weigh those pros and cons before making any decisions about how best to get the look that you want while still maintaining healthy locks (and wallet).

Step 2: Get the right color.

The next step is to get the right color. The first step is to make sure that you understand what color will look best on you. Hair color should be a collaboration between yourself and your stylist, not simply a matter of picking out a number from a box and hoping for the best.

First, find a stylist who understands how hair color works. Just because someone has been coloring people’s hair for 30 years doesn’t mean they know what they’re doing! If they talk about “shades” or “tones,” then chances are good that they know what they’re doing; if they say things like “colored water” or “the powder in our shampoo,” run away as fast as possible (or at least call someone else).

Second, ask for help in finding the right shade for your skin tone and natural hair color before choosing any products—especially if this is your first time dyeing your own locks! You’ll want something with low ammonia levels (less damage) and high pigmentation (more sparkle). I recommend Redken All Soft Shampoo & Conditioner specifically because it helps prevent brassiness on blonde-toed redheads like myself who tend toward brassy tones when their roots grow out too far between salon visits.

Step 3: Give it a go at home.

Now that you’ve got a nice, even redhead colour, it’s time to give it a go at home! The first thing to remember is that you must wear gloves when applying the product so that the dye doesn’t stain your hands. The instructions on the box will tell you how much conditioner to use, but I found that too much made my hair look dull and didn’t take away any of those stubborn blonde roots. This may be because I have long hair which means there’s more surface area for the dye to reach. When rinsing out after 48 hours, I found using water that was lukewarm worked best and avoided my scalp getting sore from hot water being applied directly onto it. Also try not brushing your hair with a brush as this can further damage your hair shafts if they’re still fragile from bleaching them beforehand (which mine were). Finally make sure there are no tangles before applying any dry shampoo or styling products such as hairspray – otherwise they’ll just stick together!

Step 4: The next time, try leaving it on longer.

The next time you’re doing a hair color change, try leaving it on for at least an hour. This will give you more time to compare your results to the color chart of what you want. Make sure not to leave it on too long; two hours is the maximum that’s recommended by professionals! A timer is a great way to ensure that you don’t overdo it.

Step 5: Keep it up.

Now that you’ve got the products, you’re ready to start. But I want to remind you not to forget about it. There’s no need for frequent treatments as with blonde hair, but I would recommend that at least every few weeks or so (depending on how much maintenance you can do), apply a leave-in conditioner and then the color enhancing gloss over it (and if possible, straighten your hair). This will help keep your red hue bright and vibrant! And hopefully this article has given you some ideas about how to maintain a gorgeous colored mane on top of all of that other stuff we have going on in life!

Step 6: Maintain the color at home.

After you leave the salon, you’re ready to maintain your new red hair color at home. You can do this by following these simple steps:

• Use shampoos and conditioners formulated specifically for color treated hair. If your salon uses a brand that you like, I recommend sticking with it! It will be more gentle on your hair than a typical drugstore brand.
• Use a heat protectant before using any styling tools such as curling irons or flat irons. Heat damage is one of the biggest factors in fading out red dye jobs, so it’s important to take preventative measures when styling your tresses at home.
• Deep condition every week (or even every other day) with an intense moisturizing treatment like Redken All Soft Balm Conditioner ($19). Apply generously all over damp strands from root to tip then wrap up in a warm towel for about five minutes before rinsing out thoroughly and detangling gently with a wide-tooth comb or paddle brush—just don’t use excessive pulling motions as this could cause breakage!

You can be a redhead if you want to!

If you’re interested in making the jump from blonde to red, there are a few things to consider. The most important thing to keep in mind is that choosing the right shade of red hair is crucial. You can check out my previous post about how to choose your perfect shade of blonde for some tips on that, but here are a few specific considerations for making sure you choose the right color:

• Do a trial run first. I did this by applying a temporary dye on my roots and washing it out after two days (you can find these at Sally Beauty Supply or Target), then asking my friends what they thought of it. It gave me an idea of whether I liked having more copper tones versus strawberry blonde—and also weeded out any concerns about commitment! If you do this with permanent dye, I would suggest doing it over several days so that as you get used to having red hair every day, you don’t have some drastic change all at once (i’ve heard stories).
• Talk with your colorist before using any sort of permanent dye! They will be able to advise which shades would work best with your natural shade and skin tone; they may even recommend doing multiple layers if necessary (this would work well if your goal is darker than what I achieved by just adding one bottle).