- 1). Determine the color level of your desired shade and of your natural or already tinted hair. Color swatches are available for use in most beauty supply stores. Color levels range from the light blond level 11 to the black level 1. In addition, shades are available in neutral, ash, red, gold and beige tones. Knowing your natural level will help you determine the correct developer and color or bleach product you will need to use to achieve your color choice. Use a mirror to check the color of your hair against different color swatches until you find the closet match. For instance, if you are a level 6 and you want to achieve a level 11, you will need to lighten the hair with bleach before coloring or add highlights after using a darker base because the highest volume of developer for use is 40 and it will only lighten up to four levels. For lightening or darkening up to up to four levels, you can use regular color. Darkening the hair is possible using demi-permanent, semi-permanent or permanent color. Lightening can only be achieved with permanent color or bleach.
- 2). Remove any old color with color remover if the hair is too dark to deposit your desired color. This is most effective when the previous color is relatively fresh. Color remover is mixed with water for minimal lift and peroxide for deeper color removal. Follow the instructions for tint removal and leave on the required amount of time. Use heat for more lightening action. For darker hair colors, it may be necessary to use bleach to remove old color. This is possible by using off the scalp bleach and low-volume peroxide. Apply to hair that has color only by mixing bleach and developer in a bowl and using a brush on 1/2-inch sections of the hair until the entire head is coated. Check every three minutes for until desired lightening is achieved. Use 10 to 20 volume developer for this process. For hair that has no existing color, you can skip this step and move to step 3.
- 3). Mix chosen color in a bowl with developer. Most colors mix equal parts developer and color. Follow product directions for best results. Depending on hair condition, you may choose a cream or liquid color and a clear or cream developer. Cream colors and developers usually contain added conditioners, but can be more expensive. Many color companies have developers specifically designed to work with their products.
- 4). Apply cream around hairline to protect the skin. Use a rat-tail comb to section the hair by parting from mid-forehead to nape and then vertically from the middle part to the back of each ear. Begin applying color at the nape by taking 1/2-inch horizontal sections from either side, parting and painting color on the hair at the root for retouch or root to end for full head coloring. Work side to side applying color until each section is completed and the full head is covered. For root touch-ups, leave the color on the root for 20 to 30 minutes and then run through the ends for 5 to 10 minutes for a color refresher. For full head color, leave on the entire head for 20 to 30 minutes. Check color before removal by wetting the end of a towel and rubbing off the hair. Leave on an additional five minutes if more deposit is desired.
- 5). Rinse, shampoo and condition color out of the hair after processing is complete, using products specifically designed for color-treated hair. Gently massage the scalp to ensure all color is removed from the skin to avoid irritation. Pat dry and style as usual.
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