I must admit, I color my hair on my own. It's not because I'm stingy or poor (which are not bad reasons at all), but because I have really simple hair color requirements, which I can do at home with no fuss and with only a bit of practice.

The trick to good home dying is to go only two to three shades lighter or darker. If you're a blonde and want to get a strawberry red, I would sincerely advise you to go to a hair salon. Although I have unlimited confidence in your abilities, you have to remember that what you see on the box is not necessarily what you're going to end up on your head.

Now, onto the achieving perfect coloring results. Never color your hair when it's squeaky clean, leave it be at least for two or three days after washing before you color it. First, comb your hair thoroughly and make a ponytail. If you have already dyed your hair before (and who hasn't to be frank?) you need to cover up the roots first, and start where it matters the most on your forehead. So, just dab the roots and above your ears, because you really need those areas to be perfect, because people will notice.

Next, your hair still in a ponytail, smear the color on the hair roots at the back of your neck. When you're done, undo the ponytail and while you're holding it with your left hand (or right if you're a leftie), use your comb to separate 1/3 inch of hair horizontally up from the neck. Pull the rest of the hair up again and color what you separated, don't forget to color the upper part (held in a ponytail) too! Repeat the process until you reach the top of your head. Than start from one ear to the other, now separating hair vertically, coloring roots on both sides.

Once you're done, you can sit back and relax for half an hour (check out what it says in the instructions). When the time elapses, comb your hair to distribute the color from roots to ends, than separate your hair in bigger tresses and use the rest of the color. Try to get it on evenly, use a comb to be sure everything is covered. Again, sit back and relax fro 20 or so minutes.

When the time to take the dye off comes, use a lot of water, just wash until you see the water is perfectly clear. Don't shampoo! If you do, you might ruin the new shine and the color will not be as permanent. Condition well and style as usual.

A few tips and tricks to save you the headache:
-Always dye your hair wearing old clothes. Although the box says that the color won't drip, you might accidentally spill some on your shirt.
-Use a brush to get hair color on evenly. Try to limit the color to your head because it can mess up your bathroom tiles.
-If you're dying your hair red or darker color, you must be aware that the dye will dye your skin too. The best way to prevent walking around looking like a spotty monster is to smear some heavy duty cream onto your forehead, ears and the back of your neck, as thick as you can. Always use the gloves.