Tip: Hair Dye Horrors

Hands up if you home hair dye?

I am a home hair dye queen and have had all the dramas that go with it.

Some dyes leak into your pillows and towels. Or you get it all over your face.

I am a huge fan of the dye in the pic. It’s muuuuch easier to apply, smells okay and covers grey (shhhhh!) and best of all it doesn’t dye my pillows!

So let’s solve some problems.

Mummy Ask and I have dedicated hair dye clothes and towels. We keep close fitting latex (or non latex if you are allergic) gloves as some brands of dye have those awful gloves that are like shopping bags.

You can keep your forehead dye free by applying Vaseline or barrier cream close to the hairline (be careful not to get your hair) before dyeing. If it got dyed anyway, rub with neat vinegar on a cloth or you can buy hair dye removal cloths in some chemists and supermarkets. Giving your forehead a vigourous rub with a damp towel when rinsing helps too.

If hair dye on towels and pillow cases is an issue, try a final rinse of 1 part vinegar and 3 part water. This helps close the cuticle and keep pigments in.

After dyeing I always use a hair dye towel instead of a towel from my usual set for the first few washes.

If you have dye on fabric where it shouldn’t be, wash as normal with 1 cup of vinegar added. Lay the article in the sun for several hours. If the mark remains, spray with vinegar and leave in the sun for a few more hours. Rewash as normal, with vinegar and dry in the sun.

Here’s to happy home hair dye!