How to Avoid a DIY Hair Fail At Home

We’re pretty used to do things we usually don’t picture ourselves doing at home, like our hair…as long as we’re sure that we won’t mess up. However, when it comes to highly technical things, like a cut or dye, a simple mistake can turn your amazing look into a hair fail.

Luckily, we at Booksy have the advantage of talented service pros to help us avoid a hair fail. In this post, they’re going to talk to us about dyeing, styling, and cutting—and how to avoid damaging your hair in the process.

Of course, there’s nothing like seeing a professional, so if you’re ready to book an appointment, head over to Booksy to get started.

1. Bad Dye Job

Have you ever thought about how to successfully dye your hair if you’re not a professional? You’re not alone! However, there’s a right and wrong way to achieve dyed styles. According to hairstylist and barber, Chita Beseau, a number of her new clients come from the result of a major hair fail in the dye department.

“You can definitely dye your hair at home, but you have to be careful,” she says. 

Have you ever seen dyed styles that are brittle? On the same token, what about matted, frizzy ends? According to Chita, those are telltale signs of hair color that went wrong. 

“People have to be careful because it’s a chemical process, and some chemicals can seriously damage your hair, especially bleach.” We’ll talk about bleach next, but let’s talk about a few things you can do to prep your hair for dyeing at home. 

First and foremost, Chita recommends using a color-safe, sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner. This’ll protect your hair and keep the dye from fading. Also, remember to add a little at a time. It’s easy to go overboard. And finally, don’t use bleach if you don’t have to! Let’s talk about that in the next section.

2. Bleach Mayhem

Ahh, the infamous bleach. As most of us know, bleach is a highly universal—and—powerful, household chemical. It’s commonly used for cleaning countertops, laundry, even some dishes. But it’s also known to be highly useful when dyeing hair. 

Have you ever seen green or orange hair that looked unintentional? Almost like the effects of chlorine? And if that hair seems unevenly two-toned, you can be almost sure there was a bleach mishap. This article, for example, tells the story of a woman who learned about the dangers of using too much.

So why do we even use bleach to dye hair if it’s so dangerous? Bleach makes hair lighter so a new color can take the previous color’s place. The ingredients, ammonium hydroxide and hydrogen peroxide, allow for this to happen.

The good news is, if you have light-colored hair, you might not need to use bleach to get the desired effect. Your hair might be light enough to withstand adding color that stays. When it comes to fellow dark-haired people, however, the only way to get hair lighter is to bleach it. Bummer, right?

“You have to be so careful with bleach that I don’t recommend my clients use it at all.” Chita says. 

Getting bleach done professionally minimizes the risk of the process going poorly. Additionally, hairstylists are able to understand your hair texture, porosity, and other factors that go into how your hair will react. If you’re new to dyeing, professionals can save your locks in the long run. 

“If you don’t have to use bleach, don’t. Especially if you don’t know your hair texture and how it reacts to different chemicals. Bleaching can take months of expensive treatments to reverse.”

3. Saw it in the movies

“Billie Eilish just went blonde, and most of my young clients or walk-ins want to have their hair just like it,” Chita says. 

An instance like this, where one of the most famous people in the world changes their hair, can lead to the next hair fail we’re talking about. 

Pop star Billie Eilish’s blonde hair has ignited a new trend among her fanbase. However, dyeing your hair can affect your hair in the long run. Chita explains that sometimes clients will make impulsive decisions that eventually damage their hair. 

“I require a consultation for new clients before we go with a major hair choice,” Chita said. “It helps me understand where the hair is and what we can do.”

Some styles won’t work for all hair types and textures, so it’s good to be informed about what you’re doing to it before committing. Especially if you’re thinking about using dye at home. You have to be sure about how your hair can hold up with a drastic change. 

Sometimes, it’s not a lack of technical skill, but technical knowledge. Because hair types aren’t universal, not knowing enough can lead to disaster.

Chita recommends that if you are in love with a new popular hair cut or color you want to try, to do some research if you can’t come into a salon for a consultation. That way, you’ll be able to avoid a hair fail.

4. Lopsided Lines

“One of the biggest mistakes I see on dudes when they come into my shop is when the lines of their fades don’t match up,” celebrity barber Cutt Boss Ron said. 

If you’ve ever seen a fade, you know that part of the reason why they look great is because of how precise they are. Fades follow the natural hairline of its wearer, creating a simple and refined look. 

Because they’re so sharp, when fades aren’t clean though, they can be completely obvious. 

“Fades are easy to mess up and easier to spot when they are messed up,” said Ron. So it’s not hard to draw the conclusion that fades, while a good cut for beginners, should be done with the utmost attention. 

Cutt Boss recommends not to overdo it if you’re trying to do a fade at home and you’re a beginner. “You’ll just need a simple 1 or 5 set of clippers. Make sure they’re clean. Then, you just need to line up the way your clippers are moving with the way your hair grows.” 

If you keep those tips in mind, you can give yourself a nice, basic cut that keeps your edges looking sharp. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with seeing a pro to make sure you’ll walk out as your best, so don’t hesitate to head to Booksy to book your next appointment. 

5. Shocking Locks

When asked about the biggest barbering trends he’s been seeing lately, Ron had one answer. “Dreadlocks that stick straight up, and a reverse mullet in the South.” Ron mentioned places like Houston, Texas, have taken favorably to remixing the mullet, but young clientele in Florida are very interested in doing the same with dreadlocks. 

Cutt Boss Ron acknowledges the style might be too young for him to understand. However, he wanted to stress that dreadlocks can be difficult to maintain, and adding color can be risky. That said, one of the most appealing parts of this trend is the adding color into locs.

Have you seen the style yet? Dreadlocks, as you might know, are a popular protective African hair style. Protective styles are meant to shield African-American hair from damaging factors, like the sun’s rays. 

Currently, a lot of rappers have taken to adding colorful dreadlocks that stand almost at attention to be popular. It can be done using a lot of hair gel and spray, but you have to be careful about product buildup. Buildup makes the hair dirty, itchy, and prone to breaking off. That can lead to a huge fail. 

We’ve gone over dye already, so we know why that can be tricky for beginners to try. Adding a complicated chemical process to protective styles like dreads can be done, but Cutt Boss recommends not doing them at home. 

“You can easily take care of dreads at home, though. Just make sure they’re getting re-locked regularly.”