If your roots begin to show or you just want it freshened up more frequently, you can visit your salon sooner or touch it up yourself at home. [2] X Research source
Purchase a purple shampoo or toner from your local beauty store or online. Follow the directions on the bottle to know how much to use in each hair wash.
Use dry shampoo if your hair gets greasy between washings.
Look for sulfate-free shampoo at your local grocery store, drugstore, or big box store. Scan the ingredients list on the back of your shampoo bottle to find out if it has sulfates in it such as sodium lauryl sulfate or polysorbates.
You can find deep conditioners for your hair at your local beauty store or big box store. They are similar in consistency to regular conditioner, but are packed with nutrients to repair your hair.
Use caution when using heat tools to make sure you don’t burn yourself. [9] X Research source
Wear a hat if you’ll be out in the sun for long periods of time to protect your hair. If you do get chlorine or salt water in your hair, try to rinse it out as soon as possible.
Visit a beauty store to ask an employee to help you pick out the right color, if desired. [12] X Research source You’ll also need to purchase a 20-volume developer to mix with your hair dye if you’re not buying a kit that already contains it.
It’s a good idea to brush your hair out before dyeing it to make the process easier.
Mix until you’ve created a creamy texture that’s thoroughly combined. Wear gloves to keep your hands from getting dyed.
Apply petroleum jelly to your hairline to keep the dye from coloring your skin, if desired.
It doesn’t matter where you part your hair for the first layer of dye, as you’ll end up creating more parts later on.
If you’re adding dye because your balayage grew out, start applying the dye above where the current balayage area is. Tease your hair for a softer balayage effect by weaving the end of a comb horizontally through a wide section of hair before applying the color.
Comb lightly—while you want the dye to extend down the length of your hair, you still want most of it to stay where you originally applied it.
Create new parts in your hair to continue applying dye to your roots. Keep going around your head evenly if you’re dyeing your mid-lengths or ends, using hair clips to section off the top or bottom layers if needed. If you’re worried about creating a visible line in your hair, comb the dye out down your length of hair. Comb it again starting a little above where you applied the dye for a more blended look.
Set a timer to help you remember when it’s time to rinse. Use a toning mask after you’ve rinsed out the dye to give your hair extra shine. Once you’ve waited the recommended amount of time, rinse this out too. Dry and style your hair as desired for your final look.