In the week prior to fashion week is the time when I get a facial, hair cut, color, brow shaping, anything really that fails under the “maintenance” category so I can look my absolute glam best for the week. This time around, I decided to forgo my visit to the salon for color, and give it a go myself! My newly minted red tresses certainly needed a refresher, and this was the first time I was venturing out on my own to do it. Courtesy of Folica.com, I was able to try the Umberto U Color Italian Demi Color in the shade of 7.46 Red Teak, which seemed like a close match to what I had previously had done in the salon. Here’s how the process went for me:
The color was really easy to apply, and with darker colors, it’s good to watch your hairline closely, making sure there’s enough color there, but also to not get a stain on your skin (I’ve learned that applying a little Vaseline to your skin will do the trick!). The packets of color are a bit unusual, but it’s great that you can apply everything at once (color, developer, and equalizer), and they need to be folded on top of each other, cut, and squeezed onto the hair or mixed into a bowl.
I chose to mix into a bowl, which made it easier to apply precisely, and I used the enclosed brush for even saturation and late gloves for protection. It looked kind of like a murder scene in that bowl, but remember to be careful with red or dark dye on non-porous surfaces like counter tops; I always keep some Comet on hand and a good scrubbing brush in case any dye lands elsewhere. As long as you treat it ASAP, the damage will be minimal, if any.
Anyways, back to the dye: after 25 minutes of it sitting on my hair, I thoroughly rinsed it out, and beautiful color resulted! Because demi-permanent color fades, and red is a particular culprit, it’s a month later and my hair is lighter, but still evenly colored and rich. I’d definitely recommend the Umberto U Color line, and for $11.99 at Folica.com, you get TWO application sachets enclosed; a great deal, and a good idea since you don’t have to scramble to remember or buy the shade you used last when it’s time to recolor.
[Here I am, live from fashion week, with my lovely new hair color!]
