Colouring your hair for the first time may seem daunting, especially if you are using a permanent or semi-permanent hair dye. But have no fear – we’re here to ensure your hair colouring experience for the World’s Greatest Shave goes smoothly. Whether you’re simply using temporary hair spray colour or permanently dyeing your hair, here’s all the steps you need to know.
5 steps to colour your hair at home or at a fundraising event
Step 1: Choose your permanent or non-permanent hair colour
When dyeing your hair for the first time, you may want to choose a temporary hair colour or hair colour spray. This ensures you can comfortably dye your hair quickly and in front of others without too much pressure.
Many World’s Greatest Shave colour participants choose to colour their hair using brightly coloured, temporary, spray-on colour. This allows other people at a World’s Greatest Shave event to also colour their hair and join in the fun, without committing to that colour for a longer period. It’s also a great way to mix and match multiple colours into your hair and have some fun!
Step 2: Gather the right tools
Make sure you have all the tools on hand to safely colour your hair. These will also help your clothing and skin stay as clean as possible.
Gloves: Ensure you have some plastic gloves when colouring your own hair with dye, or if using coloured hair spray, have the person who is spraying your hair use gloves. This helps to prevent stains on your hands and clothing as well as theirs.
Cape: If you’ve signed up for World’s Greatest Shave and raised $1, you should have received a cape in your Welcome Pack. Any hairdressing cape will do to protect clothing and dye from getting on the body.
Old towels: Have some towels handy to help clean up unwanted dye or spray from your skin immediately after your colour.
Sectioning clips: When you want an even colour throughout your whole hair, it’s best to clip your hair into sections. Sectioning clips work extremely well for this! You can find some online or at your local hairdresser.
Step 3: Make sure your hair is prepped
Before you colour your hair, it’s best to plan a few days before so you can prep your locks. We recommend colouring your hair a couple of days after washing, so the dye can ‘stick’. Make sure your hair is dry and brushed when hair dye or colour spray is applied so it absorbs well. It’s also good to do a strand test before applying permanent dye, so you can find out how your hair will react.
Step 4: Section your hair and apply from the roots down
If you are permanently colouring your hair, it’s important to section out your hair. Simply take your comb or brush and part your hair down the middle. Then, using the highest point of your head as a guide, split those sections into two halves. Now, you should have four sections that you can dye one after the other.
Once your hair is sectioned, apply the dye from the roots down, allowing the colour to develop. Then, wash the dye out, following the time stated on the dye box instructions.
Step 5: Don’t forget the aftercare!
Once you’ve coloured your hair, it’s best to avoid using shampoo for two to three days to ensure the colour lasts. When you do wash your hair again, use products designed for colour-treated hair such as a colour-protecting shampoo.
Colour for cancer
When colouring and fundraising for the World’s Greatest Shave, you’re not just changing your hair colour. You’re changing the lives of Australians living with blood cancer. Whether you change from brown to blonde, or dye your hair the colours of the rainbow – you’ll be helping bring better blood cancer care to those who need it most. And that’s bloody beautiful.
