We Asked A Hairstylist The Biggest Mistake People Make When Coloring Their Locks

We know that hair color can affect your attractiveness, so it's no wonder that dye is a common part of hair routines around the globe. A good dye job can make you feel like a different person, whether it's because you've discovered that oil-slick hair is the perfect blend of bold and wearable or you've found the most beautiful brunette hair color for summer. With so much riding on your mane's hue, it's important not to make preventable mistakes, so we reached out to Hair Addict Salon owner Michelle Cleveland to help us identify the most problematic hair-related blunder. 

"When it comes to hair color, I believe the BIGGEST mistake I've seen over the course of my career as a hair stylist is when a client thinks they can change hair color on their own at home with a DIY box kit," Cleveland tells Glam exclusively. While box dye is certainly the most convenient and cost-effective method of switching up your color, Cleveland explains that lots of skill goes into a professional dye job that a box kit just can't replicate, and the results will prove it. "Hair stylists aren't just opening a box, applying formula and giving you a bill," she reveals. "We are trained for hundreds of hours in the science of hair color: what colors complement and/or neutralize others. What needs to be added to a formula to fill in missing pigmentation, etc. It's a true science that can't be found by looking at the back of a box in the health and beauty aisle of your local drug store."

Cleveland's stance on box dye is pretty clear, but if you're tempted by the call of the DIY kit or are excited by the DIY options for lightening your hair without damage, she notes that it's still okay to use box dye sometimes. Just be aware that the process comes with some caveats.

Before opening that DIY kit, it's important to understand what really happens to your hair when you use box dye. It fades faster than professional dye, and it's not tailored to your specific hair color. Still, Michelle Cleveland says that box dye can be an option if you're not looking for a total transformation. "Although I always recommend letting a professional color your hair, if your goal is to cover regrowth and you're just matching your previous color, I'm not 100% mad at DIY applications (maybe like 80% mad)," she admits exclusively to Glam, adding that total DIY color transformations are a no-go. "You will almost always pay more to have it corrected by a professional than you would have paid them to do it originally!"

If you are just going to cover some grays or regrowth, there are a few mistakes to avoid when dyeing your hair at home. Avoid washing your hair before you apply the color and directly after, and you should also avoid heat styling directly after. It's never a good idea to color damaged hair since this can increase the damage, and of course, it's imperative to follow all the instructions on the packaging. The final box-dye tip would be to adjust your expectations; as Cleveland explains, amateur coloring has limitations. 

"... I promise you with everything I know that Beyoncé, Jennifer Lopez, or any other celebrity you see on the cover of a DIY hair color box is NOT DOING HER OWN COLOR at home with a towel around her neck, a three-way mirror, and those cheap oversized gloves included in their kit!" she says. "They are in fact sitting in the chair of a world famous celebrity hair colorist!" Feel like a professional dye job is the best thing for you after all? Here are the red flags to watch out for when going to a new hair salon.