Dyeing already damaged hair is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Box dye has a very strong concentration, so using it on damaged hair will only cause more damage.

Another downside is that damaged hair is highly porous, meaning it will soak up all the dye and you will end up with a darker shade than you desire, especially at the ends.

Washing your hair less than 24 hours before dyeing it removes the natural oils that are there to protect the scalp. Without them, hair dye may cause your scalp pain

and irritation.

A hair developer is an oxidant cream that expands the cuticles and enables the dye to settle down to the roots. Usually, the correct developer comes with the boxed hair dye kit.

If you have to buy developer separately, choose one recommended by your hair dye brand. If you use the wrong developer, your hair can end up the wrong shade, spotty, or uneven.

Another huge mistake is coloring your strands unevenly. It helps to section your hair into smaller pieces and dye them in order, but that might be difficult if you have long hair.

Start at your roots since they need the longest processing time, and then spread the dye along the length of your hair. Enlist a friend, or use mirrors if you’re doing this alone.

It’s essential to follow the manufacturer’s instructions when dyeing your hair, even if you’ve done it before. Not doing so can result in a bad, uneven dye job, or damaged hair.