What to Do When You Can't Wait to Get Your Hair Done
“My hair is a disaster! I can’t wait another month!” ←Where do I start?
“How do I choose the right color for my roots?”
“ How do I color my own hair?”
“Should I just go grey?” ← It seems to be a trend with millennials.
“What are my color options?”
Celebrity hairstylist Sean James shares what to do when you’re desperate to have your hair done but can’t visit your stylist:
"Doing hair from home is not an unusual thing for me. In fact, I got Cole Sprouse ready for “Riverdale” and colored his hair darkest brown-black with a L'Oréal Preference box color at my home. My tip is to always follow the instructions and wear an old t-shirt.” —Sean James
You could wait for your hairstylist. Or you could order or try something from the pharmacy, such as a temporary color touch-up. FHI HEAT makes one called Hair Veil that comes in every color and is applied with a brush. Kevin.Murphy, L’Oreal, and Bumble and Bumble also all have powder-like sprays. Toppik also has a great spray. Give these a try first.
How do I color my hair myself?
Start with deciding what hair color you are trying to match. Are you trying to match your natural base? Are you trying to match a fashion color that you had before the lockdown? Are you going lighter? Or darker? Those are the questions you need to ask.
This is not the time to try something new, unless you’ve always wanted a punky color and aren’t going freak your employer out during your next FaceTime or Zoom meeting. But if you’re on an extended leave or in-between jobs, then this might be a perfect time to explore your perfect pastel side or vibrant rock star look. There are, of course, temporary colors to do this with for the less committed and more cautious.
Once you have the answer, then purchase your color either online or from the pharmacy and get to it! If you have dyed dark hair, you CANNOT dye your hair lighter. You could possibly use a highlighting kit, but that could result in a brassy mess. I’d wait a few more weeks.
If you are just covering grays, pick the color that best matches your mid-lengths and ends. Don’t hesitate once you’ve mixed the solution—it’s active and ready to process.
Put some gloves on. (You all should have some at this point!)
Do a strand test if you are really uncertain. Apply the color to the root area only. If you overlap, it could result in a darker or damaged hair strand.
Start with the part and hairline, and take tiny sliced sections, then apply the color one section at a time.
If you are fortunate enough to have a stay-at-home partner, friend, roommate, parent or sibling, put them to good use and have them do the back for you. Process for developing time on instructions, shampoo and condition. And voila!
You could apply the color just to the part and the hairline—that’s what is called a T-section. This should cover you for your next Zoom meeting, FaceTime, "virtual happy hour " with your quarantinis, pandemic party, or virtual date. Or just so you can bear looking at yourself while the minutes pass as you stare at your reflection.
The other option? Show your roots and be proud. Ombre was the hottest thing a year ago and the year before, and the year before that, and in the Midwest it’s just arriving. So go retro for a month longer and wait for your hairstylist to do an amazing job with all the hair your been farming,
And for those of you that want to go grey: yes, now is the time you can chop it off into a beautiful pixie cut like Jamie Lee Curtis. (Yes, designed by me.) Then grow it out into a little mod bob, then a shoulder-length blunt bob. It’s a great time to do that.
I hope this is helpful! Good luck with your hair and I am here for you.
You can catch Sean James, celebrity hairstylist and FHI Heat Artistic Director, at @SeanJamesHair on instagram and Facebook, or at the Mathew Preece Salon. Follow his How To tutorials on Instagram and feel free to reach out if you need any advice. When all of this is over, visit Sean James at Matthew Preece Salon in Santa Monica!