If you’ve never colored your hair at home before, the process can, admittedly, seem daunting. But with a creme hair color dye, like the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme permanent hair dyes, scoring a new hue is far easier than you might expect. These at-home coloring creams apply easily, offer 100% gray coverage, and deliver rich, radiant-looking color for a fraction of the price of a salon visit.
Ahead, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about using our cream hair dye to cover grays and transform your tired tresses. Gather your supplies and read on for the 411 on achieving a flawless at-home hair color transformation.
Creme hair color (French spelling) and cream hair color (English spelling) are the same thing: A type of hair dye with a creamy, rather than liquid or gel, consistency. Because of the thicker texture, these formulas tend to apply easily and won’t drip or splatter the way runnier liquid hair dyes might. Coloring creams are also typically easy to spread throughout your tresses, which helps ensure you achieve an even application without any patchiness or missed spots.
While you can find both permanent and demi-permanent cream hair color dyes, the former is better suited for those seeking a long-lasting color transformation. They’re permanent, so you’ll only need to touch up your color periodically to blend new growth and grays. Demi-permanent colors, by contrast, generally fade over the course of a month or so—great for those looking for a low-commitment way to try on a new hue.
If you’re looking to cover grays and color your hair, you’ll need to select a hair dye designed for that purpose. Here are two we love:
Turn to this at-home coloring cream if you’re looking to transform your tresses at home. It comes in a variety of natural-looking shades, from pale blonde to deep, rich dark brown, each of which provides up to 100% gray hair coverage. Plus, the caring formula is infused with a Pro-Keratine complex and helps protect hair as it colors. In addition to the cream hair color, this at-home kit contains a salon-inspired shampoo and a caring deep conditioner to use after coloring your strands.
For those who prefer ammonia-free hair colors, we suggest giving the L’Oréal Paris Excellence Creme Universal Nudes hair color a try. The permanent cream hair color provides the vibrancy and intensity as traditional permanent hair colors, but is made without ammonia. The gentle formula is suitable for all hair types and textures, and each of the neutral-toned in the lineup provides up to 100% gray coverage for a gorgeous, natural-looking hair color.
Before you dye your hair, you’ll need to settle on your ideal shade. For natural-looking results, you’ll want to select a shade that complements both your skin tone and undertones. As a general rule, warmer hair colors, such as copper and golden brown, are best suited for those with warm skin. Those with cooler complexions, by contrast, fare well with cooler, ashier shades, like mushroom brown or ash blonde. If you need help finding a shade, we suggest consulting with an expert via L’Oréal Paris Hair Color Conceirge. You could also take our Hair Color Quiz for help narrowing down the best hue for you.
Once you’ve selected your shade, you’re ready to start coloring. Follow these simple steps (also included in the hair color kit) for the best results.
Before coloring your hair, gather your supplies—your creme coloring kit will have most of what you need, but we also suggest grabbing a hair brush, a comb, some large clips, petroleum jelly, and a towel (preferably, one that you don’t mind staining). Wrap the towel around your shoulders and brush your hair to remove any knots or tangles. Then, apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to the tops of your ears and the skin along your hairline—this will help create a barrier, of sorts, and prevent the hair dye from staining your skin.
After detangling your hair with a brush, use a comb to create a vertical part down the middle of your head. Keep the line as clean and straight as possible. Next, divide the top section of hair from one ear to the other, creating two subsections. Twist each subsection and use a clip to keep them out of the way. Do the same with the bottom to create four (roughly equal) sections of hair.
Before mixing your color, carefully read the instructions on the package insert inside the hair color box. It’ll explain how to properly mix your hair color to ensure the best possible end result. Then, don the plastic gloves included with your color kit and combine the color and developer as instructed.
Once the mixing is complete, re-visit the instructions for guidance on how to apply the color to your hair. Some hair dyes are designed to be applied to the roots first, while others should be applied to the mid-lengths and ends before the roots. Be sure to follow the instructions exactly when applying your dye. You’ll also want to take your time and make sure each section of hair is completely saturated. If it’s not, you may end up with a patchy or uneven color.
Once you’ve evenly coated your hair in the color, set a timer for the time recommended in your product instructions and let the color process. This may be a good time to catch up on last week’s episode of your favorite show or give yourself a relaxing at-home facial.
When your timer goes off, step in the shower and rinse your hair. As it gets wet, the dye should emulsify, creating a foamy lather. Rub the lather throughout your strands and rinse your hair until the water runs clear. Typically, you won’t need to shampoo immediately after dyeing your hair, but be sure to consult the package instructions for clear guidance.
Lastly, apply a generous amount of the conditioning treatment included in your creme hair color kit. Let it sit for the amount of time recommended, then rinse your hair once more with lukewarm water. When you finish showering, gently squeeze out any excess moisture from your strands and let your hair air-dry. Once your tresses are bone-dry, go ahead and admire your new DIY color.
Editor’s tip: Remember that once you’ve colored your hair, you’ll want to use color-safe haircare products to help preserve your new hue. After finishing the shampoo and conditioner included in your color kit, we recommend snagging the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Shampoo and the L’Oréal Paris EverPure Sulfate Free Bond Repair Conditioner. This duo won't fade your hair color, and it works to repair damaged color-treated hair from the inside out—a major plus if you color or lighten your hair frequently. If you can, it’s also a good idea to lather up less frequently to help keep your color vibrant, glossy, and bright.
Next Up: How To Seamlessly Blend Grays With Highlights and Lowlights
Photo Courtesy of L'Oréal Paris
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