This post is sponsored by Zotos Professional. All opinions are my own.
Mixing hair color to Developer to dye your own hair at home can be daunting and intimidating. I know because I felt the same when I first used this method years ago.
I’ve been a drugstore hair color box user for years when a few strands of gray hair started to sprout. The process was convenient but it didn’t last as long as I wanted. My hair also started to get brassy and dry. Then I learned about DIY salon hair color a few years ago which turned out to be surprisingly affordable and very easy to apply.
I know I’m preaching to the choir but I’m getting more and more gray hair as I age each day. The last time I shared with you regarding my hair, I saw 6 new sparkly silver ones on my temples! There are a lot of things that I can’t control with aging – but what I can control is the maintenance of my grays.
I’ve been using Zotos Professional AGEbeautiful Permanent Hair Color in Darkest Brown 3NN mixed with Zotos Professional AGEbeautiful Developer Volume 20 for almost a year now and just love how it covers my grays completely, even stubborn areas like the temples. I have to be honest with you. The first time I ever used a hair salon color at home I was extremely nervous. I didn’t know that I needed a developer to mix with the hair color. On top of that, I didn’t know which one to use – 10, 20, 30, or 40! Oh my gosh, I was extremely overwhelmed.
5 days after letting the tube of color and developer sit on my bathroom counter I decided to take the plunge and started mixing these two items like a mad scientist. And it turned out better than I had expected. Since then I learned a lot more about Developer and have not looked back.
So depending on the results you want to achieve, you will mix your developer and dye in different proportions. It varies with the brand but the recommended mixing ratio of dye to Developer is 1-to-1, 1-to1.5, or 1-to-2 if you need extra lightening. I’ve been using Volume 20 1-to-1 for the Zotos Professional hair color because I can achieve the exact hair color match to my hair. I love the creamy texture of their developer because it is easier to control and won’t drip everywhere. Always remember to use a plastic bowl, not metallic to mix your hair color and developer. Make sure you are mixing the developer and the color really, really well, because otherwise, the application will be difficult.
If you have more than 25% gray hair like me then you may want to follow a few of the tricks below that have helped me achieve salon-quality hair color with any developer:
- Add a droplet or two of Argan oil to the color mix for glossier hair.
- Since your stubborn gray areas will need the maximum processing time, apply color to those areas first.
- After the application, let the hair process for the full 45 minutes and do not wash it early.
Now that you are armed with these tips and tricks, you are ready to dye your hair with salon quality at home. There is no better time to try to do this until now. The products are very effective and affordable. I promise you will feel renewed and fresh after dying your hair during these difficult times and beyond.
