DIY Dye: Bright and Funky Temporary Hair Coloring by Loren Lankford ;Ulysses Press

Want an accent streak of fire-engine red? How about forest-green tips? Or maybe you’re daring enough to transform your locks into a rainbow of bright colors? It’s all up to you!
With DIY Dye and some imagination, you can easily personalize your hair with any color and style imaginable. This comprehensive guide offers step-by-step instructions on every aspect of at-home hair coloring including:

• Picking the right dye
• Concocting original hues
• Adding highlights
• Getting an ombre in any color

Whether you’re looking to add color for a day, week, month or longer, DIY Dye shows you how to fashion the look you want using affordable options like coloring kits, chalks, henna, food coloring and even Kool-Aid packets.

Punky colored hair isn’t just for anarchists anymore. These new looks are being rocked by everyone from top models on the runway to regular women on the job. Now, DIY Dye brings together all the latest and greatest ways to create an iridescent ’do into one helpful and handy do-it-at-home guide.

There are countless products for freaking out one’s locks, but woefully little information on how to use them. This comprehensive manual lays out all the options for what to use, explains how to use them most effectively, and describes what different types of hair will do in reaction. Readers will learn all the ways to go from basic blonde to baby blue and to control how long their looks will last. Seeking out a one-night stand? Try the simple, nontoxic recipe for homemade hair chalk. Want a summer fling? It’s amazing what Kool-Aid can do.

 

My Review

 

DIY Dye - Bright and Funky Temporary Hair Coloring You Do at Home ($14.95 USD)  by Loren Lankford. (Also available at Amazon here in Kindle edition and hardcover)

I’ve always loved experimenting with my hair color. The first time I dyed my hair I was like 12. Of course, I messed it up but still. I always loved mixing it up and I’ve probably had every hair color on the planet. When I got this book in the mail, I knew I was going to love it, I just didn’t know how much.

It’s jam-packed with interesting ideas and techniques. If you’ve ever messed your own hair up, you know how great it is to have a few tips on hand. This book is like a hair dye bible. There’s no way that you could say you don’t want this book after you’ve flipped through it. Pure awesomeness.

She really explains in detail how to keep your hair healthy and nourished while dying it. Using bleach is something that definitely needs to be done with care. Bleach and lightening products can really wreck havoc on your hair. Keeping it healthy is a priority to me. I like change but I don’t like damage.

I really love the natural options for color and highlights instead of using dyes that are packed with chemicals. Whether you’re looking for something temporary or something permanent, there is something for everyone.

I also love the little tips and tricks boxes throughout the book. Each one contains useful advice or information that makes me seriously wish I’d had this book when I was younger. I could’ve saved myself a ton of hair tragedies.. lol.

The book is broken down into 3 categories:

The first Get Ready contains everything from materials to color wheel-basics. This is particularly useful for those who are trying to get a specific color of hair for your hair type. It’s common sense that it’ll take more challenges (like bleaching) for a darker hair color to accept bright pigments. I love how well she explains it though. Great for beginners and experts alike.

The second is The Dyes which contains the recipes and techniques for dying your hair. It covers bleaching, hair chalk, kool-aid, colored-hairspray, henna, food coloring and store bought. I love how well she explains each method and how each has a set of pictures that make following along almost dummy proof. She did an amazing job!

Of course there are boxed dyes, but do you know the tricks to choosing which shade? This book covers how to make sure you don’t choose something that will end up grey or orange. Plus the recipes for each technique show you how to choose your own custom colors.

The third is the DIY Style which covers the different styles in dying. Whether you’re looking to just color the tips, go two-toned, ombre, or even rainbow—she explains (with pictures) how to accomplish it.

“With step-by-step instructions for every style from two-tone to ombre to a full head of highlighter-hued hair, this complete guide to the wonderful world of home hair dye leaves no follicle untouched.”

Question: Have You Ever caused yourself a complete hair disaster and what was it? You can post comments below or tag me in any instagram pics @stylishsouthernmom or twitter @aidanadisynsmom.

About the Author

Loren Lankford is a Georgia native, NYU film graduate and current L.A. dweller. When she isn't rescuing dogs from high kill shelters, thrifting items for her online  Etsy shop, Southern Dropout, or editing her crafting website, CraftFoxes, she's doing actual freelance work!

\An early graduate of publishing giants Hearst (CosmoGIRL! and Cosmopolitan), Time Inc. (Entertainment Weekly) and Condé Nast (Jane), Lankford has also written, produced and edited for AOL's Lemondrop.com, NBC's iVillage, Paste Magazine, MTV and several others. She helped launch Fab and Bookish, did all the research for a best-selling memoir and spent time as a community operations admin at Etsy. "Time off" means traveling all over the world for sporting events and film festivals.

Get the book.

DIY Dye: Bright and Funky Temporary Hair Coloring You Do at Home $12.97

-Jessica