Page 53 - Cosmopolitan - USA (February 2020)

n combines various dyes T H E

and developers (chem-
icals that activate the
dyes) to get you to
o lie,
F A V O R I T E
explains Meri Kate
I’ve your dream shade,” I N T E R N E T ’ S
O’Connor, colorist at A T - H O M E
been box-dyeing my
Tabb & Sparks Salon
hair since the sixth H A I R C O L O R S
in Santa Monica,
grade (shout-out to
California. “With box
my purple emo phase
dye, you’re working
and my cool mom who T H E B E S T F O R
with one dye and one
let me go there!). So L O N G - L A S T I N G
developer—it’s a one- C O L O R
10 years later, I can Think of box dye as
size-fits-all situation.”
confidently say that I
So set some real- the perfect way to
know my way around
istic expectations— ~tweak~ your hair color.
a bottle of hair color—
and while you’re at it,
and that I’ve made
ignore those mislead- L’Oréal Paris
literally every imagin- Superior Preference
Fade-Defying
able fuckup along the ing swatches of faux Shine Permanent Hair
hair dangling next But how long does
way. See: the time I Color, $10,
to dyes at the store. it actually last? lorealparisusa.com
stained my ears with
Instead, think of box color—but not, like,
permanent dye. Also: The answer, in three
dye as the perfect way cover any grays.
the time I bought the parts:
to ~tweak~ your hair “Demi-permanent is T H E B E S T F O R
wrong formula and
color, whether that great for people who C O V E R I N G G R AY S
ended up with a S E M I - P E R M A N E N T
means upping shine or want to amp up their
flaming-red bob. These dyes last
adding some dimen- existing color—like
The truth is that at- 15 washes, max.
sion. And commit to making chestnut-brown
home hair color *can* “There’s no developer,
this rule: Limit your at- hair richer and shin-
be a hot mess—but it there’s no hydrogen
home dyeing to two ier—for three to four Schwarzkopf Keratin
can also be the best peroxide, there are no Color Intense Caring
shades darker or half weeks without having Color, $10, target.com
(for your bank account chemicals—the color
a shade lighter than noticeable roots dur-
and your hair). And just sits on the hair’s
your natural color. ing a grow-out phase,”
since the directions surface,” says Patricia
“If you’re going says Slattery.
on the label will only Slattery, AVP of hair T H E B E S T F O R
get you so far, I’ve darker, you have a color education, H Y D R A T I N G
good shot at getting P E R M A N E N T D R Y H A I R
compiled all my hard- training, and testing
the color you see on “These dyes are
earned hacks right at L’Oréal Paris.
the box, since you spiked with ammonia,
here. You’re welcome. P.S. If a box’s fine-
aren’t taking anything print instructions tell which, when com-
What you see away from your base you to mix anything bined with hydrogen Garnier Nutrisse
isn’t what you get color,” says O’Connor. at all, the dye is not peroxide, penetrates Nourishing Color
“But if you’re trying to actually semi-perm deep into the cortex of Creme, $8, drugstores
So your chances of
go a lot lighter, your and will last closer to your hair,” says Slat-
re-creating that exact
room for error sky- 28 washes. Confusing, tery. The result: long-
shade you loved on rockets.” Also impor- lasting color that fades T H E B E S T F O R
Insta are, sadly, kinda yes (and why I’m here
tant: Shades labeled for ya!). sliiightly over time R O O T
low. “When you get
“warm” or “golden” (kinda like a black T O U C H - U P S
your hair done at a often end up look- T-shirt every time you
salon, your colorist ing orange (turns out, D E M I - P E R M A N E N T wash it) and needs to
It’ll blend a new
amateurs can’t really color with your natural be touched up every
control “warmth”), so four to six weeks as
DpHue Root Touch-Up
always opt for “cool” your roots grow in. Kit, $30, ulta.com
or “neutral.”

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