We’ve all experienced hair envy. Usually, courtesy of an unknown passer-by that slips out of sight before we pluck up the courage to ask their secret. And as we glimpse our own lacklustre colour, we're left metaphorically kicking ourselves for not shouting out, “Who’s your colourist?”
But whether it’s champagne-blonde hair you’re coveting, a pastel pink topknot, or the glossiest brown bob you ever did see, we're here to help you be your own colourist. No awkward outbursts required. Of course, we’re talking about hair colour kits. But before we lose you to a palm-off of “There’s no way that colour came from a box,” consider this - what if it did? Anyone who isn’t a first-timer of at-home hair colour will tell you, results really can be envy inducing. The secret is in the application, shade matching, paying some attention to colour maintenance, and ultimately knowing the pro's how to secrets.
To answer all our at-home hair colouring questions and more, we speak to Jason Hogan, expert colourist at Josh Wood Colour. Get ready to cover greys, refresh reds and give blonde hair a boost as we find out how that colour you’ve been admiring could easily have come from a box.
One product with more than one trick
“Home hair colour can be used by everyone - there's no need for an at-home & salon divide,” Jason tells us. “With the right permanent colour kit, you can even get 100% grey coverage at home.” Want to touch up regrowth without overloading your lengths with colour? As long as the kit matches your existing colour, “Your home kit can also be used for root maintenance between colour appointments at the salon,” confirms Jason. Of course, there are a handful of techniques that should be reserved for the salon, but that doesn’t mean that blondes can benefit from an at-home colour refresh too.
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
While it's easy to use an applicator bottle and fingers to apply colour dye with their fingers, there's also expert application tools and accessories readily available to make it a mess-free process. For a professional finish that’ll spark suspicion, you’ll need a mixing bowl, application brush and some section clips. Permanent hair colour is designed to stain. Permanently. So a dark-coloured towel and protective gown are also a wise idea. Finally, to keep your colour looking vibrant, Jason tells us hydration is key. “In our Permanent Colour box, you’ll find a sachet of deep conditioner to use afterwards, this will make sure your hair’s in gorgeous condition, with incredible shine. I’d recommend following up with high quality hair-care products to lock in your new colour, and a mask for when you want an extra hit of hair hydration’.
Personalisation makes any shade possible
There’s nothing more telling that someone has coloured hair than that block-colour finish. “Hair has natural tonal differences, with highs and lows throughout” Josh Wood explains, which is why he designed his Shade Shot to mix with the Permanent Colour Kits to give. a multi-tonal, natural-looking colour finish.
“The first step is to decide whether you prefer your overall colour on the 'cool' or 'warm' side. This will help you choose your shade shot,” Jason outlines. “If you want a warm chocolatey brunette, for example you would add a Chestnut Brunette Shade Shot to your permanent kit or if you prefer cool dark tones without a hint of redness Smoky Brunette would give you the desired result. Our permanent colours alone are in a neutral tone, which means they neither lean warm or cool, they are simply the base colour but by adding a Shade Shot, the patented formula activates your at-home hair colour to deliver a tonal result that's totally unique to you,” he reveals.
Victoria wears shade Josh Wood Colour permanent kit shade 6.5 and champagne blonde shade shot plus.
Helmet head can be avoided
Colour that give a multi-dimensional finish is key but so is application and Jason tells us more. “You can use home hair colour all over on virgin hair to enrich the colour; our colours are made to naturally match your hair colour in order to blend grey hairs in seamlessly. But if you’d like to go deeper, you can always buy a half shade or full shade darker than your own hair colour, too. Once you have achieved the colour you're happy with, we would recommend just re-colouring the roots when they start to grow through, then pulling this onto the lengths for ten minutes. Constant application of permanent colour to the lengths of the hair can quickly lead to a build up-of colour that can start to look unnaturally saturated and dark, and matte in texture,” Jason explains.
The secret is in the application
'For Josh Wood Colour’s Permanent Colour in particular, we recommend a slightly different application method than you may be used to.” Jason tells us. “The hair colour is gentle and intensely nourishing thanks to its ammonia-free formula and special active ingredients. For that reason, we recommend a 'more is more' method, packing it onto the roots to make sure you achieve 100% grey coverage.” Whatever kit you use however, there are a few steps you can take to get the most out of your home hair colour.
Blonde benefits
"It’s important to note techniques such as highlights & balayage need the eyes and hands of an expert in a salon,” Jason warns. Once your hair has been professionally lifted however, at-home toners are a great way to keep your blonde on point. When using a toner product such as our Champagne Blonde or Icy Blonde Gloss, always consider your lightest strand of hair. That means, even if you’re naturally brunette at the roots, if the lengths of your hair have been bleached at some point, you’re best to choose a toner for blondes.
As for permanent colour, the Josh Wood Colour kits are designed to match to your root colour, only taking you up to a shade darker, rather than a dramatic colour transformation. “If you want to change from highlighting your hair to using a darker at-home hair colour, it's best to visit a salon to have the pigment put back into the hair,” Jason advises. “It's always best to talk with your colourist to work out a long-term colour plan that suits. Applying a blonde colour many shades lighter on top of a brunette shade is never a good idea. It will not give you the desired result. Instead, it may give you unwanted tones, and a patchy result, and it could turn brassy or orange,” says Jason.
Margaret wears Josh Wood Colour permanent kit shade 9.0.
Didn't answer your question? Our team of experts are always here to help - get in touch with us: hello@joshwoodcolour.com
Permanent Kit
For hair colour that is totally unique to you. Reveal your perfect, personal shade by mixing a Shade Shot Plus with your Josh Wood Permanent Colour Kit to emphasise your hair's natural highs and lows.
Blending Brush
Josh understands that, for some, keeping on top of roots can be a constant concern. With that in mind, he created the Blending Brush to effortlessly conceal any stage of regrowth.
Everything Mask
Created to lock-in colour, add shine, hydrate and deep-condition your hair, the Everything Mask is the ultimate treatment for all.