12 Reasons Everyone Should Try Dyeing Their Hair At Least Once
A lot of people believe dyeing their hair is an absolute no-go because they think it'll cause far too much irreparable hair damage and breakage. But sometimes, when you operate from a fear-based mindset, it can block you from having fun with your self-expression and appearance.
Dyeing your hair doesn't automatically mean you're killing off every hair follicle for life. There are plenty of safe ways you can go about dyeing your hair that don't cause an alarming level of harm. Maintaining a healthy head of hair through different dye jobs is doable if you're trusting the process to the hands of a professional. It's also fine if you know exactly what you're doing in front of your own bathroom mirror.
In the age of technology, there are loads of step-by-step tutorials to tune into on TikTok and YouTube. They'll walk you through the hair-dying process so you aren't left to your own devices and estimations. For your first time, though, it might be best to enlist help from someone who's been professionally dyeing hair for a while. Whether you're skeptical about the hair dyeing process or just haven't considered dyeing your hair before, here are a few reasons why you should consider dyeing your hair at least once in your lifetime.
Your hair can serve as a conversation starter
Wouldn't it be nice if every person you were interested in conversing with automatically approached you and started chatting you up? This is something that happens on a regular basis for individuals who are willing to switch things up with their outward appearance. When something about you is considered a conversation starter, other people can't help but approach you and start chatting away. Sometimes, the conversation starter involves your wardrobe, the pieces of clothing you're rocking, your makeup routine, and the way you apply your lipstick or eyeliner.
Other times, the conversation starter is all about your hair! When you dye your hair cool colors, you instantly become more intriguing to other people around you. Even dyeing your hair a relatively natural-looking color can serve as a conversation starter among people you work with and members of your social circle. Don't worry about brainstorming icebreaker topics to bring up next time you go out if you've chosen to dye your hair. Your hair could be the conversation starter that speaks for you.
Dyeing your hair can hide gray hair growth
There's no reason to feel bad about a few gray hairs sprouting on top of your head. It's simply a sign of aging, which is a beautiful thing. In this day and age, people are learning to embrace signs of aging without forcing themselves to make significant changes such as Botox or anti-aging diet fads. As a reminder, gray hair is considered somewhat of a trend, with millennials and Gen Z people opting for silver highlights at the hair salon. Still, dyeing your hair to hide a few gray strands doesn't mean you're not comfortable with the aging process.
It might just be a great time to start having fun with the notion of different colors now that you finally have more of a reason to make it happen. The nice thing about dyeing over gray strands of hair is that gray hair serves as a naturally light base making it easier for you to slap any chosen color on top. Dyeing darker hair a vibrantly colored shade is certainly possible, but it's much easier to dye gray strands. Use your gray hair as a chance to experiment with new colors! You can also always dye your hair back to the same color it was before grays started sprouting.
You might love the way you look with a different hair color
"Curiosity killed the cat" doesn't apply when it comes to dyeing your hair a different color. If you've always been genuinely curious to see what you'd look like with a different hair color, leap at the opportunity to make that happen. Staring at your reflection in the mirror might've stirred up some of these thoughts over the years for you. Your internal inquisitiveness is totally normal.
There's a chance you've experimented with different colored wigs in the past to try out a new color, but for whatever reason — whether the wig didn't sit right on your scalp or you had a difficult time making it look realistic — you might not have felt comfortable wearing it in public.
There's also a chance you've experimented with different colored hair filters on social media apps. Still, seeing what you look like with a hair filter doesn't quite showcase the true essence of what you'd look like in real life. Allow your curiosity to take over and try something new with the hair color you've always dreamed of.
It can be an emotional release
Anyone who is seeking an emotional release might find solace in the process of dyeing their hair. When you're going through a life-altering or traumatic event, making drastic changes to your appearance might sound appealing — there's a reason people love changing up their look post-breakup. Some people chop their hair off when going through it, but dyeing your hair can offer a similar emotional release without losing any length.
There's science behind the emotional release that comes with chopping your hair off since you're ridding yourself of something so deeply connected to you. "When we're going through a period of transition that is particularly painful, we tend to make decisions that provide immediate relief," Rebecca Newman, Pennsylvania-based psychotherapist, told Dazed.
And this includes making changes in our appearance — like a fresh dye job. You don't need to chop all your locks off to feel that relief. Seeking the feeling of an emotional release without actually losing any length is still possible if you choose to dye your hair a different color. The change might not feel as extreme or radical as fully chopping your hair off, but it will still serve as a similar emotional release since it's a major transformation.
You'll get the chance to define what vibe you give the world
The vibe you give the world depends on many factors, one of which is your outward appearance. Your fashion choices and makeup routine say a lot, but so does the color of your hair. What do you want the world to think of you? How do you want others to perceive you? You're totally in control of defining the vibe you give the world when you dress yourself up each morning. Before shimmying into a sundress or sliding into a pair of leather leggings, thoughts about how you want to be perceived might be floating around your mind.
It's perfectly normal to consider the alterations you make to your appearance each day, whether applying heavy-duty contour or adding a set of dramatic faux lashes to your eyes. Your hair greatly impacts how the rest of the world views you. That being said, harnessing the chance to define what everyone else's view will be puts you in a very powerful position. Whether you opt for extreme hair colors or natural hair colors, your overall vibe will be affected.
Your new hair color can complement your skin tone even better
You were born gorgeous, and your hair likely suits you perfectly. However, just because you were born with your natural hair color doesn't mean that color is the only — or most suitable — hair color for your skin tone. In reality, changing your hair in even the slightest way can significantly change the way the rest of your features look. Some hair colors will have you looking healthier and more vibrant with a gorgeous glow. Other hair colors have the potential to wash you out.
Some hair colors will cause your eyes to look more exquisite than ever before. Other hair colors will distract from the beauty of your eyes in a subtle yet negative way. You can figure out your skin undertones easily by paying attention to how you tan, the color of your veins, and what your skin looks like when compared to something completely neutral. Most professional makeup artists and hair stylists will be able to help you out with deciphering your true skin tone so you'll know which hair color to go for.
It can portray a more voluminous look
Dyeing your hair can help it look far more voluminous than it naturally is. Adding layers of highlights creates the illusion that your hair is thicker and fuller. There are a handful of popular hair color shades that will instantly add more volume and body to the hair on your head. Anyone with naturally warm skin tones will look better with chocolate blond hair, chocolate brunette hair, or dark red copper-colored hair.
For folks with cool skin tones, deep chocolate plum, deep plum red, and intense plum red are some hair colors that will make you look more fabulous and flatter your features. Hoping to add more illuminating depth to your hair is a perfectly normal desire for anyone who cares about how they look on a daily basis. If the lower layers of your hair are a lighter or darker color compared to the top layers of your hair, others will see your hair as multidimensional and voluminous.
Dyeing your hair a new color can be part of your glow-up game-plan
Going through a glow-up process means you're upgrading every detail about yourself to become the best version of yourself. And if you don't have a glow-up plan in place, or you simply just want to add some extra oomph to your appearance, now is a great time to start!
Glow-ups often include hitting the gym, buying a new wardrobe, and possibly dyeing your hair a new color. Folks who are focused on the fitness aspect of a glow-up will change their diet, hire personal trainers, sign up for yoga classes, and do everything they can to improve their physique. Everyone focused on switching up their wardrobe will go shopping at boutiques, surf the internet for reasonable deals, and occasionally go thrifting for treasure finds.
People who want to focus on their hair during their glow-up process will usually either get a haircut, dye their hair a new color, or go for both of those ideas at one time. Dyeing your hair a new color as part of your glow-up plan is a great way to stay on track toward succeeding in your goal of becoming the best version of yourself. Every time you see your reflection in the mirror, you'll notice what a big change you've made with your hair color and feel motivated to continue on your path.
It can completely change your appearance
If you'd prefer to live a more low-key life for a while, or you're simply ready for a huge change, dyeing your hair to become less recognizable can help with that. People who live in small towns and folks who are widely known in their local areas can appreciate this. Dyeing your hair to escape notoriety is especially helpful to individuals who've created somewhat of a reputation for themselves in any form, fashion, or manner.
Whether the reputation you've created for yourself is something you can be proud of, it's your prerogative if you want to remain recognizable everywhere you go. You don't have to be a full-fledged celebrity to deal with the disruption of other people pointing you out whenever you leave the house to run a few simple errands.
Dyeing your hair after leaving a relationship or cutting off a friendship can help you stay off that person's radar as well. If they're accustomed to spotting you around your city with jet-black hair framing your face every once in a while, you won't be so easy to point out after switching it up to a bright blond. Anyone who knows you well with light brunette hair won't easily pick you out of a crowd if your hair is suddenly a sultry shade of red. Dyeing your hair is a simple way to help you live a more low-key lifestyle.
Your level of patience will blossom
The phrase "Good things come to those who wait" certainly applies to individuals who choose to dye their hair. If you're not already a patient person, be prepared for your patience to be tested as you go through the process of dyeing your hair for the first time. Whether it's something you're doing by yourself or having it done professionally in a salon, dyeing your hair takes time. In fact, depending on the services, dyeing your hair usually takes around two to six hours to complete. In some cases, it can even take as long as eight hours to get through an entire appointment.
Obviously, factors such as your starting hair color, hair length, and the condition of your natural hair will make a difference in how long it takes to get things done. There's also the matter of being patient in between recoloring services. You can't simply schedule back-to-back appointments to dye your hair if you just recently got it done — especially if bleach is involved. While there's no set amount of time you have to wait between hair coloring appointments, it's best to leave a safe cushion between appointments to avoid damaging your hair significantly.
You'll gain a greater appreciation for your hairstylist
If you don't already appreciate your hairstylist for all the amazing things they do, you will soon enough. Once you start dyeing your hair, you'll automatically gain a greater appreciation for their services. Hairstylists are talented individuals who are trained in the art of hair management. They know how to keep your hair as healthy as possible by applying the right hair care products, including masks, oils, and other treatments.
They can successfully trim your dead ends without making it look like you've lost way too much length. They'll style your hair in whatever manner you request in time for big events such as weddings, prom nights, and job interviews. When a hairstylist is doing their job, they maintain sharp levels of focus to ensure overall satisfaction from their clients.
They want whoever is sitting in their chair to leave with a smile on their face so they'll continue receiving good reviews and an influx of paying customers. In order to keep everyone happy so their business runs smoothly, hairstylists have to be wildly detail-oriented and methodical in their approach. After getting your hair dyed for the first time, you'll see just how much energy and effort your hairstylist places into you and your appointment. From there, it will be far easier for you to appreciate them for everything they do and how talented they are.
Dyed hair will always grow out and can be recolored
Dyeing your hair isn't permanent. It will either grow out (eventually) or get dyed another color if you change your mind. It's something to have fun with since it won't last forever the way other body modifications would, like tattoos. When you think of hair dye as something totally temporary, it becomes a task you can get playful with. It becomes something you can have fun with. It becomes an idea that isn't so daunting or scary.
When you finally put dyeing your hair into the box of "temporary" instead of "permanent," you give yourself the chance to explore all the possibilities. If you regret dyeing your hair a particular color, simply choose another color to switch to and move on with your life.
Plenty of people with dyed hair allow their natural hair to grow out on top, creating somewhat of an ombré vibe. Others touch up their roots when they have time to do so. There's no need to put pressure on your shoulders when it comes to new hair colors; this should bring you joy, amusement, and happiness.