The Method is a no-bleach no-salon technique for getting color to set in even the most stubborn hair. I have used it to dye my own hair using Kool-Aid powder and apple cider vinegar. I have also used it to dye my girlfriend’s normally dark brown hair into the beautiful purple hue pictured above, which persists for months at a time.
I arrived at The Method through a combination of reading things on the internet and simple trial-and-error. To do it right you are likely sacrificing a full day (if not two) during which you will have either wet or dry-but-still-dangerous dye on your head. You are also likely to sacrifice a pillowcase and/or a shirt to the cause.
Please note that this is a no-bleach procedure. If you are using one of those packaged drugstore kits that includes peroxide or something like it, then I encourage you to simply follow the instructions on the box. Personally, I have tremendous brand loyalty to Special Effects dye and recommend it to everyone I know.
Step 1. Wash your hair with shampoo but not conditioner, and allow it to dry.
2-in-1 shampoos are acceptable, but only the crappy kinds (which, admittedly, is most varieties.) The idea is to get your hair as rough and moisture-starved as you’re willing to allow. And then you trick it into sucking up dye alongside the liquid, harnessing the power of osmosis.
Step 2. Apply dye thoroughly to dry hair and leave it in as long as you can. Six hours is good, eight hours is better.
Personally I suggest doing this overnight, partly because the UV in sunlight will break down the color in the dye, but mostly because the easiest thing to do is to stick a shower cap over your head and sleep on it.
Step 3. In a hot shower, rinse the dye from your hair but do not shampoo it. Allow your hair to dry fully.
You can condition if you like, but good dyes have a conditioning effect so that may not be necessary. You may use a blow dryer if you must (heat is your friend, sort of), but air drying is preferred for the sake of your hair’s health.
The heat and moisture of the shower will re-activate the dye, allowing you to essentially dye it twice in a row. (NB: I can’t back that up with science, and have read conflicting things about the correct temperature for the rinse step. But anecdotally, hot works best for me.) Be aware that depending on the dye you’ve selected, your hair will probably still stain things at this point, even if the dye has been rinsed thoroughly and even after it’s completely dry. In my experience, dyes towards the blue end of the color spectrum are more likely to run.
Step 4. Wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner. Voila, you are done.
Or nearly done, anyway. Again, depending on your dye, your hair may continue to bleed color for days or even weeks to come (my girlfriend reports that over two months after dyeing the water still runs purple when she washes her hair.) At all steps in The Method I recommend that you shower carefully and keep a spray bottle of diluted bleach handy if you don’t want to stain your bathroom. And be wary of rainstorms.
