Box hair dye is anxiety provoking for many women. Gwen Stefani and Sarah Jessica Parker grace the boxes in the drug store with their flawless locks, but the questions still plague us – what if the ingredients make my hair fall out? What if I do it wrong and look like a skunk?

There are plenty of risks to dyeing your hair at home, but if you just want to add in a few highlights, it might be a good way to save money and spread out trips to the salon. Here are a few tricks that might ease your worried (and dark) head.

Prime your strands for color

No matter what, lightening hair typically involves some damage. When you get your hair colored at the salon, they use any number of products to protect your strands from the harsh chemicals. When you’re at home, one of the best defenses is your natural oils.

Always start with dry hair that hasn’t been washed in a day or two to protect the cuticle of each hair. It also helps to protect the skin around your hairline and ears. Smear on an ointment like Aquaphor that will prevent the chemicals from burning your skin.

Don’t be afraid to mix and match colors from a box

There are hundreds of colors available for your hair, but choosing just one – the right one – can make you  pull out your hair before you even get to coloring. So don’t just choose one! Choosing two or three colors is one of the best options to give your highlights a natural look. Pick out shades that seem like they would go together – a light auburn to use alongside a deeper copper shade, for instance.

Limit the number of strands

When many women think of highlights done at home, they think of streaky stripes, or perhaps skunky chunks of color. One of the best ways to avoid this is to limit the number of strands you highlight. Choose no more than six to eight strands around your face to keep the color looking natural – like you could have gotten it in the sun.

One way to ensure you place the highlights in the right spot is to brush your hair into the style you usually wear it in. This way, you can prevent that random streak that will sell you out for your at-home secret!

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