2. CHOOSE THE COMMITMENT, COLOR, AND BRAND

There are three different variables to consider before buying a home hair-coloring product: the color commitment, the actual color, and the brand.

Commitment

If this is your first time coloring your hair, it's probably best to start with a low level of commitment, and then (if you're happy with the results) you can work your way up the commitment ladder. The following are the most common commitment levels used by most major product lines, ranked in order from the least committed to the most:

  1. Highlighting. Highlights are usually permanent, and they are a great way to add texture and subtle color to your hair-whether they're red or blond or even blue-without dramatic changes. Beware that highlighting often takes a long time, as you usually have to use a pick to pull your hair through tiny holes in a plastic cap. The more hair you pull through the holes, the more dramatic the results. You can also choose a non-permanent highlighting kit, which involves painting streaks of color onto your hair with a thin brush. You'll look cute for a few days, but the results tend to be too subtle and short-lived.

  2. Semi-Permanent Color. Also called "stains" or "washes," semi-permanent products coat the hair with color that washes out after about 6 to 12 shampoos. You won't have any worries about your roots because the color washes out before roots can really show. However, since semi-permanent products don't contain any ammonia or peroxide, you won't be able to lighten your hair any shades, you'll only be able to add color.

  3. Demi-Permanent Color. Demi-permanent products last longer (approximately 24 to 26 shampoos) and also contain no ammonia, so again, you won't be able to lighten your hair. However, a small level of peroxide allows you to create a more noticeable color change.

  4. Permanent Color. Permanent color uses both ammonia and peroxide, which enter the hair's cortex and create a change that cannot be washed out. Keep in mind that the end result is always a combination of the added pigment and the original pigment of your hair, so the dye may look different on you than, on your friend, the model on the box, or Julia Roberts. But as the name suggests, when you wash with permanent color, if you don't like it, your only options are to wait for the color to grow out or to dye over it (which, again, DEFINITELY requires a pro).

Color

Shades are basically broken down into two categories: warm and cool. People with warm eye, hair, and skin tones should choose a warm hair color, and people with cool tones should choose a cool hair color. Which are you? We don't know . . . we've never even seen you before! Usually, "warm" people have golden or reddish tones, whether in their skin, hair, or eyes, and "cool" people have bluish tones and skin and hair without a hint of gold. This cool/warm separation can be tricky, especially if you have both warm and cool features, so it's best to get a professional opinion. Any beautician at a makeup counter in a department store would be happy to help you figure out if you're a "cool" or a "warm" (as well as if you're a Jet or a Shark, and if you're a jean or a khaki). Just pretend you're buying something.

After you decide what group you belong to, you can better choose your color. "Cool" people should stay away from hair colors with reddish or golden hues and seek out the cooler colors, ranging from platinum to blue-black. "Warm" people should choose colors with golden and red highlights, from strawberry blonde to dark auburn. Remember, unless you're prepared for disastrous results, stay within a few shades of your natural color.

Brand

Finally, it's time to choose the brand. There are simply too many brands on the market to go over the pros and cons of each, but professional stylists suggest that you use a popular brand name. Why? Two reasons:

  1. Popular brands are usually popular for a reason. If L'oreal's hair products were known to turn hair green, you'd hear about it. But if you use the obscure "Bombshell in a Bottle," you might turn into more of a bomb than a bombshell.

  2. Popular brands usually have a help line that's listed right on the box. Although you're most likely not going to get hair experts when you call, you'll get answers to common problems you may encounter during the actual dyeing of your hair.

Your best bet is to go with a brand that a friend has recommended. However, don't go with a brand simply because you like your friend's hair color (it won't look the same on you). Go with it because she says it doesn't smell like rotten eggs, it was relatively easy to use, it doesn't fade quickly, yada yada yada.

There are an increasing number of hair dyes made especially for men on the market, though most of them are gray-reducers. L'oreal, for example, makes "Feria for Men" in a wide range of colors. "Tipping" has become a common male request in salons, and this involves bleaching the ends of the hair (think *NSync). The same effect can be created at home by bleaching your whole head and letting the dark hair grow back in. Besides, if you don't like the look, you can just shave all your hair off, carry a tambourine, and ask for money at the airport.