I believe that everyone has thought about changing their hair at some point in their life. I get it — sometimes you just need to take your look in a new direction! If you are feeling tempted to change the color of your hair, one of the first things you should check is how much it costs to dye your hair.
There is not one simple answer to this question, as there are several things that can influence the price. First, you should think about the state of your hair and its length. If you have hair that has already been colored, it might be harder to color it again as opposed to coloring natural hair.
Then, you also need to think about whether you want to have your hair colored by a professional or if you are up for the challenge of coloring it yourself. Going the DIY route is often a bit less expensive than the former, but there are certain advantages to having your hair colored in a salon.
Finally, you should take into consideration the costs of different coloring techniques and different hair dyes. It can be overwhelming to sort through all of these factors before you get to actual coloring your hair. Luckily for you, I am here to help you make a more educated decision!
In today’s guide, I will tell you all that you need to know about the costs of dyeing hair both at home and at a hair salon and explain various dyeing techniques and dye options. So, let’s get started with the guide and see just how much it costs to color your hair!
Table of Contents
How Much Does It Cost to Dye Your Hair at Home?
Right off the bat, I can tell you that more often than not, it is better to spend the money to have your hair colored by a professional than to do it yourself. There is a reason why emergency color corrections cost so much!
However, if you are absolutely positive that you want to turn your hair coloring into a DIY project, then you can always do that and spend less than $100 for the entire process.
To color your hair at home by yourself, you will need a dye kit, and if you’re starting off with a dark color level and going any shade of blonde, you will need a lightening or bleaching kit, and a toner. Before you go out and purchase these kits, you will need to find the developer that will fit your hair best, as well as the toner that will match your color. Doing this research is crucial, or you might end up with a botched hair color that you regret.
Another thing to keep in mind is that boxed dyes are not your friend — with the box dye, you do not really know what you are putting on your hair, and that can lead to unwanted damage. If your hair is already colored, it is also not a good idea to use a box dye over the existing color because a mixture of the two might lead to a hair color completely different than the one you are expecting.
Before coloring your hair, consult a professional about the products you should use and how you should use them. Take a minute to watch a few dyeing videos on YouTube — professional hairdresser Brad Mondo does great walkthroughs for hairstyling, and his videos can help you achieve the desired hair color and style without any unwanted mistakes. Going the extra mile and doing research is really helpful when it comes to coloring hair!
How Much Does It Cost to Get Your Hair Dyed at a Salon?
I always recommend going to a professional when you want to do something to your hair. Professional hairstylists have a ton of experience with all types of hair, so they know exactly what would work for your hair and what will not. They also know how to style hair without causing damage.
When you find yourself craving a change of hair color, ask your stylist whether your desired hair color will work with your skin color and eye color. Your stylist can give you recommendations on how to achieve the best hairstyle for your skin tone.
It might also be a good idea to consult a hairstylist if you have hair that has already been colored or otherwise chemically treated. Poor hair that is already damaged might need a bit more attention when coloring as opposed to natural hair.
With that being said, you should expect to pay a bit more for coloring damaged or previously colored hair. Salon color corrections usually cost anywhere from $100 to several hundred dollars, depending on the state of your hair and its length.
If you have natural hair that has never been colored, you should expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $100 for single-process color, while the price can go up to several hundred dollars for double-process color and other techniques.
Simply put, having your hair colored or touched up by a professional will cost about $100 per hour. The final price will depend on the hair salon location, the stylist’s experience, the condition and length of your hair, and the type of dye or dyeing techniques you want to use.
Costs of Most Popular Hair Dyeing Techniques
When it comes to hair coloring, there are a number of hair dyes and dyeing techniques to choose from. The hair dye you use can be permanent, semi-permanent, demi-permanent, or temporary, while you can choose to cover your entire hair with the color or do highlights with it.
Before I go any further, let me tell you more about the different dyeing techniques that you can use on your hair, from single- and double-process coloring to ombre, reverse ombre, balayage, highlights, and lowlights. Let’s look at what these techniques are all about as well as the prices of each one!
Single Process Color
All-Over Color
Single process all-over color is the best dyeing technique for you if you are looking to make your hair only one color from the roots to the ends. This process essentially provides uniform coverage that you can achieve by using one dye only or a mixture of hair dyes that, when combined, give you the color you are looking for.
The usual salon price for a single-process hair coloring starts at $40, depending on the texture and length of your hair. You can also use this hair coloring process at home to make your hair a shade darker or lighter. I recommend consulting a professional about which hair coloring kit you should use to achieve the desired color.
Tip Color
Finally, I will tell you more about tip color. This technique includes coloring only the tips of your hair. You can make them just about any color and, with that, make your hair more vibrant.
You can expect to pay anywhere from $25 and above for coloring your tips. This technique you can also do at home — if you do not like the results, it is easy to get rid of the roots with a trim!
Double-Process Color
The double-process coloring includes two processes — first, you lighten your hair, usually using bleach, and then you color it using a hair coloring kit. You can use double-process coloring to highlight your hair or to make it one shade only.
This process takes a bit more time than the single-process coloring, and as a result, it costs a bit more. You should expect to pay at least $100 if you decide to go with the double process color.
Ombre
Ombre is usually a double-process coloring as it often requires lightening of your hair and then coloring it with a hair color kit. The result is hair that is darker at the roots and much lighter at the ends. You can go with either your natural hair color at the roots or do a root shadow to get that blend if your natural color is not dark enough.
If you want to ombre your hair, you should expect to pay anywhere from $150 and up for professional treatment. I do not recommend doing this technique by yourself if you have no experience because it requires a bit more attention than the previously mentioned techniques.
Reverse Ombre
If you want to make your ends darker than your roots, then you can do a reverse ombre to your hair. For this process, you can leave the ends in your natural hair color and lighten from the midsection of your hair to the roots, or you can use a lighter color for the roots and midsections and a darker color for the ends.
This technique became much more popular after Billie Eilish used it to make her ends black but her roots a neon green color. Ever since then, I have seen a ton of color combinations in reverse ombre, and to be honest, I am even thinking of getting one myself!
For this technique, you should expect to pay $150 or more, depending on the state of your hair and the hair salon you go to. I do not recommend doing reverse ombre on yourself if you have no hair coloring experience.
Balayage
Now, on to balayage, a similar technique to ombre. With balayage, you can make your hair look sun-lightened or naturally highlighted. This technique is very popular nowadays, and people use it to make darker and lighter highlights in their hair.
If you want to get balayage on your hair, you should expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $100 or more, depending on the state of your hair, its length, and so on.
Highlights and Lowlights
If you want to make your hair look more textured, then adding lowlights and highlights is a good choice for you. You can add several color shades to your natural color that can lead to your hair looking more textured, volumized, and healthy.
Getting lowlights and highlights should cost anywhere from $70 to $300, depending on the complexity of the process you want, as well as your hair.
Root Touch-Up
If you have hair that has previously been colored, you will need to touch up the roots every now and then to avoid having a distinctive line between the new natural hair and the colored part.
With root touch-ups, you actually color the new hair only and blend that part in with the rest of your hair that already has artificial color. Root touch-ups are needed if you have permanent, single-process color on your hair. With ombre, balayage, or highlights, you can choose to grow your hair out without having to re-color the roots.
The price of a root touch-up is around $30, but that can go up depending on the hair salon you visit and your particular hair. It is always a good idea to have a professional do the touch-up because they can do a better job at blending the roots with the rest of your hair.
FAQs about Hair Coloring Costs
Now that you know the costs of dyeing hair, as well as some of the most popular hair coloring techniques you can use, you should have a much clearer idea of what you want to do with your hair. Before you truly commit to one technique, let me tell you more about the most frequently asked questions about hair coloring. Here are some of them!
Why do stylists hate boxed hair color?
Stylists do not recommend using boxed hair color mainly for one reason — you do not know what you are getting when you put box dye on your hair. This type of dye usually does not state which developer it comes with, so you can over-process your hair and damage it severely.
People who use boxed dye often end up needing color corrections from a professional hairstylist. These corrections take a lot of time and cost way too much, so it is easier to just steer clear of box dyes to begin with.
Does box dye ruin your hair?
I would not necessarily say that box dyes ruin hair, but they can damage it unnecessarily. The problem with box dyes is that they are made for all hair types, from the thickest, most textured hair to the finest natural hair.
If you have finer hair, you do not need to use harsh chemicals in order to color it. The same goes for hair that is already poor. Using too many chemicals can lead to even more damage. With box dyes, chances are that you will end up with weakened and damaged hair.
If you want to color your hair, I suggest going to a professional who can use hair color tailored to fit your hair type without damaging your hair. That way, the results will be nicer hair that is ultimately healthier!
How can I color my hair naturally?
If you are not into using chemicals on your hair, you can always go for a natural hair dyeing alternative. One of the most popular natural dyes is henna. Even though it does not come with a lot of color options, henna can help you dye your hair in a reddish or dark brown color without damaging it at all.
Some of the other natural hair dyes include carrot and beet juice, coffee, lemon juice, chamomile tea, and more. But remember, these natural alternatives are usually temporary and last only a few weeks. With bleach or permanent hair color, you can color your hair and make it last for years to come.
So Now, How Flush Are You?
You now know how much it costs to dye your hair in all its variations and techniques. Were you surprised with the numbers? What you have to decide now is — how much money are you ready to spend on a color job?
If you want to splurge and treat yourself, go to a professional and have them do your hair for you. However, if you are on a budget, you can easily do it yourself at home by using a good hair coloring kit.
Make sure to do your research before you get to coloring — some of these techniques take years to grow out. My best advice is to find yourself a good hair salon, make an appointment, and enjoy the coloring process with peace of mind!
