How to Color Curls with All About Curls Permanent Hair Color

If you're planning on dyeing your curls at home, you need to do a little prep work beforehand. Not only do you need to consider which color trend to try, but you also need to think about commitment upkeep will take.

Spoiler: It may take more than one DIY dye session to reach your ideal hue.

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Not sure where to start?

That's where we come in.

In this guide, we'll tackle everything you need to know about how to dye your hair using the All About Curls hair color. Before that, though, we'll go over some home hair dye tips to help you cover all your bases and avoid any disasters.

First things first, we need to help you pick the perfect color!

Top Home Hair Dye Colors For Curly Hair

When dyeing your hair at home, some colors may be easier to achieve than others.

To make your curl color journey even more straightforward, try using a hair color made with curls in mind, like All About Curls. Here are three great shades to consider if you're ready to take on a home dye job.

Burgundy 

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This is a great color to try if your hair is naturally darker and you'd like to add some warmth without a dramatic change. Burgundy curls can add some deep cherry tones to dark hair. This color can complement many skin tones.

Chocolate Brown

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Warm chocolate tones are a simple way to sweeten up your hair. Chocolate hair can be darker, but it's best to opt for a medium-brown hue at home. This color will work great if your hair is already brown or a dark blonde.

Honey Blonde

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Try a honey-hued dye for a fun transition for blonde curls. Adding warmth with golden dye can be straightforward if you already have light hair. Although you may not be taking a huge leap, it's still a good idea to use color-protective shampoos and conditioners to help maintain your look.

How to Dye Your Curly Hair at Home

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You can do a few things before and after dying your hair to get the results you're looking for.

Use A Pre-Color Treatment

Prepping your ringlets before your color session may impact the final result. Try using a super-rich and hydrating product, like All About Curls Daily Cream Conditioner, to prime your strands a few days before applying color.

Deep Condition On The Regular

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Colored-treated hair can use extra love, so try deep conditioning. The right products can also keep your color looking vibrant. Try doing a weekly high-quality conditioning treatment. The All About Curls Curl Quench After Color Conditioner is for extra thirsty curls that crave intense moisture. It leaves curls divinely hydrated, silky soft & de-frizzed. Use it after coloring hair to maintain color vibrancy & provide essential moisture.

Use Color-Preserving Shampoos

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Before your color, it's time to prep your hair-care arsenal. Using products not made for color-treated hair can make once vibrant color go from fab to drab. Skip the heartbreak and use a color-preserving shampoo.

Choosing shampoo for colored hair is a great way to keep your dye job strong for as long as possible. It can help prevent bleeding color and washed-out highlights.

Air Dry

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Instead of reaching for the hair dryer, try giving your hair a break and let it air dry. After dyeing, your strands all the extra love you can give them. So, letting your hair air dry will help prevent heat-styling damage. However, if you need to wash and dash, you can set your hairdryer to cool, attach the diffuser attachment and scrunch your curls into their natural beautiful, bouncy state!

Now that we've got the pregame tips out there, let's jump into how to color your gorgeous curls.

All About Curls Hair Dye Instructions

Dyeing your hair at home can be tricky, so you need to think strategically. And since you have naturally full and luscious curly locks (insert hair envy here), you'll want an approach that matches your hair needs. Try out our stylists' top hair color pick, All About Curls Hair Color, for curly hair.

All About Curls Permanent Hair Color Instructions

1. Preparation

Before coloring your hair, put on gloves. Cover your clothes with an old towel or shirt. Gather an applicator bottle OR bowl & brush to mix and apply the color. Have a clock nearby, so that you can check the processing time. And, finally, a post conditioner (we recommend Curl Quench After-Conditioner, sold separately). Apply All About Curls Color on dry, unwashed hair.

2. Pre-Color Treatment

Twist cap and apply the Prep + Protect Serum on dry ends/lengths of your hair.

3. Mix The Color With Developer

Measure 2oz of All About Curls Developer into an applicator bottle OR non-metallic bowl. NOTE: All About Curls Developer is in a 4oz/2 application bottle so use ½ with 1 tube of color. Add 2oz/60ml (one tube) of color to the developer: Pierce the color tube with the reverse side of the cap. Carefully squeeze the entire color contents into the Applicator Bottle or Bowl. Mix well until all ingredients are mixed into a smooth cream.

ATTENTION: The color of the mixture may change during the coloration process, but this will not influence the final color result.

4. APPLICATION (APPLY TO DRY HAIR): 

     4A. FULL HEAD APPLICATION:

This method is recommended if: You are coloring your hair permanently for the first time. Your previous hair color has completely grown out, has been washed away and no regrowth is visible. APPLY: Apply the entire mixture, strand after strand, onto all of your hair. Work the mixture in with your fingertips. Leave on your hair to develop for 30 minutes.

     4B. REGROWTH APPLICATION:

This method is recommended if: Your hair has been colored and the regrowth is visible. The ends of your hair are darker or in poor condition. APPLY: Apply ½ of the mixture throughout the whole regrowth area. To do this, part a section of your hair using the tip of the Applicator Bottle or a comb. Apply the mixture along the parting by working it into the roots with your fingertips (leave gloves on). Repeat this procedure for the whole regrowth area. Leave on to develop for 20 minutes. Apply the remaining mixture to the ends of your hair. Work well and leave on for an additional 10 minutes. The processing time in total should be between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on the color intensity you would like to achieve.

5. RINSING & AFTER CARE

At the end of processing time, apply warm water to the hair and work into a lather. Rinse thoroughly until the water runs clear. Afterwards, work in conditioner to towel-dried hair and leave it in for 2 minutes. (We recommend Curl Quench After-Conditioner, sold separately.) Rinse thoroughly.

Tips From The Pros

Apply a barrier crème around the hairline (conditioner works well). Use the Curl Quench After-Conditioner regularly for curl maintenance.

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Phew. Did you catch all that? We hope these instructions gave you everything you need to work through the coloring process with ease.

In case you still have questions, we've prepared some professional tips from our stylists. First and foremost, let's address two major concerns most first-time DIY dyers have.

How to Get Hair Dye Off Your Skin

If hair dye has dried on your skin, try rubbing alcohol to remove it. Just apply some rubbing alcohol to a cotton ball or pad. Then rub it over the affected area, then rinse with mild soap and warm water.

For dark dyes or stains that have set, you can try using an old toothbrush to gently remove the marks from your skin.

How Long to Leave Hair Dye In

Always check the manufacturer's instructions for ideal processing times. These can also vary depending on your base tone. Keep in mind that leaving hair dye on for less time often produces a less vibrant result, which you may desire in some cases.

Do not leave hair dye on longer than the intended processing time. You won't get darker or brighter results than the instructions promise, but you may harm your hair and irritate your scalp.

Maintain Your Curls With the Right Products

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Before you dye, try applying a barrier crème to the skin around the hairline, neck, and outside of your ears. This will help keep hair dye from directly touching your skin and help prevent staining. If you don't have one, conditioner can work as too. Our Curl Quench After-Conditioner is also great for regular curl maintenance.

To help nail your look, try using your All About Curls hair color with All About Curls 20-Volume Developer and All About Curls Curl Quench After-Color Conditioner.

Get Dye Tips From Zoto Professionals

Still have questions? We're always here to help. Reach out to one of our Zoto stylists through LiveChat for personalized advice.

You can also get to know your curls better before you dye by taking our curl quiz!