1. First time colouring your hair? Choosing the right shade to complement your natural hair colour is the best way to get started.
2. Seeing your first greys? Looking for a subtle change and have less than 50% grey hair? Find out how to get a natural look that is just right for you while covering those first greys.
3. Is your natural hair more than 50% grey? Find out how to get 100% grey coverage with a natural look.
4. Looking for a big change? Find out how.
5. Does it seem like some of those greys will never go away? Find out how to colour those seemingly resistant greys.
6. Are you fair-skinned and have more than 50% grey hair? Find out how to blend those greys with a blonde colour.
7. Looking to highlight your hair? Check out these great tips!
8. Need to adjust the tone of your hair? Follow these great tips.
9. Wondering about shampooing and rinsing after colouring? Read more about the best techniques.
10. Wondering if you should wash your hair before colouring? Check out this important tip.

1. First time colouring your hair? Choosing the right shade to complement your natural hair colour is the best way to get started.

If this is your first time colouring your hair, keep in mind the Rule of colour before you select a new hair colour. Learn some Clairol must-dos and when to touch up to keep your new hair colour looking fresh. Clairol will also show you how to use the product correctly to get the new hair colour you want.

Know the Rule of colour, Before You Colour

The colour of your hair right now (your "current colour") + a new hair colour shade = your beautiful new hair colour.

To help you get started, first follow these simple steps from Clairol:

1. Determine your natural hair colour. If you've coloured before, focus only on the new growth.
2. Decide on the new hair colour results you want.
3. Decide how long you want the new hair colour to last. Permanent (Level 3) Hair colour lasts until hair grows out, you change colour or cut your hair and semi-permanent will usually last up to about 28 shampoos.
4. Select a shade that blends with your existing hair colour to create the new hair colour.

If you are going more than two shades lighter than your natural hair colour, you will get warmer results than perhaps desired. Call 1-800-CLAIROL (252-4765) to speak with a Clairol Expert Colour Consultant.

If you've already coloured your hair, start with that colour. It works like this: Your starting hair colour (the colour on your head right now) + a new hair colour shade = your beautiful new hair colour.

If you have previously coloured your hair and are looking to go more than one shade darker, please call 1-800-CLAIROL (252-4765) to speak with a Clairol Expert Colour Consultant.

Creating new hair colour is teamwork! Your old colour works with the new colour to create the new hair colour you want to be.

Must Dos

1. Read the Clairol product instructions carefully from beginning to end.
2. Do an allergy patch test. A small percentage of people may have allergic reactions to hair colour, which can develop unexpectedly even if you've coloured before without occurrence. Clairol recommends you always do an allergy patch test 48 hours before each hair colour application.

How to test. First, mix a small amount of the hair colour according to the package instructions for "Allergy Test." (Be sure to tightly recap the remaining product in the bottle.) Then apply a small patch (about a nickel's worth) of hair colour with a cotton swab or cotton ball to the inside of your elbow. Leave uncovered and undisturbed for 48 hours. Save the remaining mixture to use for your strand test.

Results: If no redness or irritation appears after 48 hours, go ahead with your hair colour application. If any redness, burning or itching occurs, you may be allergic and must not colour. If you have any questions regarding an allergic reaction, call Clairol Expert Colour Consultants at 1-800-CLAIROL (252-4765).

Take a strand test to preview the new hair colour you'll get before applying the hair colour. Because the new hair colour is a combination of your hair's current colour and the hair colour shade you add, a strand test helps you know how much time it takes to get the new hair colour you want. Follow the Clairol instructions inside the box of hair colour.

If you're craving a new look:

Flip through fashion magazines to spot colours you like that might be good for you. Hold colours against your skin. Like them?

Check out your friends. Are their looks starting points for you? Do they give you ideas for creating a more colourwonderful™ you?

Enter the Clairol and experiment with a variety of hair colours and styles. Or call your Clairol Expert colour Consultant at 1-800-CLAIROL (252-4765). Clairol is here to help.

Be sure to use the shade palettes on the side of the carton as your guide to select a new hair colour that will be right for you.

Do turn the package over and check out the Clairol Shade Selector on the side. Locate your "starting colour." The chart shows approximately what new hair colour you'll get if you use that hair colour.

Time for Touch Up

Keep your new hair colour looking fabulous! When roots start to show, it's time to re-touch them to match the rest of your hair colour.

Here's when you can expect to re-colour your hair:

Four weeks after colouring your hair, check for new growth at your temples and around your hairline. Do a re-touch or root application when -inch of new hair shows, usually about 4-6 weeks. For more on retouching, check out colour care for tips on keeping your new hair colour looking fresh.

2. Seeing your first greys? Looking for a subtle change and have less than 50% grey hair? Find out how to get a natural look that is just right for you while covering those first greys.

For those with less than 50% grey, Demi-Permanent (Level 2) (Natural Instincts) or any Permanent (Level 3) is an option.

Demi-Permanent (Level 2) will last up to 28 shampoos. Use the shade guide to select a shade closest to your starting colour. Choose a warm or golden shade to enhance your natural colour while covering grey. Choose a neutral shade for natural-looking grey coverage. If you want more strand-to-strand variation, choose 2-3 shades lighter than your natural colour. Your grey hair will have a highlighted appearance.

If you decide to go for complete grey coverage, use Permanent (Level 3), one shade lighter than your natural colour, in a neutral tone.

You can achieve a subtle change by using either Natural Instincts, or a Permanent (Level 3) brand. Natural Instincts will give you subtle change from natural colour, and will wash out in 28 shampoos with no visible root line. Natural Instincts cannot lighten hair, but can change the tone. Permanent (Level 3) can deliver subtle or bold changes from the natural colour, but should be re-applied every 4-6 weeks to keep your colour fresh.

3. Is your natural hair more than 50% grey? Find out how to get 100% grey coverage with a natural look.

For complete coverage you will need a Permanent (Level 3) hair colour. The best colour match for covering grey is 1 shade lighter than your natural colour, in a neutral tone.

Click here to find the right brand for you!

4. Looking for a big change? Find out how.

Regardless of the percentage of grey you have, a big colour change can only be made by Permanent (Level 3) hair colour. If the change you select is 1-2 shades darker or lighter than your current colour, you can simply follow the instructions on the instruction sheet. For a more dramatic change than that, try a personal consultation from 1-800-CLAIROL (252-4765).

5. Does it seem like some of those greys will never go away? Find out how to colour those seemingly resistant greys.

Some greys are resistant, so when applying the colour, start there first. Leave the colour on the longest, but never longer than the maximum time indicated on the instruction sheet.

6. Are you fair-skinned and have more than 50% grey hair? Find out how to blend those greys with a blonde colour.

If you are fair-skinned, have natural light brown to light blonde hair, and have more than 50% grey, you can achieve a low maintenance look by going light. Up to two shades lighter than the natural colour, will get you to a shade that looks natural, yet blends well with grey hair.

7. Looking to highlight your hair? Check out these great tips!

If you have no grey, you can add subtle dimension to your hair with highlights. A few, thin highlights will yield a subtle result. Herbal Essences and Nice n Easy are great products for precise, individual highlights. For subtle lightening on hair that has not been previously coloured, try Frost & Tip.

8. Need to adjust the tone of your hair? Follow these great tips.

To add a warm glow to your hair colour, choose one shade lighter than your current colour with the words gold or red in the description. To minimize any warm/gold/red tones (brassiness), choose a shade within 1-2 shades of your current hair, but one with the word "ash" in it or try the Natural Instincts Brass Free or Golden Shimmer collections.

9. Wondering about shampooing and rinsing after colouring? Read more about the best techniques.

After achieving the desired colour, rinse your hair thoroughly until the water runs clear. There is no need to shampoo after applying most Demi/Semi-Permanent and Permanent colour products, since most products contain cleansing agents. However, highlighting and any bleach product must be shampooed out after the process.* After rinsing (and shampooing if indicated), condition your hair. Use the conditioner that comes in the box. For multi-use conditioners, hold on to the conditioning tube for future use.

*Except Summer Blonde

10. Wondering if you should wash your hair before colouring? Check out this important tip.

Don't wash your hair 24 hours before colouring. The natural oils in your hair will protect your scalp during the colouring process.