When you’re walking through the convenience store picking up eggs, cotton balls and lotion, it can be tempting to swing by the boxed dye isle and grab a buy one, get one free ash blonde color. But beware – the beautiful color you see outside the box may not be all it’s cracked up to be. As stylists, we know why box color can go wrong and we thought we should pass on just a few reasons you may want to think twice before picking up the box dye.

One Size Does Not Fit All

Just likes jeans or a tee shirt, one size does not fit all, even if the tag claims otherwise. Box color doesn’t know anything about your individual hair, so it has to treat every head of hair exactly the same way. Unlike in a salon where the stylist will take time to mix a different formula for every unique guest, a box is going to give the same formula to every person. This can be a big no-no because you might need a 6% developer while your best friend needs a 12% developer. The color will not turn out the same on both of you, and what could look great on one lady could be a color disaster on another. Trust the skilled hands of a stylist for mixing the perfect color. (They know what they are doing – trust us!)

Bathrooms and Bottles Have No Place in Color Applications

There’s a reason salons are well-lit with tall chairs and tons of clean tools and applicators. That little squeeze bottle that comes in your box just doesn’t compare to an applicator brush and a pair of trained hands. If you want even color, the brush is the way to go. We know what you’re thinking – “I’ll just pop on over to Amazon and buy one then.” Even if you have the correct tools, if you can’t properly use them, you could be in for splotchy color. Poor lighting will stop you from seeing if you overlapped color, and if you’re coloring your own hair, you can’t see the back of your head or all the little hair pieces. That’s why hair stylists seat guests in comfy chairs that spin, so we can see everything!

Box Color Can Be More Pricey in the Long Run

Sure, spending six to ten bucks right now on hair color seems like a deal. But what happens when your blonde color turns your hair orange? Or when instead of pastel pink, you end up with burnt sienna? A color correction can cost upwards of $300 which is far beyond the original cost it would have been to receive hair color at a salon. Your other option would be to chop off your hair and rock the pixie cut. Sometimes, that’s the only thing to be done when box color goes awry.

So What Makes Salon Color So Great?

Not only is putting your hair into the hands of a skilled stylist one reason why you should only color your hair at a salon, but the quality of the products they use far exceeds what you can pick up at Walgreens. Products like Elumen and Colorance from Goldwell aren’t going to fry or damage your hair. They’ll leave you with brilliant and intense colors, exceptional shine, durability and, most importantly, healthy hair. Professional products are used by stylists for one reason – they work! If box color worked as magically as it said, it would be sold in salons.

The reasons go on and on as to why you should avoid box color. Just ask any hair stylist. If you’re still unsure, though, schedule a consultation with any of VICI Capilli’s stylists. They’ll walk you through the whole process and discuss your options (which is just another thing box color can’t do.) Book your consultation at any of our three salons. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for more hair ideas and inspiration – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.