Coloring hair at home requires plenty of preparation to avoid mishaps. But add curls or coils into the picture, and there are more things to consider. Curls and coils require special care before, during and after the coloring process because of their naturally dry texture. Still, successfully hair coloring curly hair at home is possible — with the right practices and correct products. Ahead, check out our tips for coloring curly hair at home. We explain how to color curly hair without damage, how to care for colored curly hair and more.

Curly hair tends to be drier and more fragile than straight hair. In straight hair, the scalp’s natural oils easily travel down a smooth hair shaft, leading to more moisturized hair. In curly hair, this process is more difficult because of the bends and curves along the hair shaft.
Because chemicals in hair dye can lead to moisture loss, moisturization is a must when coloring curly hair, especially if you have coils or type 4 hair, the driest of hair types.

SoftSheen-Carson hair color is for all hair types, including curly hair. In curly hair, it prevents damage to natural curls. Because moisture can help protect curls from damage, all SoftSheen-Carson hair color now features our new Moisture Mask, blended with Shea Butter, Sunflower Oil and Vitamin E to deliver moisture and smoothness after coloring textured hair.

Coloring curly hair for the first time should not be done on the spur of the moment.  There are certain steps you should take days or weeks before you attempt coloring curly hair at home. Consider the following before dyeing your curls and coils.

1. You might need to bleach your hair first. This will likely be the case if your desired shade is significantly lighter than your current hair color. By lightening your hair, bleach helps guarantee your desired shade is visible on your strands. 
2. You might have to remove existing hair dye. Using a color remover can ensure a clean base and even application.
3. Deep condition at least a week before. This will protect your hair from damage during coloring. However, skip styling products like gel or hair spray so they don’t affect the way the dye adheres to your hair.
4. Detangle your strands. It’s tougher to apply dye evenly on tangled hair.
5. Do a strand/patch test. Be on the lookout for adverse reactions to the hair color

Besides following the advice mentioned above, check out these tips so that coloring textured hair goes smoothly.

1. Give yourself time to bleach your hair. If you’re bleaching your hair, do so at least two weeks before you color your hair. Bleach can be harsh on your strands, so it’s essential to give your hair time to recover before they’re dyed.
2. Wear gloves. Gloves will not only cut down on mess but also shield your skin from hair dye. 
3. Protect your hairline with petroleum jelly or a moisturizer. Dabbing a thick layer of either product along your hairline will make cleanup a breeze (simply wipe off any dye!) and prevent hair color from getting on your face.
4. Follow instructions carefully. For example, if you leave hair dye on too long, you risk overprocessing your strands, but more on that later!
5. Moisturize. Do so before you color your hair, right after you color your hair, and in the following weeks. Moisture will help protect your hair, liven up your curls and keep your shade looking bright.

We’ve spent a lot of time talking about the serious parts of coloring curly hair, but now we’re on to the fun part: choosing a hair color for curly hair! Your ideal hair dye should have a rich, vibrant color and a conditioning formula. You can’t go wrong with Dark & Lovely Fade Resist or Dark & Lovely Go Intense hair color. These permanent hair colors were made for and last up to 8 weeks on dark, textured hair. Like all SoftSheen-Carson hair color, they come with our new Moisture Mask. Choose from an array of exciting shades, like Light Golden Blonde, Crimson Moon and bold new Virtual Violet. You can visualize yourself in any of our hair colors with our Virtual Try-On Tool. Simply take a selfie, upload a photo of yourself or choose a model to “try on” the shades for you.

Because curly, coily hair is drier and more fragile than other textures and you’ll be coloring your hair at home, be extra careful when applying hair color. Don’t skip any step, especially the conditioning step. Our naturally derived Moisture Mask moisturizes and smooths just-dyed hair.

Overprocessing occurs when dye sits on hair for too long, which can lead to damage and an altered curl pattern. Dark & Lovely hair color needs 30 minutes to process on natural hair and 20 minutes on relaxed hair. Use a timer or set an alarm so you don’t overprocess your hair.

After processing, your hair color should be rinsed out until the water runs clear. Wash with lukewarm or cool water; hot water fades color faster.

Next, condition your hair. This can’t-miss step replenishes any moisture lost during coloring, protects your hair and ensures your final look is radiant. Included in all its hair color, Dark & Lovely’s new Moisture Mask eases detangling and deeply nourishes hair.

After you’ve successfully colored your hair, it’s time to focus on maintenance! Because both curly hair and colored hair can tend toward dryness, some of these curly hair colored tips are similar to tips for non-dyed curly hair.

1. Wash your hair less frequently. This will prevent moisture loss and slow down color fade.

2. Use a color-safe shampoo. Color-safe shampoos are gentle, sulfate-free and formulated to help hair color stay intact.

3. Limit heat styling. Heat styling can fade hair color, remove moisture and alter your curl pattern — when done excessively, with too-high heat and without a heat protectant.

4. Deep condition weekly. A rich leave-in or rinse-off mask can quickly boost your hair’s moisture levels, leaving hair soft, shiny and more vibrant.

5. Avoid coloring previously dyed areas. If you dye over previously colored areas, you risk darkening those sections of your hair, creating uneven color or causing damage. Instead, touch up just the roots.

6. Don’t color brittle hair. You shouldn’t rush to redye hair that’s fragile or breakage-prone. Hair needs time to recover from chemical processing, so it’s best to wait at least 2 weeks before re-coloring.