It’s Do or DIY

Everyone who knows me is well-aware of the fact I love to change my hair around every now and then. From jet black to platinum blonde and every color in between, name a color, I’ve tried it… well, perhaps except for an intentional orange. It also applies to haircuts, though that’s a little more limiting.

Then the quarantine period came and stayed, and all of a sudden it’s been five months since I last stepped into a salon, much more actually do something with my hair. In fact, I think it’s in the healthiest condition it’s been in ever since I first went blonde, but that came at the expense of my mental health, which apparently is intrinsically linked to what I do with my hair (who knew?).

Thankfully, all the professional bleaching and coloring services I had done over at MIRA Beauty by Design paid off, because my roots grew out rather nice—instead of a harsh line separating virgin hair from the treated sections, I got a pretty ombré-like effect.

The only problem, for the longest time, was that my colored ends were a lurid shade of yellow-green from deposits of my previous hair colors. As much as I tried to convince myself it was very Mallory Jansen as Madame Hydra, it was more like a well-loved Stabilo highlighter running out of ink.

I was all set to just wait until my hair was long enough to chop it off, when my talented cousin Lynn, herself bored over lockdown period and unable to do her awesome nail extensions, set up DIYE Cebu.

Now, I’m not dexterous enough to color my own hair. The few times I did DIY was only to go darker so it’s easier to hide mistakes and uneven patches, although I did try going brighter once but using bubble hair dye. Anything else, especially bleaching, I leave to the professionals.

What’s great about DIYE Cebu is that not only does they sell at-home bleaching and color kits, but they also guide you through the process if you need it, over video call or chatting, especially when you’re a newbie.

They monitor every step along the way, but they also celebrate mistakes as part of the learning process and show each customer how to turn it around and make it look better. Or, you know, just own it—there is, after all, something so rewarding about being able to DIY!

In my case, I knew it was going to be dummy-proof since I just really wanted to get rid of the green, nothing else. I was prescribed a red-violet color which will not stick on unbleached hair, so I didn’t have to worry much about the application beyond making sure all the green was covered.

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I whipped together equal parts of the color cream and the dye developer in a plastic bowl and applied the mixture directly onto my ends. I left it on for 30 minutes and rinsed it off thoroughly with water. Technically, one should avoid shampooing, but I hadn’t washed my hair in a few days and was starting to feel it. I opted for sulfate-free shampoo on just my scalp, then followed it with a deep conditioner.

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The end result came out looking amazing—wisps of cotton candy pink against my dark roots, which are the longest they’ve been for a while. In fact, I surprised myself seeing my actual hair color, a light-medium brown that’s actually really nice.

With DIYE Cebu, you don’t have to leave the comforts of your home just to have great hair color. No, it’s never going to be the same as going to the salon, but up until things get better around the world, it’s still best to minimize going out as much as possible. And it’s a great way to pass the time while you also learn a new DIY skill.

For me, the best result the slightest hair color change has lifted my spirits. Funny how something so small can make a difference, but that’s what you get when you’re in lockdown and your days are a blur.

Price List (as of August 17, 2020)

• Dyes (Pick Your Own Color)
  • Set 1: 100 ml dye + developer — Php 200
  • Dye Kit: Set 1 + dye brush + dye tub — Php 299
• Bleach
  • Set 2: 50 g bleach powder + 100 ml oxidant — Php 185
  • Set 3: 100 g bleach powder + 200 ml oxidant — Php 360
  • Set 4: 400 g bleach powder + 800 ml oxidant — Php 1,199
• Highlights (Pick Your Own Color)
  • Highlight Bundle: Sets 1 & 2 — Php 350
    • Good for highlights or boy cut hair
• Light Hair Bundles (Aiming for Natural Browns)
  • Light Hair Bundle 1: Sets 1 & 3 — Php 540
    • Good for shoulder-length hair
  • Light Hair Bundle 2: Sets 1 [x2] & 4 — Php 1,500
    • Good for long hair
• Hair Makeover Bundles (Aiming for Grays, Pastels, and Platinum Hair)
  • Hair Makeover 1: Sets 1 & 4 — Php 1,300
    • Good for shoulder-length hair
  • Hair Makeover 2: Sets 1 [x2] & 4 [x2] — Php 2,699
    • Good for long hair
• Add-Ons
  • High-End Soft Dye Brush — Php 45
  • Dye Tub — Php 65
  • Shower Cap — Php 5
  • L’Oreal Serie Expert Purple Shampoo 100 ml repack — Php 220

For color availability and delivery details, visit their Instagram here.

While we’re on the topic of hair, I’m often asked how I manage to keep mine looking healthy despite everything I do with it. I indulge in hair care products, because I believe you really should take care of your crowning glory if you like to have fun with it (also, lessons learned from too much bleaching, haha!).

Here are some of my drugstore favorites:

1. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Mask — I first tested this tub from my Aunt’s bathroom when I sustained major damage to my hair after bleaching, so much I couldn’t comb through it anymore. To my amazement, the rat’s nest on my head actually resembled hair after using this, so now I get my own tub for when I need deep conditioning.
2. TRESemmé Keratin Smooth Smoothing Spray — back when I had a life beyond my bedroom, I didn’t always have time to deep condition. This is a great alternative when my hair needs a dose of keratin, and it also doubles as a heat protectant for when I use hot styling tools.
3. L’Oreal Paris Elseve Extraordinary Oil — when I don’t feel like using the spray or want something a little thicker to tame down the frizz, I opt for this one. I like to work it through damp hair with my fingers and then scrunch it a little so my curls dry better and nicer.
4. Batiste Dry Shampoo — I don’t like to wash my hair every day (and you shouldn’t be anyway), so I extend wear time in between washes with dry shampoo. This is the best one I’ve tried so far and really sucks up excess grease from my hair, so it looks freshly washed for another day.
5. Batiste Texturizing Spray — not really a hair care product per se, but I just had to throw this one in because it gives me MAJOR volume. Seriously, all I have to do is flip my hair, spray this, and when I whip my head back up I have va-va-voom big hair, a very big deal for girls with thin and fine hair like me.