by Anne Heisey
Brassy blondes, dull brunettes, carrottop reds…follow the four do's of at-home hair color:
DO #1: PREP YOUR HAIR
Skip the shampoo two to three days before you color — your hair's natural oils help it absorb color and help keep the hue fresh longer. Dry or damaged hair can be porous and may not hold color well, leaving it streaky. Treat it to a hydrating mask about three days before you color.
ROUGE TIP: To keep dry ends from absorbing too much dye, spritz them with water first, then apply color from root to tip. Do a strand test the day before to see how long you'll need to get the shade you want. And a haircut after you color can change the way your shade looks, so get your cut before you take the color plunge.
DO #2: READ THE BACK OF THE BOX
When picking your shade, follow the color chart on the back of the box. Match your starting color to the one on the chart to see what shade you'll end up with. Most pros agree that when dyeing your hair at home, stay within two shades of your natural or existing color. If you want a more drastic change, save it for the salon.
ROUGE TIP: Fair complexions should find something in the blonde or cooler-brown families, medium complexions are best suited to golden browns and reds, and dark or olive skin tones are flattered by chestnut or auburn hues.
DO #4: MAINTAIN YOUR MANE
Maintain your new, shiny hue with a conditioning treatment — every Clairol hair-color box has one! And cover up roots with Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up 
Clairol Nice 'n Easy Root Touch-Up - Medium BrownExtend the life of your hair color with a boost at the roots that works in just 10 minutes and matches any salon color.Learn More|Add to Beauty Kit
. It matches any brand — even salon color (among leading retail permanent shades and pre-formulated salon color) — and covers grays in just 10 minutes.