One of the biggest concerns and difficulties that men and women deal with when it comes to hair care is hair dying, particularly with any sort of "unnatural" colour. Most people just take a brand like Manic Panic, paint their hair and hope that the colour sticks. In most instances, this is not the case and the colour usually ends up turning out distorted. However, if you follow some tips and tricks, you could end up with a very effective and unique colour.

First and foremost, when trying to achieve a vibrant colour, I highly recommend getting it done by a professional. Professionals will have access to hair colours that are highly pigmented and that will last longer so the upkeep won't be as substantial. They will also know how to apply it so that the colour doesn't turn out brassy or faded. A salon such as Jeffrey Donald and Joseph on Richmond Street is one of your best choices because they use the Aveda line, which offers pristine hair products.

If you decide to do the hair dying yourself, you will need a few supplies: a bleaching kit, coloured hair dye (Manic Panic or Special Effects work the best), toner, brush, gloves and Vaseline. Once you are ready to dye your hair, put some Vaseline along your hair line without getting it in your hair to help you avoid dying your skin. This step is often skipped and people then end up with a line of colour on their faces because the hair colour will stain.

Next, you need to start the bleaching process. To achieve a vibrant colour, you need to make sure your hair is completely stripped for the colour to take. Some people prefer to use tin foil or a cap because the bleach irritates their scalp too much, but others will vouch that rubbing the bleach throughout the hair achieves the best results; it depends on your sensitivity. Wait about 20 to 30 minutes, and then begin to wash out the bleach. Once it is washed out, your hair will more than likely be a brassy colour.

This next step is very important: since your hair is brassy, the colour will turn out distorted if you try to put the colour directly on top. You need to make sure you use a blue toner; this step will rid your hair of the brassy tone and leave you with white-blonde hair.

Now you can begin to apply the desired colour, front to back. Get as close to the roots as you can without getting it on your scalp. Then put a shower cap over your hair and let the colour sit for 30 minutes to an hour — the longer you leave it in, the more vibrant the colour will turn out.

Lastly, wash out the hair dye and make sure you treat your hair immediately. A lot of people are unhappy with their hair after they've coloured it because usually it tends to get damaged (split ends, frizzy, etc.), but if you treat it with a good conditioner, the colour will be bright and glossy.