Forget the shopping, wrapping and baking for moment. Now, we want you to think about New Year’s resolutions. You’re probably thinking, New Year’s resolutions? Yes, New Year’s resolutions. It maybe too early to think about them, we know you are too busy to think about them but we think you’ll love to read about this rather simple one: changing your hair colour. Yes, changing your hair colour can be simple and fun and one of the easiest resolutions to keep. How? Well, with one of the best at-home hair colours and a few tips from a pretty-inducing pro, that’s how.

We went to a hair colouring event at Schwarzkopf to find out how we could use Palette, a home hair colour. With Palette costing just £3.49 and with the money saved from doing it yourself, it’s never been easier to delve into the world of red, blonde or brown without spending a wad of notes. And coincidentally, one of our writers, Sarah, had just gone from being a beautiful blonde to a radiant redhead and wanted to change her tone using a home hair colour. So naturally, she volunteered to get her hair done (see the footage below) by two-time British Colourist of the Year Anita Cox-MacMillan, aka the guru of gorgeous hair.

So here are some pretty and practical tips that’ll make you the diva of DIY home hair colour (if you are looking for more of a step-by-step approach, be sure to check out the video below):

1. Do a patch test. Colouring your hair should be fun. But there isn’t anything fun about allergic reactions or having to don a colour that’s so-not you.

2. Make sure you read the instructions and get everything you need, such as clips, combs, timer, etc.) and place the items in your bathroom. There’s nothing worse than dripping hair colour on the carpet while you search for a clip or popping to the chemist with dye in your hair.

3. Comb your hair before you colour so you get an even application.

4. Before you colour your hair, apply petroleum jelly (Vaseline) along the hairline, ears, etc. This will prevent you from getting those less-than-flattering stains. You can also use moisturiser if you haven’t got a jar of Vaseline around. Although moisturiser doesn’t affect the dye, petroleum jelly does. So make sure it doesn’t touch the hair. We like to apply Vaseline along the hairline and ears and moisturiser on our faces, just in case. This really helps if you have long hair that might droop over your face as you colour.

5. Use a rubbish bag as a gown. Just a cut a hole for your head at the bottom of the bag and cut holes for your arms at the sides.

6. If you have long hair, buy two hair colour boxes. Even if you don’t need the second, you can save it for touch-ups.

You can get Palette, the home hair colour wonder, nationwide (call 0800 328 9214 for stocklists). For more tips from colour coach Anita Cox-Macmillan, check out Schwarzkopf’s amazing blog.

By Christina Caicedo