I never thought thought I’d dye hair extensions at home – the sound of it had always been scary to me… until Schwarzkopf came along with all the fabulous LIVE colour.

Add to that the guidance and tips from the fantastic, hair colouring extraordinaire Lyndell Mansfield, a little kit from Schwarzkopf and I felt confident to try at home. You can read all 10 tips I used and abused at the bottom of this post.

At the event, I made the Raspberry Rebel set and got some help rinsing and drying… so I decided to take part of the dip dye set, coloured with Sea Mermaid, to finish at home and see how easy it is to actually do it on my own.

Buying extensions that are already discoloured are your best bet. Saves time, expertise (especially if we are talking dip dye  or highlights). Then make sure they have been washed and dried.

I made myself a protected “board”, with cardboard and cling film, big enough for the hair length, as we used something like that at the event.

Box opened, I read the instructions and popped my gloves on. Protection, guys, is essential!

I then laid the hair on the protected surface and mixed the colour in the bowl, with the brush. I decided to go bright, so didn’t add the Pastel mix.

I applied the dye to the hair, in upwards and downwards strokes but also sideways to make sure it gets in there.

Extensions flipped, you do it all again on the other side. Surprising how much you actually need when you flip! In fact, bleached hair is more porous so absorbs more dye – always bear that in mind when buying your kits.

Then I ran my Tangle Teezer through it several times and finally worked the dye in with my fingers. Just a good massage!

Pop in the bowl it goes, for about 20 minutes so the colour can stick and develop. Coffee ensued. I then washed the hair thoroughly – very important to do that until no colour comes out.

I applied the conditioner that comes with the kit, rinsed and dried, but not before spraying it with Got2b Guardian Angel, which protects the hair for styling up to 220 degrees.

Finally, I sprayed with Got2b Oil-licious weightless Dry Oil Mist, which is amazing – it delivers finishing oil goodness without being sticky and heavy.

Style as you please. Here, I just curled using a bit of Got2b Twisted mousse. The whole process was much easier – and quicker – than I thought so I am definitely down for it again.

Both colours are absolutely stunning – vibrant, deep and multi-dimensional. Hair was not dry after dying and because they are extensions, you will wash less often then your own hair, meaning colour last longer!

As for maintenance, after every use I brush with the Tangle Teezer, spray some Dry Oil Mist and put it in the extension storage case so it hangs nicely, next for the next use.

I wash them normally in the shower, usually on lukewarm water and use the Schwarzkopf Color Expert Color Sealer Shampoo, Conditioner and rinse off Treatment – after all, I want my bright colour to last the as much as the 15 washes LIVE can deliver!

Lyndell Mansfield tips

You can get Schwarzkopf LIVE Colour, which is semi permanent lasting to up 15 washes, at retailers country wide for around £5.50 a box (very affordable!). For a long set of extensions like mine, or long/thick hair, you will need at least 2 boxes.

It’s available in over 40 shades, from classic to vibrant, and endless combinations – you can also mis shades for a personalised hair colour and use more than one for ombré and rainbow effects! Check out the LIVE Colour website to see them all!

You know the drill, but I’ll say again: this post contains PR samples. This review, however, is based on my experience with the product and reflects my honest opinion on them.