A year and a half ago, I made a semi-impulse decision to bleach all of my hair and dye it pastel pink. I've bleached and dyed it multiple times since then, and I've enjoyed nearly every moment of it. The spontaneous part of me can't even begin to explain how gratifying it is to just decide I'm in the mood to pick up a new color from Sally's Beauty and try it out.

If that sounds like the life you'd enjoy, or if you're meticulously planning and preparing for a big change in hair color, I've got you covered. Since that summer, I've learned a few things you might want to know if you're going to dye your hair an unnatural color.

1. You might have to bleach it.

If you have darker hair like me, the semi- and demi-permanent hair colors won’t stay for long, and bleaching may be your best option. Dyeing my hair a lighter blonde didn’t help, only bleaching it. If you already have light blonde hair, you should be good to go.

If you do go the bleaching route, rely on someone who knows what they’re doing. It'll have to be toned afterward, and unless you understand hair coloring specifics, you'll have a hard time choosing the correct toner.

2. Coconut oil is your best friend.

I soaked my hair in coconut oil for 17 hours before I bleached it the first time. I wish I had done that before every time I bleached and dyed it. Rip my hair, now slightly damaged. Learn from my mistakes, friends. It doesn't have to be that long, but soaking it in coconut oil before applying chemicals to it is a good idea.

A deep conditioning every now and then will also go a long way, especially if your hair is already slightly fried.

3. Seek professional guidance.

if you can't afford to do the whole process at a hair salon because you're broke as heck like me, turn to hair expert friends. To those who have dyed their hair before, those who know how to dye other people's hair.

Research, research, research. Read articles and watch YouTube tutorials. They'll save your life (and your hair).

4. Undertones matter.

Each color has a certain undertone. Greys may have a purple or blue undertone, and figuring out which one is very important! Blue has a green undertone, so if you dye your hair a grey with a blue undertone, it'll ultimately fade to green.

5. Everyone's hair is different.

Like colors, every person's hair has a different undertone. Because of this, your hair will retain some colors and reject others. My hair clung to blue for three months before slightly fading to green, whereas pinks and purples fade quickly.

Some colors just won’t stay in your hair. I tried bleaching and dyeing my hair grey in an effort to go platinum, but every time, my hair kept reverting to a slight green. You'll find that certain colors just aren't meant to be for your hair, and you have to make your peace with that.

6. Certain brands work best.

Ion didn't work for me. I tried two different times, and they completely faded within two to three washes. One 'N Only's semi-permanent dyes have worked the best for me. It's a brand that incorporates argan oil, so it's also a bit healthier for your hair. It can be found at any Sally's Beauty store in various colors.

I'm also trying out Overtone, given to me by a friend. So far, so great, believe it.

7. Pastels fade faster.

When I dyed my hair pastel pink, it started to fade within a couple weeks and I had to touch it up. Pastels just won't last very long. Brighter colors, on the other hand, can last a while. I went bright blue back in early December and it still hadn't turned green my mid-march. It had faded to a more pastel blue in the end, so sometimes going brighter and letting it fade to a more pastel shade will give you a longer-lasting look.

Buy dye for more than one coloring. You'll need to keep touching it up.

8. Invest in colored shampoos and conditioners.

This applies to even if you're just dying your hair blonde. Purple shampoo helps keep the brassiness out of your hair, so use that after bleaching or to retain grey and blonde hair dyes.

There are also specific shampoos you can buy that are for colored hair, and some companies sell pink, purple, orange, etc. conditioners. If you want the color to last longer, purchase one of these. And if you're going blonde or grey, the purple shampoo is a must.

Even with these products, don't wash your hair as often. That just makes the color fade faster.

9. Get used to cold showers.

There's a science behind it I don't fully get, but from what I understand, heat makes your hair cuticles open up. When this happens, the dye comes out as you lather and rinse. To avoid a quicker fade, wash your hair only with cold water. The cold keeps the cuticles closed and the dye in your hair.

10. It gets messy.

Hair dye gets...everywhere. On your sink, counters, towels, hands, neck, shirt, shower walls. So invest in gloves and that bowl thing to pour your dye into. Also, probably surrender a t-shirt to use whenever you dye your hair so that you don't ruin more than one shirt.

When it inevitably gets on surfaces and skin, use soap, warm water, and bleach if the former two don't work. (Except maybe don't use bleach on your skin. Like, ever. Nail polish remover works, though.)

When you rinse and shampoo the first time, the suds and water will be the color you just dyed your hair. But don't worry, that doesn't mean it’s all going away! It’ll do that the first couple times. But as it does, it'll get all over your shower walls, so be sure to rinse immediately.

11. Give your hair a rest.

Sometimes the colors don't always look the way we expect them to and we want to fix it right away. If you value your hair, don't do that. Give your hair a break in between bleaching and dying and between multiple rounds of dying. Dyeing it multiple times without a rest will only result in damaged hair.

12. Avoid heat and the sun.

It's important to take care of your hair after all the trauma bleaching and dying puts it through, so be sure to avoid heat. If you must blow-dry, straighten, or curl your hair, then use a heat protectant spray.

The sun also contributes to the color fading faster, so if you're going to be out in the sunshine for an extended period of time, wear a hat. Or cover it in some way, basically.

13. Prepare for the comments.

You'll definitely get compliments, and probably a lot from strangers. If words of affirmation are one of your love languages, then you'll really enjoy this part. But you'll also get....random remarks? Like, they won't necessarily be rude, just...a bit weird.

I've had people surprised I've never gotten drunk because my hair makes it seem like I do so every weekend, I guess. A guy approached me in Wawa and asked me what kind of tattoos I had hidden "under there." I was initially outraged and definitely short with him before finding out he was a tattoo artist and genuinely assumed I had tattoos based on my hair, which he thought was "nice."

Not rude, but not completely a compliment, either. People will make a lot of assumptions about you based on how you look, not all ill-intentioned, but assumptions nonetheless. Don't let it get to you, my precious unicorn.

14. Enjoy yourself.

We have a limited time before joining the workforce and having to look what corporations deem "respectable" and "business appropriate." So take advantage of this time. Enjoy it. Use your hair as a means of expressing yourself, and have fun. I promise it will be.

Now you don't have to learn it all the hard way like me. Go have fun, my unicorns.