I’ve been getting my hair colored to cover-up grays ever since I was 24 (thanks a lot, Mom). All I get is a fairly basic root touch-up, but I’ve never trusted myself to do it at home—grays can be pesky, you know? But this year I’m about to turn 30, and in the hopes of becoming not only older, but wiser (emotionally and fiscally), I decided it was time to explore the world of DIY hair color. When I heard about the new Clairol Nice ’n Easy formula that solves a laundry list of common at-home color frustrations (damaging, messy, etc.) I thought, “Why not give it a shot?” And honestly, it turned out better than expected. Here’s how it all went down.

First things first, I had to pick a shade

Because I was going into this blind, I got a little advice from Clariol’s Color Director, James Corbett. His recommendation: Opt for one shade lighter than what you think matches your hair. If it ends up being too light, you can always go darker. But it’s much harder to lighten things up after choosing a shade that’s too deep. Makes sense, right? I took this to heart and went with Clairol Nice ’N Easy 5G Medium Golden Brown instead of the 4 that I initially picked up. P.S. Shade numbering goes from 11 (lightest shade) to 2 (darkest shade).

Upon the sage advice of the brand, I also did an allergy test. Clariol’s new formula has the ME+ molecule that reduces the risk of allergies, but you should still do the test 48 hours before each application—even if you have already used the product before (yes, really). I recommend testing the hair at the nape of your neck so it’s discreet. Spoiler alert: I passed.

I was worried about making a mess, but not for long

I parted my hair down the center and then again horizontally, making four even sections. I pinned them up into little buns (á la Sporty Spice), then applied a bit of petroleum jelly to my hairline to prevent the color from staining my skin. I’ve seen my colorist do this plenty of times so I sort of felt like I was bringing tricks of the salon home with me.

Then, the leap of faith: I mixed up the formula—the bottles are numbered 1 and 2, so it’s really hard to mess that up—and started to apply. As soon as I made the first application, my fears began to fall away. It was just so…easy. I started by outlining my parts, blending the color into my roots as I went. (The formula is a cream, rather than a liquid so the application was precise and it didn’t drip at all.) Once I had the parts outlined, I dove into each section, working back to front. Pro tip: Color is typically darker in the back of your head than the front so it’s best to work this way.

One of the best things about the formula is the scent

I knew that it was supposed to smell amazing, but I didn’t expect it to be as pleasant as it was. Normally, after I get my hair done at a salon, I don’t wash it for a few days and can still smell the ammonia three to four days later. This time around, it smelled like I washed my hair with lilies. Honest. I want my hair to smell like that every day.

Once I saturated my roots, I let it sit for 20 minutes, then pulled the color through to my ends and waited another five. Finally, I washed it all out in the shower with shampoo and the CC+ Color Conditioner (which is included and P.S. also smells incredible). One of the best parts about the new formula is that their are conditioning elements incorporated into each step of the process (even the color itself), preventing damage and dryness.

What do I think about the final results?

My hair felt silky and smooth—no damage in sight. It was also super shiny. I have to say, I think I’ll be using this again.