Zoe Saldana on using rum as hair dye

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Zoe, 38, shared some of the DIY tricks she learned while growing up in the Dominican Republic, including using rum as bleach
A pro colorist weighs in on the at-home method
The actress also revealed the product that makes her feel instantly beautiful

Published: 17:06 EST, 30 March 2017 | Updated: 17:19 EST, 30 March 2017

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Zoe Saldana rocked the ombre look way before it was ever cool - and she achieved the hair color style without the help of a salon.

The brunette actress told byrdie.com that when growing up in the Dominican Republic, she applied rum on her ends for a lightening effect.

'Because with the sun, the rum bleaches your hair. That was sort of a natural way of getting highlights,' she explained.

Not just for cocktails? Zoe Saldana, 38, revealed to byrdie.com that before she could legally drink rum, she used it to create highlights in her brunette hair

DIY: The Dominican Republic-born beauty also created treatments and products with kitchen items like coconut oil

According to Krystal Gleeson, a colorist at Antonio Prieto Salon in New York City, alcohol like rum and vodka have a similar effect on hair to the perhaps more common, natural highlighting ingredient: lemon juice.

'However it won't give you the same lightening results as salon quality dye,' the pro told FEMAIL. 'The rum is low in pH and would require a long amount of time in strong UV rays which I wouldn't recommend for anyone's hair or skin.'

If you happen to have some rum left over the next time you mix up daiquiris and are interested in giving Zoe's method a try, be sure to treat hair with a nourishing mask to avoid damage. Krystal recommends Shu Uemura Ultimate Remedy Extreme Restoration Treatment.

Lady in red: Zoe said that a red lip is her go-to because she thinks that it's a sign, saying, 'I’m here - take me as I am'

Boozy hair dye isn't the only DIY product the Guardians of the Galaxy actress discovered during her upbringing.

'Cooking products are not just for cooking; you can actually use them for beauty, for wellness,' she said. 'If you live in the islands, you get a coconut, and you use every part of that coconut.'

After drinking the water and eating the meat, coconut milk and oil was used to nourish skin and hair in her home.

And beyond the kitchen, the 38-year-old told the beauty website that red lipstick is one of her must-haves.

'If I’m having a bad day or if I feel like my skin isn’t looking its best, a red lip is my go-to It makes me feel beautiful and bold and in control of myself,' she said.