When you color your own hair, picking the perfect new shade or color for your hair can be daunting, but here are a few tips and tricks to make it easier:
Tip 1: Coloring newbie? Start with a semipermanent color.
Semipermanent colors wash out after a few washes, whereas permanent colors never wash out. If you are new to coloring your hair, you might start with a semipermanent hue UNLESS you want to cover gray hair or go two or more shades lighter or darker.
Tip 2: Don't go by the picture on the box
Pictures on hair color boxes can be deceiving. Your better off going by the color swatches on the box and the descriptions. According to the February 2006 issue of Ladies Home Journal, most boxes will call out the color (blonde, brown, black and red) and the shade of that color (light, medium and dark). There might also be mention of the tone (golden or ashy).
Tip 3: Is your skin color warm or cool?
Most hair colors fall into either 'warm' or 'cool' families. You're likely a 'warm' if you have golden, olive or dark skin and brown or dark eyes (most Latinas, Asians and African Americans fall into this category). You tan easily and the veins in your inner wrists are green. You're a 'cool' if you have fair skin and blue or green eyes. You burn before you tan and the veins in your wrists run blue. If you're confused because you sometimes burn, sometimes tan, you likely skew warm
Tip 4: Choose the correct shade
If you have warm skin, opt for golden shades such as caramel and bronze in a darker shade than your skin. Avoid jet-black hair which will wash you out and if you do opt for a golden shade, don't go too light or your hair could turn orange. If you have cool shade, avoid colors that will highlight the ruddiness of your skin tone: Gold, auburn and copper. Ash blondes and cool browns work best.
Tip 5: How to tell if you'd make a great blonde
A basic rule of thumb: People who had blonde hair as children have the right skin tone to be blonde adults.
Tip 6: The right shade of blonde
Brassy blonde color or highlights on someone with a warm skin tone can be harsh. Opt for warmer shades instead. If you have brown hair and want to go blonde, you don't want to go too light or you could look washed out. Opt for contrast: Highlights and lowlights. And keep in mind that darker hair will actually complement brown or green eyes better than blonde hair.
Tip 7: When to go red
Almost everyone can go red, what's most important is finding the right shade to complement your skin color. Women with a cool or pink skin tone pull off red best, according to Jennifer J, a stylist quoted in the February 2006 issue of Marie Claire.
Tip 8: How to hide that gray
Gray hair can be hard to color because of its coarse texture. If your hair is less than one-thirds gray, opt for a semi-permanent color that's a shade lighter than your natural color (or matches your color). The gray will blend right in. Semi-permanent color is less damaging than permanent color. If your hair is more gray, colorist Rita Hazan in the November 2004 issue of InStyle magazine, suggests a permanent 'ashy' color, which will help your gray hair appear blonde.
Tip 9: Uh-oh, the color's all wrong
I strongly suggest you seek out professional help if you dye job went wrong. Coloring over color can be tricky and you don't want to overprocess your hair.
Tip 10: Don't go extreme
At-home coloring is best for people looking to go a couple shades lighter or darker or to cover gray. If you have light brown hair, a dark blonde will look beautiful on you. For extreme changes, it's best to seek out the help of a professional rather than trying to dye your dark brown hair light blonde.
written By Julyne Derrick
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
11 Hairdressing Tips Only Your Stylist Knows
Getting your hair color right isn't a science. It's really quite simple: Stick to colors that complement your skin tone, figure out if you're best off with all-over color or highlights and then decide if you're going to pay someone else to do it or do it yourself.
Here are 11 tips and tricks your hairdresser knows, from how to avoid the wrong color to exactly how to do it yourself.
1. Pick the right shade of blonde Some women look good in any color (remember Linda Evangelista?), but most women don't. Some rules of thumb for going blonde, according to Allure's Confessions of a Beauty Editor, which is my favorite beauty book of the moment:Sallow skin with yellow undertones? Deep golds aren't for you. Pink skin? Avoid strawberry shades. Doing it yourself? It's best to go no more than a couple shades lighter than your current shade.
2. The right way to go (or stay) brown Here are more Allure tips for going dark: If you're pale, careful with the super dark tones, you might look ghostly and older. (Eeek). Just as with blonde, it's best to start out just a couple shades from your natural color. In this case, avoid going more than a couple shades darker initially.
3. To color or to highlight, that's the question. We find women with short hair look better with full color rather than highlights. If you have medium-length to long hair, highlights -- especially around the face -- can be very flattering. For the most natural-looking highlights, you can ask your stylist for up to five different shades of color, according to 'Confessions.'
Keep in mind that due to root growth, all-over coloring will need to be touched up every four to eight weeks, while highlights can last up to two or three months.
4. Different types of highlights. There are basically four types of highlights: basic foil highlights, baliage or 'hair painting', chunking or 'piecing' and lowlighting.
5. Doing it yourself? Home-color kits have come a long way in the past few years and are perfect for busy people and those who want cut the cost of professional colorings. (We know of a couple top fashion editors who color their hair themselves!). Some great hair coloring kits include: L'Oreal Natural Match Hair Color Clairol Nice and Easy
6. Coloring newbie? Start with a semipermanent color. Semipermanent colors wash out after a few washes, whereas permanent colors have to grow out. If you are new to coloring your hair, you might start with a semipermanent hue UNLESS you want to cover gray hair or go two or more shades lighter or darker.
7. How to tell if you'd make a great blonde A basic rule of thumb: People who had blonde hair as children have the right skin tone to be blonde adults.
Some home hair coloring tips:
rub Vaseline around your hairline as a protective measure before applying color.
To remove after coloring, rub a small amount of cream cleanser and wipe off with cotton balls. Always wear gloves and wrap an old dark-colored towel around your shoulders.
Rinse your eyes with water if you get color in your eyes. If you forgot the Vaseline and stained your skin, rub the area with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol-based toner.
8. How to hide that gray Gray hair can be resilient to hair dye because of its coarse texture. If your hair is less than 15 percent gray, opt for a semi-permanent color that's a shade lighter than your natural color (or matches your color). The gray will blend right in. If your hair is more gray, colorist Rita Hazan in the November 2004 issue of InStyle magazine, suggests a permanent 'ashy' color, which will help your gray hair appear blonde. Permanent colors are really the only way to completely cover gray hair, according to InStyle's Getting Gorgeous.
9. Don't like the color? Don't be afraid to go back to the salon and talk to your stylist. There are all sorts of ways to fix color that's just not right.
If you did it yourself with a semi-permanent color, look for a shampoo with 'ammonium laurel sulfate' to wash away the color faster, according to Getting Gorgeous.
10. After care. Once you invest money in a hair color, you should protect your investment with the proper after-color care. Refresh your color by using a color-enhancing shampoo and conditioner once a week. These products deposit miniscule amounts of color into hair.
11. Root rescue. You can expect your color to last about 6 to eight weeks before your roots show. If your hair is colored, you'll want to get your roots touched up or do them yourself with a kit you can buy at the store like Clairol Nice and Easy Root Touch Ups. Be sure and test the color first before applying.
If you have highlights or lowlights, you can avoid having your whole head colored by asking your stylist to do your hairline, crown and part. A word of warning: Foil highlights require precise application and fixing dark roots is nearly impossible. Ask about easier to maintain highlighting techniques.
Here are 11 tips and tricks your hairdresser knows, from how to avoid the wrong color to exactly how to do it yourself.
1. Pick the right shade of blonde Some women look good in any color (remember Linda Evangelista?), but most women don't. Some rules of thumb for going blonde, according to Allure's Confessions of a Beauty Editor, which is my favorite beauty book of the moment:Sallow skin with yellow undertones? Deep golds aren't for you. Pink skin? Avoid strawberry shades. Doing it yourself? It's best to go no more than a couple shades lighter than your current shade.
2. The right way to go (or stay) brown Here are more Allure tips for going dark: If you're pale, careful with the super dark tones, you might look ghostly and older. (Eeek). Just as with blonde, it's best to start out just a couple shades from your natural color. In this case, avoid going more than a couple shades darker initially.
3. To color or to highlight, that's the question. We find women with short hair look better with full color rather than highlights. If you have medium-length to long hair, highlights -- especially around the face -- can be very flattering. For the most natural-looking highlights, you can ask your stylist for up to five different shades of color, according to 'Confessions.'
Keep in mind that due to root growth, all-over coloring will need to be touched up every four to eight weeks, while highlights can last up to two or three months.
4. Different types of highlights. There are basically four types of highlights: basic foil highlights, baliage or 'hair painting', chunking or 'piecing' and lowlighting.
5. Doing it yourself? Home-color kits have come a long way in the past few years and are perfect for busy people and those who want cut the cost of professional colorings. (We know of a couple top fashion editors who color their hair themselves!). Some great hair coloring kits include: L'Oreal Natural Match Hair Color Clairol Nice and Easy
6. Coloring newbie? Start with a semipermanent color. Semipermanent colors wash out after a few washes, whereas permanent colors have to grow out. If you are new to coloring your hair, you might start with a semipermanent hue UNLESS you want to cover gray hair or go two or more shades lighter or darker.
7. How to tell if you'd make a great blonde A basic rule of thumb: People who had blonde hair as children have the right skin tone to be blonde adults.
Some home hair coloring tips:
rub Vaseline around your hairline as a protective measure before applying color.
To remove after coloring, rub a small amount of cream cleanser and wipe off with cotton balls. Always wear gloves and wrap an old dark-colored towel around your shoulders.
Rinse your eyes with water if you get color in your eyes. If you forgot the Vaseline and stained your skin, rub the area with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol-based toner.
8. How to hide that gray Gray hair can be resilient to hair dye because of its coarse texture. If your hair is less than 15 percent gray, opt for a semi-permanent color that's a shade lighter than your natural color (or matches your color). The gray will blend right in. If your hair is more gray, colorist Rita Hazan in the November 2004 issue of InStyle magazine, suggests a permanent 'ashy' color, which will help your gray hair appear blonde. Permanent colors are really the only way to completely cover gray hair, according to InStyle's Getting Gorgeous.
9. Don't like the color? Don't be afraid to go back to the salon and talk to your stylist. There are all sorts of ways to fix color that's just not right.
If you did it yourself with a semi-permanent color, look for a shampoo with 'ammonium laurel sulfate' to wash away the color faster, according to Getting Gorgeous.
10. After care. Once you invest money in a hair color, you should protect your investment with the proper after-color care. Refresh your color by using a color-enhancing shampoo and conditioner once a week. These products deposit miniscule amounts of color into hair.
11. Root rescue. You can expect your color to last about 6 to eight weeks before your roots show. If your hair is colored, you'll want to get your roots touched up or do them yourself with a kit you can buy at the store like Clairol Nice and Easy Root Touch Ups. Be sure and test the color first before applying.
If you have highlights or lowlights, you can avoid having your whole head colored by asking your stylist to do your hairline, crown and part. A word of warning: Foil highlights require precise application and fixing dark roots is nearly impossible. Ask about easier to maintain highlighting techniques.
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