Article by BR Georgiana
Unless you have just split with your guy (not to worry, there is plenty of fish in the sea!) or started a brand new job, you might want a radical hair colour change just to celebrate a change in season. But, before taking such a big step, please take the time to read the following tips. They might come in handy.
Is choosing a new shade more difficult than you imagined?
You know you want a dramatic change, but you are still not sure if to go lighter or darker. The safe thing to do is opt for a lighter shade because, if you don’t really like the result, you can change it easier than you would a darker colour, in which case you might also need a little bleaching.
Make sure your expectations are not too big
You are probably obsessed with the stare-worthy hair colour of a Victoria’s Secret model or an A-lister. The good news is lucious locks happen to us all, at least once in life. The bad news is each woman’s hair is different (think texture, natural colour, previous chemical hair treatments), so chances you get the exact same jaw-dropping shade as a picture are fifty-fifty.
You can first take a test to understand how a certain colour looks on you. Dye one fine strand of nape hair and check the result. If you’d like to see that colour every day in the mirror, just go for it!
Always (repeated 3 times) choose a new colour based on your skin tone
Your new hair colour must complement your skin tone 100% otherwise it will look completely wrong.
Remember there are 3 skin tones: cool (red, pink or bluish undertones), warm (golden, peach or yellowish undertones) and neutral (a mix of the two). Once you have established your skin tone, choosing the ideal hair colour will be an easy task.
Cool tones look amazing with anything from ash and platinum blonde to chestnut (with reddish accents), dark brown and even black. Warm tones are flattered by yummy shades of honey, strawberry and caramel blonde or chocolate brown. If your skin has neutral tones (well, aren’t you a lucky one?) you will look amazing with almost any colour!
Don’t try to change your colour drastically in one go…
…especially if you are performing the colouring session at home, on your own. It's better to take baby steps (especially when lightening hair) and make change your hair colour two tones at a time.
If you really can’t wait for the colour you want, then make an appointment with a hair pro. They can really do miracled you're probably going to need at least a trim anyway!
When going for a dramatic change, you'll be wanting a perfect, fresh and vibrant shade - this can’t be achieved without sacrificing a bit of length. The tips of your hair always have a different colour than the roots (for example they might be holding on to some old colour). If you want perfection allow your stylist to chop and trim. Don’t worry, it always grows back!
Hoping you found these tips useful, I am looking forward to your own little secrets regarding drastic hair colour changes! Care to share?
I'm thinking of putting purple foils in my hair this winter. Though I must confess I can't decide if my skin tone is cool or neutral.