Most women these days have some sort of colour in their hair but how do we know what not only suits us but suits our lifestyle? As a hairdresser of 25 years I always feel clients have to be informed on the maintenance of a new colour including how often will it need to be refreshed, what sort of damage will it cause, is it sustainable for their lifestyle and how achievable is the expectation?
There are some factors to consider when looking into change your colour, here are my top 5 things to consider:
- If going lighter what do we need to lift out first? Consider what colours you currently have in your hair that will have to lift out. Is there a build up of colour over colour? This will of course determine how light your hair will get, what tone of blonde can be achieved and what condition is your hair in? Will it take more than one attempt and is your hair ready for lightening or does it possibly need some TLC prior to colouring?
- Will the colour suit your lifestyle and time to visit the salon? A general rule for maintenance of colour is that the closer the colour is to your natural hair the longer you can likely leave it in between appointments. If your hair is a dark brown naturally yet you lighten it to an ash blonde then its safe to say the roots will be quite obvious as they grow out. Not to mention may need extra toning between salon visits. Ask your hairdresser about the maintenance prior to colouring so you know what you're in for!
- Is it suitable for my hair type? When colouring your hair one of the most important things to consider is whether your hair is in a good condition to be colouring. Once again your hair stylist should be able to assess this during your consultation. There’s no point changing your colour if you then have to cut most of it off due to chemical damage.
- Will your colour work in with your style? Seems crazy but you need to think how will this new colour look with my clothes, makeup, accessories and overall vibe? Does it suit my style and compliment the look I am wanting to project? Or perhaps you want a complete change in everything which is exciting as it means SHOPPING!
- Are you ready for the change? This especially applies for blondes going dark, red or any other colour other than the blonde. The truth of the matter is once you cover your blonde up it's not that easy to get back should you change your mind! Trust me from experience it is a long and drawn out process trying to get back to blonde if you change your mind. So really think it through, try on some different colour wigs if you have to but make sure you are sure. If not 100% maybe do it gradually with semi permanent colour so it's not a complete shock in one application. Again your stylist can give you some different options.
The best thing about our hair is that we can change it and nothing is ever permanent. There are always ways around changing it and having fun with it but do it in confidence by asking your professional colourist. So spoil yourself with an exciting change!