Hot Head: Top Four Hair Coloring Tips
Photo: Fairchild Archive1/4Real Simple
"Monochromatic, single-tone hues are chic for spring!" declares Lucie Doughty, artistic director for Paul Mitchell. "If your hair is highlighted or has lighter ends, have your colorist bring the tones closer together," she suggests. On the flip side, the ombré hair trend is still going strong as well, "but this season the lighter ends will have jewel tones, like pale pink, pale turquoise, or light blue," says celebrity colorist Marie Robinson, co-owner of an eponymous salon in New York City.
Photo: Fairchild Archive2/4Blonde Ambition
It's always best to start with your natural color when going lighter for the first time, suggests Naomi Knights, color education director at Ion Studio in New York City. "It's different for everyone, but dark- haired girls in particular need to be prepared to go through a few shades of lightness before getting the color they want," she adds. Be forewarned: Blonde hair requires a lot more maintenance!
Photo: Fairchild Archive3/4Damage Control
"After your hair has been processed, the most important thing is hydration!" Herbal Essences celebrity stylist Charles Baker Strahan says. But don't overdo it with protein treatments and masks, Knights warns: "If you use them too often, your hair will get brittle and the deep moisturizers will make it flat." Instead, apply conditioner regularly and limit treatments to at most once or twice a week.
Photo: Fairchild Archive4/4Dark Side
When deepening your hair color, make sure to go a half shade lighter than your ideal hue. "You can always go darker if you want, but it's really hard to remove pigment if you decide you don't like it," Robinson explains. Also, remember to take your skin tone into account when deciding on your perfect brunette shade: Fairer girls should stick with lighter tones, whereas medium to dark complexions can experiment with darker hues, according to Tresemmé celebrity stylist Mara Roszak.
