Choosing Your New Hair Color
Deciding to color your hair can give you a boost of confidence and glamour no matter if you do it yourself, or get your hair colored by a salon stylist. And you can take bland, boring hair, and turn it into beautiful, shiny hair just by choosing the right hair color. But while it seems easy enough to choose a new hair color, there are some things to take into consideration before starting. After all, you don't want to risk dying your hair and ending up with green, or streaky hair color!
The main thing to remember is that changing your hair color is based on the color your hair is naturally. Natural hair color is the reflection of light of the colored pigments in your hair shaft; so changing your hair color from one to another involves adding, or subtracting, colors to and from the hair shaft. With this being said, you probably have a good reason for wanting to go through this process to jazz up your hair style, and you may also have expectations in mind for the results.
But the results could very well end up being different than what you expected because the process involves more than blindly picking a color from the store. This being said, here are some other things you need to keep in mind before deciding on a new color. And if you have any more questions, visit a hair salon for extra advice.
Learn your Level
The levels (also known as shades) are made up of a variety of reflections off the pigments in your hair shafts. The 10 hair levels are listed below:
- Black
- Very Dark Brown
- Dark Brown
- Brown
- Medium Brown
- Light Brown
- Dark Blonde
- Light Blonde
- Very Light Blonde
- Light Platinum Blonde
The levels go from dark to light, meaning black (number 1) reflects the least amount of light, and light platinum blonde (number10) reflects the most amount of light. When you know what your natural light level is, it's best to stay within four shades of this color for the most natural look. You can determine if you are a cool or warm level by looking at your skin tone, eye color and natural hair color; this is all important for a more natural change. Here is what to look for when it comes to the cool or warm categories.
Warm or Cool?
If your
natural eye color is black-brown, dark brown, gray, dark blue or hazel, you will probably fall under the cool category; however, you should also check skin tone and natural hair color before deciding on anything.
To be in the cool category, your skin should be very dark brown, olive, medium, golden or pale. Plus your natural hair color should be blue-black, dark brown, brown, dirty blonde or platinum blonde.
If your
natural eye color is golden brown, green or green-blue, you're considered to be warm. In addition to this, your natural skin tone should be peachy, pale or freckled, with hair that is golden brown, red, strawberry blonde or golden blonde.
For those of you in the
warm category, choose a new hair color that has a base of red, orange, yellow or gold; if you fall into the cool category, use a new color that has a base of blue, violet or neutral. If you’re still not sure what color to dye your hair, here are a few more suggestions based on your skin tone alone.
Fair Skin Tone
If you have pale-to-freckly skin, you want to stay clear of dark browns, and most importantly, black hair colors. You're more prone to red or ruddy skin, and the dark hair color will make that more noticeable. Instead, use a golden honey blonde or light auburn color, and keep from over-highlighting to avoid looking washed out.
Olive or Medium Skin Tone
For someone with medium or olive skin tone, the colors to avoid are reds and copper because they give your skin an orangey color. Instead, opt for a warming color like mahogany with golden highlights to add extra boost and dimension.
Dark Skin Tone
For darker skin tones, it would be best to use caramel and cinnamon highlights around your face and on the ends, and avoid going more than two shades darker than your natural hair color; you might end up with a brassy hair color that makes your skin look dull when using the latter.
Silver or Gray Hair
Hair as light as silver or white looks good on anyone with any skin tone, color, or hue as long as it's shiny. There shampoos and other products specifically designed for silver, gray or white hair, and all you need to do is look at the labels on the bottles before purchasing. Also, avoid products that contain alcohol because they tend to remove the natural shine from your hair. For an extra shiny boost, use a silicone serum on dry hair after you've finished styling.
As long as you're informed enough on how to choose the right hair color for you personally, you won't have any problems. It should be a fun and exciting experience without the frustration of not knowing what to expect when you're done with the dying process.
And it doesn't matter if you're going to a salon or using an at-home hair dying kit because you should always be prepared. Salon stylists make mistakes just like the rest of us, so save yourself the extra trip to the salon or drugstore by knowing what to consider before changing your hair color.
After you've finished coloring your hair, it's important to use the right products to help maintain your color for as long as possible. Use products that are specifically designed for color-treated hair for best results. There are also shampoos, conditioners, leave-in conditioners, hair sprays, and thermal sprays that are dedicated to keeping your color-treated hair healthy and strong.
And one more tip: don't wash your hair for at least 24 hours after dying!
