Colour

A new hair color is one of the fastest ways to revitalize and update your look. What's more coloring your hair is fun and uplifting.

Gone are the days when women reached for the bottled hair color just to cover their grey. These days women of all ages color their hair to add shine, drama, and fun to their hair. Adding a color can add an edge to an otherwise boring hairstyle. As fun as a new hair colour is, many of us know how devastating it can be when a new color goes wrong. Before taking the plunge it is wise to educate yourself first. Knowledge is the key to ensuring that your new hair color dazzles rather than devastates.

The first and most basic rule of hair coloring is to aim to have your hair and your hair style look as natural as possible (unless you explicitly intend it not to!). Many hair stylists recommend that you stay within two shades of your natural hair colour. It is also important to consider the condition of your hair before colouring, Hair that is damaged before colouring, will more than likely be more damaged after the process. The state of your hair also influences the absorbancy of your hair and the length of time the coloring solution should be applied for.

Which should you choose? If you are looking for a gentle boost to your hair color that does not give you regrowth then a semi-permanent color is for you. These colors, sometimes called glazing, color stains, or washes, work by coating the hair with a non-peroxide colour that washes out over a 4-6 week period. They will cover most grey hair, and will actually help to tame any annoying frizzies you may have. Semi-permanent colors are the most gentle way to color your hair and are a low risk way to try out a new colour. It is recommended that you use semi-permanent colors for as long as they are giving you the results you desire.

Permanent colours, however, are required if you wish to lighten your hair as semi-permanent color will only darken hair. Permanent hair colour also gives a much better coverage of grey hair. It works by bleaching and depositing the color in a one step process. If you decide to use a permanent hair colour you will need to minimize the damage to your hair by being extra careful with your hair care regime at home.

The next choice you need to make is whether to have a block color or highlights. Highlights can be added by streaking, weaving, and foiling. Just about any hairstyle can be highlighted, and is usually a great way to add depth and texture to your hair style.

Now you only need to decide which color to try. Before you rush out and colour your hair there are some basic rules you need to consider. You need to determine whether a warm or a cool shade will be best for you. The best way to do this, is to determine your natural coloring. Work through the following statements and see where you fit (do you choose more cool than warm responses?).

Cool	Warm
My eyes are deep brown or black-brown	My eyes are golden brown
My eyes are grey blue or dark blue	My eyes are green, green blue or turquoise
My eyes are hazel with white, grey or blue flecks	My eyes are hazel with gold or brown flecks
My skin is very dark brown	My skin is brown with pink undertone
My skin is true olive (most Asian and Latino)	My skin is brown with golden undertone
My skin is medium with no color in cheeks	My skin is pale with peach or gold undertones
My skin is medium with faint color in cheeks	My skin is freckled
My skin is medium with golden undertones	My skin is ruddy
My skin is pale with no color in cheeks	My hair is deep brown with gold or red highlights
My skin is pale with pink undertones	My hair is red
My skin is brown or bronze when I tan	My hair is strawberry blond
My skin is golden brown when I tan	My hair is medium or dark blond
My hair is blue black
My hair is deep brown
My hair is medium golden brown
My hair is golden blond
My hair is salt and pepper

If you chose mostly warm — here is some useful advice for choosing the best hair color for you. You should avoid blue, violet, white, and jet-black hair colors that drain you of your natural high color. Depending on your skin tone and your preference, you'll find deep chocolate, rich golden browns and auburn, warm gold and red highlights, and golden blond shades enhance your "sunny" look.

If you chose more from the cool column you should avoid gold, yellow, red and bronze tones. These tones can make you look sallow and drawn. Depending on your skin tone are shiny blacks, ash browns, and cool blonds ranging from mink to platinum blond.

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