Blowouts and fancy intricate braids are nice but sometimes they just don't suffice when it comes to spicing up your hair. When you're in a rut or feeling bold enough to try something new, hair color is most often the first thing that comes to mind. While coloring your strands is fun and exciting, most women don't realize the commitment it takes to care for colored hair. It's more than rocking a vibrant hue, it takes commitment, maintenance and upkeep to keep your color fresh and your locks healthy.
Gorgeous hair is forever the goal, right? We think so. And with all the time and money spent perfecting our hair color, it only makes sense to want to make the most of it. While we could go to the salon every four weeks for a touch-up, we prefer to focus on making our hair color last as long as possible and one of our favorite tricks is using a color-depositing product.
When it comes to maintaining a freshly dyed 'do, it's incredibly important to upgrade your hair care routine to suit your new mane's needs. After all, without the proper TLC, your color could wash right down the drain. One of the best things you can do to care for your color is stock your shower with color-safe shampoo and conditioner and a quality hair mask to revive your tresses once or twice a week. Outside the shower, keep heat tool styling to a minimum and sleep on silky pillowcases that won't disrupt your hair's cuticle.
If you're thinking of switching up your hair color for spring and summer, instead of opting for the usual blond highlights, why not have a bit of colorful fun? While vibrant hues in every color of the rainbow are still incredibly popular, there's something to be said about taking a more subdued route. One color scheme that's gaining steam on Instagram is a pale, peachy brunette — otherwise known as caramel rosé.
Take one scroll through Instagram and it's clear to see that a new hair color is dominating the beauty scene. The season's dreamy opal hair color can be best described as what would happen if you were to mix last season's pastel rainbow hair with this season's silver strands. The result? A shimmering, semi-metallic hair color that shines like one of our very favorite gemstones.
There are certain beauty trends that truly stand the test of time. Cat eyes are forever in favor. Red lips can't be beat. And soft waves? This old-school Hollywood hairstyle is still seen on red carpets year in and year out. When it comes to hair color, you can always count on balayage highlights to be a stylish choice no matter what (sun-kissed hair, FTW). But that doesn't mean there isn't room for slight variation within this uber-popular hair color trend. After all, sometimes the classics can get a little bit boring, right?
Did you ever go through a gothic phase in high school, when you couldn't stand even a slight fade to your jet black hair color? Those days, you probably thought highlights were meant only for the carefree blondes or the sun-kissed brunettes of the world -- tortured soul, much?
Here'a a scenario you might be familiar with: You just walked out of the salon with freshly dyed hair. It's vibrant, it's shiny, it's beautiful and you love it. But then, day after day, your pricey, gorgeous hair color starts swirling down the drain. Not pretty. So what's a girl to do? One word: condition. Okay, let's make it three words: color-protecting conditioner.
Trying to figure out how to cover gray hair can be stressful enough to, well, cause even more gray hairs to sprout. And while many of us would love to book monthly salon appointments to deal with our strays, the reality is that many of us don't have the time -- or money -- to run to our colorist every month.
Recently discovered a gray hair? Let us be the first to tell you — it's nothing to stress about. Stressing can actually cause more grays to sprout — so take a deep breath and relax already. Going gray (and keeping it that way) is becoming more common than ever. Even celebrities aren't hiding their silver hair anymore. Stars like Helen Mirren and Jamie Lee Curtis proudly walk the red carpet showing off their natural hair color, and younger celebs like Ellie Goulding and Kelly Osborne have dyed their hair gray to get the same look.
Because an estimated 50 percent of women (ages 25 and older) color their hair, we field an awful lot of questions about color-related concerns. To help get you the best possible answers, we went to color maestro Brad Johns, Color Director for Red Door Spas. Below, see his advice for five readers' most confounding hair coloring issues.
Does your hair bore you? Mine is so mind-numbingly dreary at the moment that I can hardly stand to have it on my head. Trouble is, most of the usual fixes don't appeal to me. I've been letting an old style grow out for a long while now, so a cut is definitely out of the question. And, while I'm not feeling adventurous enough for a drastic color change, I've got to do something -- otherwise I'll have no choice but to spend the rest of my life with a hat on. There has to be a better solution.
Did your attempt to try the latest celebrity hair color trend end in tears and a shade that was more Bozo the Clown than Rihanna? Or did that just happen to us?
From the horrible ("How did I end up with orange hair!?") to the annoying ("Aack! There's permanent dye on my bathroom counter!"), there's a lot that can go wrong when you crack open a box of DIY hair color.
A few months ago I received a serious wake-up call courtesy of a new hairstylist. I was sitting in his chair having a consultation when he mentioned (as nicely as possible) that I might want to consider a new style. When I asked why, he explained (again, as nicely as possible), "Your haircut seriously ages you." Ouch.
If you have determined the right coloring process for your hair, it's time to find out how to maintain your color and your newfound healthy hair. Impossible, you say? We think not. Read on to get the best tips on how to keep your hair healthy and your color vibrant now.
Most women have the prerogative of being able to change their hairstyles and hair color whenever they feel like it. For actresses (especially ones that are newer to the game), however, it's not that easy. Not only do they have agents (who signed them looking a certain way) to answer to, but there's also the matter of those costly headshots to consider, not to mention that it could be very risky to gamble it all away on a whim.
Did you know that your skin tone dictates what shade of hair color you should have? It's true. And to help drive the point home, we've asked celebrity colorists Beth Minardi, Tracey Cunningham and David John to teach us which shades flatter various skin tones. They've also shared some tips on applying color at home and how you can make it last. So, even though you don't have an A-list colorist at your beck and call like the celebrities featured here do, you too can have perfect hair color.
