When choosing a new hair color, it can be difficult to know what shade will suit you best. If you're lost, don't worry, I spoke with some professional hairstylists to discover the one trick to picking your best hair color so you can discover your perfect hue.
There's a lot to think about when deciding which way around the color wheel you want to go. Firstly, if you're dyeing your hair for the first time, you might want to go for something subtle, so it's not a complete shock when you walk out of the salon. On the other hand, if you change your hair color as often as your underwear, you may be wondering which shade to experiment with next. You're likely aware that some hair dyes need a ton of preparation in order for you to reach your desired tone. Achieving platinum blonde, for instance, usually takes more than one trip to the salon. In addition to this, you'll need to think of funding your possible additional appointments, not to mention keeping on top of your after color care, so that your color doesn't fade too quickly.
Taking all of this into consideration, after all yours and your stylist's hard work, it would totally suck to be stuck with a shade you later discover doesn't suit you. In order to minimize this possibility, I spoke with a host of hairstylists to discover their favorite trick to picking your best hair color.
Moran Gallagher, Master Colorist and Educator at Mizu New York, tells me, “I love it when my clients have a clear direction on a color change, except when the color doesn't really work for them. That's where our jobs as colorists really become fun.” Gallagher explains, “Generally speaking you can tweak most colors to fit someone. By making it a little warmer or cooler, lighter or a bit darker, you can almost always tweak a color to go with anyone.”
However, Gallagher’s trick is to find out more about the client, “Picking a color isn't necessarily the hard part. It's picking the color that the client can maintain, afford to keep up with, and potentially the amount of damage they are willing to withstand, like in the case of going platinum for instance.” She explains, “High in price, high maintenance, and potentially damaging. Is it worth it to the client?” So ask yourself if the color you’re seeking will be worth the expense, maintenance, and potential damage, before rushing into anything.
Tyler Colton, a Honey Artist Hairstylist, divulges his favorite trick to choosing your best hair color, “Look at your eyes and if you have any light gold, gold, or copper flecks, try to use one of those tones as your hi-light color or even an all over color.” But, Colton warns, “Don’t color at home, you should always have a professional color your hair if you are making a big change!” There are a bunch of things that can go wrong when dyeing your hair at home, so it's probably best to leave your locks in the hands of the pros.
Honey Artist Hairstylist Daven Mayeda tells me his trick, “Go with the color of your ends. Most people's hair is not the same tone from root to ends, so try to match them with the mid-shaft to ends.” He continues, “If you have ombré or a noticeably darker root, try using colored dry shampoo ‘Oribe’ to spray the roots to disguise them into your own hair.”
So next time you're contemplating a new color, try out the favorite tricks of these hairstylists to ensure you end up with your perfect shade!
Images: CAguileraVEVO (1) /YouTube; Matlachu (2), stux (1) /Pixabay
