Hair Color: Choose the right one

http://hairstylescene.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/how-to-choose-the-right-hair-color-for-your-hair.jpgColoring your hair is perhaps the quickest and most dramatic way to change your look. It is also an excuse to go out and buy a new wardrobe of clothes, because you’ll find that what suited you as a brunette looks rather drab on a new blonde.

There’s nothing like a great dye job to turn back the clock. Hair color not only covers gray but also boosts volume and shine, makes fine lines, less noticeable, and brightness a dull complexion. There are two types of hair dyes: permanent and semi-permanent, with variations of each.

  • Permanent Tints:
    Must be mixed with hydrogen peroxide to lift hair color. The peroxide opens the hair cuticle so that the tint can penetrate the cortex and form the color. The higher the level of peroxide, the quicker and lighter the result.
  • Semi-Permanent Colors:
    They don’t actually lift the color – you can either vary the tone within your natural highlights or go darker. Quasi-color contains ethanolamine and 3% peroxide which slightly opens the cuticle. This means that the color can last up to 20 washes and will softly fade as you shampoo, causing no regrowth problem.
  • Semi-Permanent Vegetable Colors:
    Contain only vegetable extracts and natural ingredients, so no color is stripped from your hair. It is similar to henna but it doesn’t coat the hair (adds shine though). This color sits on the hair’s surface and will wash out after about 8 shampoos. Due to high salon prices, more and more people are dyeing their own hair. You’ve seen these people walking around-they can usually be identified by tufts of fried orange hair peeking out from beneath large hats. But a home-hair-colorist’s best weapons against hair dye mishaps are careful planning and knowledge. But don’t get afraid by doing it yourself. It’s actually quite simple: Stick to colors that compliment your skin tone, figure out if you’re better off with single-process color or highlights, and then decide if you’re going to pay someone else to do it or do it yourself.

Hair color tricks:

Here are some easy hair color tricks on how to avoid the wrong color to how to do it yourself.

Can You Go Blonde?

Some women look good in any color, but most women don’t. If you had blonde hair as a kid, you’ll likely look good with blonde hair as an adult. You’ll also look good blonde if you have pink skin that burns easily, and blue or green eyes.

For blonde inspiration, check out these galleries:

Remember: if you are going the bottle route, never color your hair more than 2 shades lighter than your natural shade.

The Right Way to Go (or Stay) Brown:
If you have super pale skin and brown hair, consider going lighter. Super dark shades can wash you out and even make you appear older. Once you’ve colored your hair, protect your investment with  best products for colored hair.

To Color or to Highlight, That’s the Question:

If you have a great base hair tone, you’re better off with highlights. You don’t want to mess with nature; what you want to do is enhance it. If your base color washes out your skin tone or is “blah,” consider single-process color. Single-process color is cheaper than highlights. Highlights look best when the stylist uses at least two different shades. Ask for more around your face, they can brighten your complexion.

Keep in mind that due to root growth, all-over coloring will need to be touched up every four to eight weeks, while highlights can last up to two or three months, depending on what kind you get. Ask your stylist about a gloss treatment following your color. Gloss boosts color and makes hair shinier.

You’re Going for Highlights, But Which Kind?

There are basically 4 types of highlights: basic foil highlights, baliage or “hair painting,” chunking or “piecing” and lowlighting.

Foil highlights add strands of color to hair. You can get up to 5 different shades in hair to make it look more natural.

Baliage, or “hair painting,” allows the stylist to add natural stripes of color to hair in large or smaller swaths. This is best for women with a great base color who want to go just a couple shades lighter. You won’t need to get roots touched up as much with baliage as you do foils.

Lowlighting allows the stylist to add darker shades to hair. This gives color more contrast.

Should You Do It Yourself?

Home-color kits have come a long way in the past few years. They are perfect for busy people and those who want cut the cost of professional colorings.

Some great hair coloring kits include:

  • L’Oreal Natural Match Hair Color
  • Clairol Nice and Easy
  • Revlon Color Silk

If You’re going With a Box, Stick With Semi permanent Color:

Semi permanent colors wash out after a few washes, whereas permanent colors have to grow out.

Gray, Gray, Go Away, Don’t Come Again:

Gray hair can be resilient to hair dye because of its coarse texture. If your hair is less than 15 percent gray, opt for a semi-permanent color that’s a shade lighter than your natural color (or matches your color). Many women who are more than half gray opt to dye their hair blonde.

So You Hate Your Color? Don’t Strangle the Stylist:

Don’t be afraid to go back to the salon and talk to your stylist if you are not pleased with the results. There are all sorts of ways to fix color that’s just not right. If you did it yourself with a semi-permanent color, look for a shampoo with “ammonium laurel sulfate” to wash away the color faster.

Your Color is Gorgeous, Now What?

You invested money for hair color, now protect your investment with color-enhancing shampoo and conditioner once a week. These products deposit miniscule amounts of color into hair. Choose  best hair products for color-treated hair.

Uh-Oh. Your Roots Are Growing In:

You can expect your color to last about 6 to 8 weeks before roots begin to show. If your hair is colored, get your roots touched up or do them yourself with a store-bought kit. For this, I suggest Clairol Nice and Easy Root Touch Ups.

If you have highlights or lowlights, avoid having your whole head colored by asking your stylist to do your hairline, crown and part.

A word of warning:

Foil highlights require precise application and fixing dark roots is nearly impossible. Consider baliage, which looks more natural.

Beside all this, you also have to keep in mind some home hair coloring tips before color your hair.

Home hair color tips:

Rub Vaseline around your hairline as a protective measure before applying color. To remove after coloring, rub a small amount of cream cleanser and wipe off with cotton balls. If you forgot the Vaseline and stained your skin, rub the area with a cotton ball soaked in alcohol-based toner.
Always wear gloves and wrap an old dark-colored towel around your shoulders. Rinse your eyes with water if you get color in your eyes.

Hair Color Advice:

The best hair color advice is to learn how to choose the right color and treatment so you can create an exciting new look for every occasion. When it comes to choosing hair color, you should consider what shade will enhance your overall look and what type of treatment works best for your hair texture.

While your ideal hair cut style depends on your face shape, your hair color should be based on a combination of factors including your natural hair color, eye color, and skin tone.

Hair Color Trends for 2011

http://hairstyles.modalight.net/images/2011/05/hair-color-2011-1.jpgGive yourself a new look by changing your hair color this summer. The latest 2011 hair trends have many styles and colors to give you an adorable look.

If you are thinking about a makeover, then changing your hair color would be one terrific option to become the new you! A beautiful and luxurious hair color can definitely enhance your complexion and your facial features. 2011 hair trends are becoming a common fashion talk all around the world. Hair color trends have gained a lot of attention in the international fashion fraternity through decades because they can give an instant whole new look to the person.

Hair color palettes have grown to so much variety that one can find a number of options to choose from. You can find just about the right hair color to suit your skin tone and your features. You can get the look of your own choice or you can even copy one of your favorite celebrity’s look. 2011 hair trends are being complimented with the beautiful hair cuts and hair styles. There is a huge variety of styles that can go with your favorite hair color yet giving you an elegant look.

Before you go for the latest hair color trends, you should keep in mind that your 200 should give you a natural look. This makes choosing the right color a little difficult; however, your stylist can help you with the right choice of hair color for you that looks natural yet stylish according to the latest hair color trends.

Red hair color is definitely one of the 2011 hair trends for the season. There is a wide range of shades in the red color palette that you can choose from. It can give you a natural look or you can always go for red highlights. Red color gives a nice look to the freckled women.

Blonde hair color is one of the most popular ones among the latest hair color trends this year. It really looks good on women with fair skin tone. It even looks good if you have long healthy hair and have maintained them well.

Brown is the color that suits most of the skin tones, so it is the most popular among Asian women. Whether your complexion is fair or a little tanned, you can choose the right one out of the brown hair color palette which will definitely give you a natural and trendy look.

Last but not the least; black is the all time favorite when it comes to the hair color. It gives a beautiful look to the women with pale or subtle tanned complexion. Whichever color you are going for this summer, make sure that you look after your hair properly or else, all your efforts would be vain!

Hair Root Touch Up

http://images.glam.com/glampress/beauty/tousledhair/Nicole-Richie-Dark-Roots.jpgTypes of Hair Root Touch Up
As I mentioned earlier, there are three basic types of colors that are used for hair root touch ups. The liquid color comes with a thin consistency and you need to combine it with a color developer, like hydrogen peroxide. You can apply the liquid hair color with the help of a bottle dropper and then rub it on the hair roots. The powder hair color is just needed to be dabbed on the hair roots. Along with an easy touch up, it also mops away the excessive oil and moisture from the scalp, like a dry shampoo. While the cream hair color comes in a tube, you still need to combine it with a developer and then apply it on the roots, with the help of a thin brush. If the hair color is faded throughout the strands, then you can stretch the application area of the color. It is the best way to maintain the hair color in between the two visits to the hair care salon.

Best Hair Root Touch Up Products
The touch up products for hair roots vary greatly, as per their types and hair colors. Once you select the best hair color, then you can choose the best form of touch up color for yourself. Products like hair root touch up powder and hair root touch up pen are mainly used as an instant way to conceal the color difference. These products don’t require combinations like the cream and liquid hair colors and hence, they are preferred by most of the consumers. The color that you apply to the hair roots stays there only until you wash the hair. After that, you need to reapply it. However, there are some brands of hair root touch up sticks, that are waterproof and provide protection from a quick jump in the pool or a sudden drizzle. It is the reason why these are the popular hair care products to give quick and easy results.

Grey Hair Root Touch Up
Grey hair is one of the prime causes why people color their hair. Colored hair with grey roots is a living nightmare for anyone! Hence, these temporary root touch ups prove to be a real bliss for those with gray hair. You need to decide whether you want to use the pen, sponge, stick or brush and then purchase the same. While selecting the hair root color for grey hair, always opt for darker hues of your present hair color. Always purchase the hair color after doing a strand test, which is important to evade the possibilities of wrong hair color and any kind of resultant allergy to it. It is also important for you to use a special shampoo for color treated hair. Once, you follow all these important tips, then the application of hair color is quite easy.

Procedure for Hair Root Touch Up
Well, here are some easy steps that you need to follow to apply liquid or cream hair coloring for roots. Before you start, make sure you wear latex hand gloves and worn out clothes.

  • Get the color ready as per the instructions on the box. Now divide the hair in 4 equal sections and pin each one with hair clips. Most importantly, apply a layer of petroleum jelly along your hairline, in order to avoid the color from getting spread onto your forehead.
  • Now, unclip the front hair sections and apply the hair color mixture around the perimeter of the hair roots. Make sure you don’t massage the color on the scalp. Apply the color again by flipping the hair, reclip the hair and repeat the process with the rest of the hair.
  • Once the color gets dry, comb it from the roots to tips so that it can spread throughout the mane. If you find any grey spots, then color them again. Repeat the procedure until all hair roots are covered with color.

Dyed Hair Too Dark – What to Do

http://www.style.com/slideshows/fashionshows/F2008RTW/LUELLA/RUNWAY/00310m.jpgDyed Hair Too Dark – What to Do

When one dyes hair too dark, lightening is the only way to get the desired shade back. The lightening techniques mainly depend upon the type of hair dye used and your hair growth. Temporary hair color is the easiest to get off your hair as it fades with one or two hair washes. Semi-permanent or demi permanent hair colors can also be removed from your hair with certain methods. However, permanent hair colors are the most difficult to get off your hair as they wear off only when your hair outgrows the color. Nonetheless, you can take it off your hair with the help of certain harsh chemicals, but that would mean you will be inflicting your hair to a lot of damage.

Most problems of dyeing hair too dark arise because people fail to take into account the natural shade of their hair. Ideally, your natural hair color suits you the best. If you color your hair, make sure the new shade is within three shades of your natural hair color. Meaning, you can either color your hair three times lighter or darker than your natural shade. If you have naturally black color, you can color your hair dark brown, burgundy or max medium brown. Similarly, if you are a natural blond, then light brown is the darkest possible shade you can attain. Professional hair stylists are well aware of this fact, hence they can suggest apt hair color ideas and are least likely to commit a blunder.

Dyed Hair Too Dark – How to Lighten

Clarifying shampoo to remove hair dye is the best option when it comes to stripping the hair off the undesirable hair color. They contain strong surfactants which are capable of removing even the traces of hair color. Shampoos with sulfates also remove hair color reasonably well. However, you might have to repeat the procedure a couple of times before you notice a change in shade. Hair bleaching products are yet another option of lightening your hair color. Apply bleach on your hair only for a few minutes if you do not wish to get a very light color. If you colored your hair too dark you might have to leave the bleach on your hair for at least 20 minutes.

Different Hair Colors

http://www.funkytrend.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/wildslide2.jpgDifferent Hair Colors and Styles

Finding the right one from different hair colors is not a very difficult job, all you have to do is try it on! You can test different hair colors for your skin tone before applying them to your hair. Mentioned below are some of the most well known colors which are used by many women for the mere reason that these colors are the only ones that suit every skin tone. So read on and find out if they are your favorites too!

Black
This is the most commonly found hair color prevalent in the major areas of the world like Asia, Europe and Africa. Though this is a natural color, very few women have the darkest shade of black as their hair colors. Therefore women who opt for darker shades have either light brown hair or sometimes are even blond. Black is always the fascination of women who have never had dark colored hair and want to know if it suits them. Since they have a lighter skin tone, it is usually a good choice for a change. More on brunette hair color shades.

Dark Brown
Dark brown is the next very extensively used of the different hair colors picked by many women. Dark brown is also used mainly as a color for highlights by women who have light brown or blond hair. There are many different hair colors with highlights which are used, like red and burgundy on dark brown hair. It also gives a very casual yet classy look when it is colored on light brown or blond hair as simple streaks. Women with a fair and dark complexion look good with dark brown hair color ideas as it is a very neutral color.

Red and Burgundy
Different hair colors for women also consists of a very rich and popular choice known as the red color or the shade of burgundy. Again to choose this hair color as yours, you have to make sure it suits your skin tone as you don’t want to put yourself through a blunder. Red hair colors along with burgundy looks beautiful when the entire hair is colored and otherwise, highlights or tips of the hair look ravishing. Red is that color which women hardly choose as a casual choice as sometimes it may look loud and bold, but to have a few thin streaks would catch anyone’s attention.

Blonde Hair Color Ideas

http://images.askmen.com/photos/heidi-montag/82984.jpgBest Blonde Hair Color Ideas

Platinum Blonde
Platinum blonde is one of the most prominent shades of blonde which instantly attracts attention. Platinum blonde hair color gives a completely hot look and suits those with an extremely fair complexion. With the whitish-blonde look, as it is commonly known, just add dark smokey eye makeup and you are ready to flaunt your new hot look!

Dark Blonde
A dark blonde look is something you can confidently wear and get a fresh and stylish look. This is the perfect blonde hair shade for those with tan, medium skin tone, olive skin tone or wheatish complexion. This color looks like a mix of golden blonde and dark brown and adds a unique and balanced look to your traces. Curls or straight hair, both look amazing with this blonde hair color.

Golden Blonde
If you want to give a dramatic look to your traces, one of the best blonde hair color ideas is to go for golden blonde. Well, you need to essentially have a fair complexion to wear that stunning look with golden blonde hair color. Those who just got a subtle tan can add this shade to their hair and have a completely sun kissed look.

Strawberry Blonde
One of the best blonde hair color ideas for those with a pale complexion with peach or golden undertones, or brown complexion with pink or golden undertone, is to opt for a strawberry blonde look. Dark strawberry blonde hair color with undertones of auburn or dark brown looks great, especially for wavy or curly locks.

Funky Hair Color Ideas for Blonde Hair

Well, you have finally got that blonde color gracing your locks. How about having blonde hair with lowlights, which will add to the stylish look? You can add some classy lowlights to enhance the blonde look. Having blonde hair with black highlights is a great idea for platinum blonde shade. Those with golden or strawberry blonde can consider having brown highlights in a suitable shade. Blonde hair with brown highlights looks awesome, just try it! One of the dark blonde hair color ideas is to add a few caramel or honey color highlights. Other funky blonde hair color ideas include adding lowlights of toffee, bronze or beige color.

Hair Coloring Ideas

http://beautyspotlight.com/files/images/firebird_02.jpgColoring Ideas for Different Hair

To carry out the activity of coloring hair, many different factors are to be taken into account. The cute hair coloring ideas that people seek in order to give a nice look to their hair can be found in the paragraphs below.

Hair Coloring Ideas for Blondes
Those with naturally blonde hair have many options to choose from. The idea of highlighting with a burgundy hair color is one of the most preferred one. Bold red highlights go well with a skin that has fair complexion. The orange red is one of the best hair color for olive skin. Plum red is suitable for a medium tone.

Hair Coloring Ideas for Brunettes
The brunettes can choose from a variety of hair colors however, they should avoid ash or platinum colors. Brunettes with short hair can just color the bangs and give them a good look. Those with an olive skin tone should go for shades like chestnut or coffee. Warm shades of brown are suitable for those with a fair complexion. Dark skinned people should color their hair with dark shades. This is because they have a warm skin tone and dark hair colors are suitable for such skin tones.

Hair Coloring Ideas for Black Women
Golden is one of the best hair color for dark skinned women. As mentioned earlier, a dark skin color is associated with a warm skin tone. Red hair color also looks good on dark skinned women. There are many shades of red that one can choose from; the bright and vibrant being most common. If one prefers a dark hair color, the brown and black are best shades. Natural black should be chosen over pitch black.

Hair Coloring Ideas for Men

Nowadays, men are becoming conscious about their looks, just like women. Coloring the hair is one such aspect where men are trying to experiment. Hair coloring in case of men should not be the last resort to hide the natural gray shades (resulting from aging), but an attempt to give them a sporty look. Semi-permanent hair color should be used by those with hair that is less than 30% gray. Those hair which are more than 30% gray, should use the lowlighting technique. Permanent hair color is used by men who want to completely cover their hair with different hair colors. These colors stay till the hair completely grows out.

Hair Color for Black Women

http://ryanbarrett.typepad.com/.a/6a00d8345259a469e200e553d6a7e98833-800wiTypes of Hair Color for Black Women

There are various hair color ideas available while trying to change the shade of your original hair color. Although the coloring products available in market are safe to use, some African American hair care products are designed specifically, keeping them in mind. Let’s go over these different hair color types and see which one would look best on you.

Permanent Hair Color: It’s always better and safe to get permanent hair color done from professionals in hair salons, as they have better hair coloring techniques and skills. As these coloring products contain ammonia and peroxide, the color doesn’t wash away, but only fades as the hair grows out. You could go for regular touch-ups depending on how fast your hair grows in order to cover the roots. To keep your style updated with the latest fashion trends, hair color for black women, especially the permanent ones should be handled by an experienced hair colorist.

Demi-Permanent Hair Color: These hair coloring products contain a small amount of peroxide and no ammonia. Hence, if you’re looking for a two tone hair color for black women or wish to go lighter, demi permanent hair color is not for you. However, it will enhance your natural hair color and cover up all grays perfectly. Plus, for the next 24 shampoo cycles, your color won’t fade away.

Semi-Permanent Hair Color: Semi permanent hair color is similar to temporary and hair color rinse as they last for longer time periods. To make the color stay on the hair, it is applied first and then sealed using heat from the dryer for about 30 minutes. Semi-permanent color doesn’t contain any chemicals and are safe for processed hair. The final hair color for black women stays for about 6 – 12 shampoo cycles and doesn’t make a huge difference from the original hair color.

Temporary Hair Color: Guessing from the name, obviously a temporary hair color lasts till you shampoo. Temporary hair dye won’t lighten or give two tone hair color for black women as it doesn’t contain any chemicals. All they do is coat the hair strands.

Hair Color Rinse: These hair rinses are free of ammonia and peroxide which are typically used for adding shine and depth to your hair. Women who can’t find time to visit salons on a regular basis can use the color rinse method to maintain their hair right at home. Hair color rinse can also be used on relaxed hair. However, it washes out after a while, hence it must be applied again in few week’s time. Color rinses don’t lighten dark hair, so don’t use it if you’re looking for light brown hair color for black women.

Blonde and Brown Hair Color Ideas

http://www.hairstyles53.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/jessica-alba-hair-color-6.jpgBlonde and Brown Hair Color Ideas

Since you’ve thought about giving yourself a new look by changing your hair color and style, your hairstylist will be more than happy to give you hundreds of suggestions according to your skin tone, face structure, and hair texture. However, it is better if you go to a salon after doing a little bit of research on your own so that you don’t get overwhelmed with information and have to make a decision on the spot. Hence, we have few ideas that you can look into in order to make the right decision. Whether you’re looking for blonde and brown hair highlights, lowlights, or changing your hair color completely or partially, we have all your doubts and questions answered below.

Highlights and Lowlights
If you feel that either of the hair colors can’t pull off highlights or lowlights, then you are imagining things. Of course you can. If you’ve never had the courage to get one before, close your eyes and take the plunge. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

  • Brunettes: A perfect way to add highlights to brown hair is by adding blonde highlights in random places. When the sun hits these highlights, it will give them a lightened look and make your hair look brighter than usual.
  • Blondes: To make your blonde hair look less brassy and richer than its original color, you need lowlights for hair. Lowlights add a thin strip of color which is darker than your original hair color. You can change your blonde hair with brown highlights without being too bold or drastic about it, and still get a buttery richness.

Streaks
Another blonde and brown hair color idea could be adding bolder than bold streaks. With brown hair, blonde streaks can look real “freaky” when they are close to one another. Hence, you would want to go for adding the streaks of color throughout your hair. If you have bangs, try a bold swatch of blonde in them (if that doesn’t say bold I don’t know what will). As for blonde hair, you can opt for dark brown streaks. But instead of going for thin strips, go with slightly thick ones. This will give your blonde strands a fab look.

Under Color Hair
Many of you must be familiar with under coloring hair. For those who are unknown to the concept, what under color means is keeping the original color of your hair on top and simply adding a contrasting color underneath. To perfect the under color hair color ideas – get the right hair color for you, simply follow the tips given below.

Hair Color Ideas: Highlights for Hair,

http://static.becomegorgeous.com/gallery/pictures/highlightideas23_hairstyle.jpgCool Hair Color Ideas Highlights & Lowlights
Here are different kinds of highlights for hair and lowlights for hair ideas, for different types of base hair colors. Select one idea or combine 2-3 ideas and use it for hair coloring and highlighting ideas.

  • No matter what you do, at least get 8 streaks in your hair, despite wherever they are placed.
  • How about a blond faux Mohawk, with black streaks at the top?
  • If you wish to get skinny highlights for a sober look, then take a hair section, and with the tip of a hair dyeing brush, pick up skinny strands of hair, and then color them.
  • On a good layered haircut, with the crown hair also cut short, try these. Get 2 skinny highlights on each side, 2 skinny highlights on the back and one skinny highlight on the bangs. And for a cool effect get skinny highlights on the hair section above, this way when you tie your hair behind, these highlights will get displayed.
  • Dark blond hair with black lowlights in hair.
  • If you have a typical layered haircut, which has middle parting and equal layered hair on both sides, then get some popular highlights for hair colors, like copper or blond chunky highlights.
  • Try on blond hair, red colored chunky streaks for a unique look.
  • On a bob cut, with blond hair base color, get hot pink color at the tips of the hair ends.
  • On a bob cut, with a black or dark base color, get bright purple at the tips of the hair ends.
  • Blonds for a fall look, can go with brown lowlights and get them done by a professional.
  • If you have brown or dark brown hair then go with an extra dark shade to almost black shade of hair color for low lighting.
  • A scene haircut with green highlights in front, near the bangs and front hair strands.
  • If you have base black hair, then go with many multiple highlights, so that only few black hair are visible.
  • If you want a textured subtle look, then take your base color, and take 2-3 hair colors which are minimum 2 shades darker than your base color. With these colors, get skinny hair highlights all over your hair.
  • If you have blonde hair, then add some black lowlights and add golden highlights.
  • Looking for hair color ideas for brunettes with highlights, then try platinum blond highlights on dark brown hair.