Dye Time: Hair Colour Trends to Try

Hello lovelies,

WHAT an amazing weekend it has been!  The temperatures here in the United Kingdom has soared to around 25 degrees Celcius and it feels amazing to be in the sun again.  I really enjoyed the double BBQ's we had on each day of the weekend - because we don't get to do that too often!

So the weekend really got me into the weekend mood!  I thought about colour and having lovely colours in your hair.  This is fast becoming THE trend of the spring/summer period. 

A few years ago: Unusual hair colour like greens, pinks, or blues automatically earned you the label of "freak" or "punk." Manic Panic was the dye of choice, and you could only find it at special stores like.
Now: Pastel pink hair has made its way into the pages of "Vogue," and celebs are wearing turquoise tips on the red carpet. "Unusual" hair color has officially gone mainstream and top salons are jumping on the new dyed hair trends.

While we don't know why people have changed their attitude about coloured hair, it's a change that makes me very happy. Another way to express yourself and get creative with your hair? What's not to love? Plus, there are a variety of techniques and ways to wear this hair colour trend, so it's easy for any girl to try.

Whether you're looking for a bold, long-term commitment like dipped tips, or a quick and non-damaging method like chalking, I got the info. Now all you need to do is to scroll down.

Seeing Colours

Teal green. Deep blue. Pale peach. These are just some of the colours girls are trying right now. But the most popular shade? All the girls want pink -- and there are hundreds of shades of pink. Adding that all kinds of pastel shades are hot right now. It's almost summer so girls are going for lighter colours, plus pastels don't cause as big of a contrast with many natural hair colours. It creates more of a subtle effect.

Darker jewel tones are also very popular. Beet purples and deep blues are finding their way into the mix. Another bonus to choosing a deep jewel tone like blue is the variety of hues that appear when the colour begins to fade. I love blue because it eventually fades to a turquoise green.

As for the colours to avoid, I haven't seen a lot of primary colours, like bright red or yellow, or deep green.

Colour Me

Now that you've decided to experiment with a little colour, what colour should you choose? I'll let you in on what shades work best depending on your hair and/or skin tone.

Pink: This works best on blondes, however a brunette with a warm skin tone could wear a deep rich pink or a pink with a little more red in it. Pinks would also be fun on redheads.
Blue: For girls with dark hair and an olive complexion, I recommends navy, while blondes should try a turquoise or pale blue.
Purple: All skin tones suit purple, but Iespecially love it on a dark brunette.
Green: I only see this working on a blonde, it's a tough shade.

Time for a Dip

Dipped tips are the most popular way to wear this hair colour trend. The process requires a pretty big commitment because the hair must be bleached before any colour is applied -- even if you're already blonde. Because this process is complex, many stylists recommend that you get your tips dipped at the salon. You can also get a wider variety of hues since the colour is mixed to your preference.

This is how the process works: First, the stylist applies the bleach to the ends of the hair. After the hair has turned a light yellow colour, the stylist blots the hair. Then, she applies the colour pigment to the bleached areas. Once the colour has set, the stylist rinses the hair, revealing the final colour. If you've already experimented with the ombre look, you have a leg up. This is great for girls who had the ombre look. They already have the bleached tips, so they just need to add colour.

Keep in mind, bleaching your hair will damage it, so it's usually easier to trim the coloured ends off rather than try to re-dye them.

Stay Colorful

How long will your colour last? Depends on how much you wash your hair and whether the dye is permanent, semi-permanent, or temporary. According to my stylist, if you use semi-permanent colour and you wash your hair every other day, you can expect the colour to last four to five weeks. But if you wash your hair every day, you're looking at two weeks.

In the meantime, my stylist recommends using a colour safe shampoo and a leave-in conditioner with UV protection. (Tip: Stay away from clarifying shampoos. They'll rinse out your colour immediately.)

Refreshment Please

If your dipped tip colour is fading or completely washed out, there is a way to refresh your colour at home. To keep your ends vibrant, I offer up this trick: Add a few drops of store bought concentrated colour, like Manic Panic, to your conditioner. Once you have the desired density of colour, apply to your tips, pushing the formula up the hair shaft. Then, leave it on while you shower, rinsing it out at the end.

Block that Colour

Dipped tips not your thing? Looking for more impact? Try colourblocking. Much like colourblocking your clothes, colourblocking your hair is a "dye technique that creates a defined geometric accent of colour". One way to do this is to dye your hair at the crown one colour and use another colour from the nape down.

Since it's such a precise method, it is recommended that you get your hair colourblocked at a salon. You really need to know your head shape and how the hair falls to get a good colourblocked look.

Tie-Dye Your Hair

If colourblocking is too dramatic, try the tie-dye method. It's when two to three colours are applied to the hair so that the colour fades from dark or light (or vice versa). I think of this as a fun version of ombre for longer hair.

To get the look, start by pulling the hair into a ponytail at the nape of the neck. Next, section the hair into multiple parts and secure each section with another elastic. (Tip: It's important that the rubber bands are tight.) Finally, apply the various colours to each section in the order you would like them to fade. Once the hair has been processed, remove the elastics and "squish all the colours through the ends."

Clip It In

Want something less damaging than dye? Coloured hair extensions are a great compromise. Many stores sell clip-in coloured hair extensions, like Buy Hair (try Remy Clip-in Streak, £3.95). They're easy to place in your hair (simply clip them on), but you can run the risk of looking like a little girl depending on how many you use and where you place them.

Less is more. You don't want a whole head of clip-ins. Instead, aim for a few strands, but put them in a peekaboo area. This means placing the extensions underneath several layers of hair and not directly on top. It should be hidden enough to make people wonder if they saw something or not when they catch a glimpse.

Besides buying a pre-dyed hair extension at a store, you can also have them custom dyed at a salon. Not only can you pick the exact colour you want, but you can also decide if you want to mix colours on the same strand. Plus, your colour will last a lot longer. Store bought extensions use fabric dye to get their colour, which loses its colour faster than a salon extension. At the salon, they pre-bleach the piece and use real hair dye.

Chalk It Up

Not ready to dye your hair at all? No worries. You can still get in on the dye trend in a less permanent way. The solution: chalking, which has been spotted on celebs like Lauren Conrad and Kate Bosworth.

Chalking involves colouring your hair with soft pastels or sidewalk chalk. Since it only lasts until your next shampoo, this look is super non-committal. And unlike other dye jobs that require you to bleach your hair before colouring, this doesn't, which means less damage to your hair. No surprise that it's a favorite with many hairstylists. Chalking is something every girl can do.

And if you're worried that chalking won't show up on darker hair colours, don't. You can get it to show up very well on brunettes. It's just about heavily applying the colour.

Chalking 101

Ready to chalk? Swing by your local craft store and pick up some sidewalk chalk or soft/dry pastels. Just make sure you don't buy oil pastels. Oil pastels won't work, and they'll leave your hair a greasy mess.

Before chalking, I suggest applying a good pomade, like Sebastian Matte Putty, £12.75, to the hair.This creates a gritty surface for the chalk to stick to. Chalking doesn't work nearly as well if the hair is dry. You can also just wet the hair for a similar effect.

Once you've applied the pomade and selected a piece of hair to chalk, I recommend twisting the strands before chalking. This is so the colour doesn't look so deliberately placed. Colour the twisted strand heavily, then let it go. Finally, mist your hair with hairspray to lock in the chalk.




I hope you've enjoyed this summery special.  Let me know how your weekend went!  I'd love to know.