The
relationship between a girl and her colourist is one of the most important she
can have. After all, you are putting your crowning glory in their hands and as
we all know, the right colour makes you look and feel great, the wrong colour
can drain you as well as age you.
Adding
colour to your hair is one of the quickest ways to change your looks. So, it is
essential to choose a good colourist. Before you let anybody near your hair
have a consultation and a patch test for allergies. Ask your hairdresser - or a
friend who has well-coloured hair - to recommend a colourist. You need
somebody who specialises in colour not a general stylist.
Take in a
picture of what you actually want and discuss it. Make sure that your idea of a
colour is the same as theirs. Look at your colourist’s hair, make-up (if it’s a
woman) and sense of dress.You can get an idea of how much they understand
colour.
Talk about
maintenance. Ask how long you can expect the treatment to last before having to
have it redone. Generally, dark, rich shades last the longest. Red tones fade
the quickest.
Hair is
made up of three colours: red, yellow and blue. Brunettes have more red and
yellow than blondes. As brown hair has more warmth, extra care needs to be
taken when lightening it. Blondes should not go to brassy.
Go to a
colourist who gets your skin tone and eye colour. If you have warm tones in
your skin, golden shades will suit you. If you have cool skin tones, go for ash
tones. Avoid red tones if you have a lot of pink in your skin. There are always
exceptions to every rule. You may need a neutral shade. The professional will
see that.
Remember,
tweaking your hair slightly may mean you have to change your make-up. A more
drastic change may mean having to rework your wardrobe as well.
Each time
you see your colourist tell them what you like and don’t like about your hair.
They should review your colour every appointment.
To keep
your hair looking good use a deep conditioner once a week. My favourite is
Philip Kingsley Elasticizer (£25.50, www.philipkingsley.co.uk) which magically
seems to make hair silky soft. Limit your use of heated appliances as they will
dry your hair out and always wear a hat in the sun.
By
Daralyn Danns
