School is (almost) out for summer! Looking to experiment with your colour this season? Read on for our top DO’S, and a few big DONT’S, of colour for teens.
DO
- SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP. That is what salons are there for! There are many factors that go into the formulation and application of hair colour, including your starting depth (how light or dark your hair is), underlying pigment (the colour that becomes exposed when lightening), the porosity of your hair and how to most effectively, and safely, achieve your ultimate end goal that a professional hairdresser specially trained for.
- DO YOUR HOMEWORK. The first step in choosing the perfect colour is to do some research. Pull up your Pinterest and show your stylist pictures (they really do speak a thousand words!) to help them visualize your colour goals.
- CONSIDER SKIN TONE AND EYE COLOUR. Choosing a colour is not as simple as you think. Once you have chosen a colour that looks appealing, you will want to consider how it will suit your features. The right colour, like a good lipstick, can make your eyes sparkle and instantly brighten your skin. Ask your stylist about FRINGE.BENEFITS, a visual consultation tool that allows you to try on your colour before you commit.
- TEST IT OUT. Playing around with temporary colour is a great way to try out a new colour before making a more permanent commitment. Try a coloured shadow like COLOR.BUG to swipe on colour for a fun and fast colour change that you can easily shampoo out.
- SEEK A LOW MAINTENANCE LOOK. It is possible to have professional, salon colour that won’t break the bank. Luckily, for those on a high school budget, rocking your roots is in! Ombre and sombre locks are on trend and require minimal touchups so you can stretch your summer job savings farther.
- GO BOLD. This is the time in your life to really have fun with your colour and experiment with bold shades (if your high school allows it!). COLOR.ME BOOSTERS are a great way to amplify your colour and deliver maximum impact whether you’re going for fire engine red or a punchy pink violet. And pastels are oh-so-seasonally correct for summer. We love this look recently spotted on Kylie Jenner at Coachella.
- MAINTAIN YOUR MANE. Once you’ve invested in professional colour, you will want to maintain your shade by using gentle, colour-safe formulas that won’t strip or fade your colour. Hint, hint: all KEVIN.MURPHY formulas are sulphate free and safe for colour! Also, repeated use of hot tools (we are talking to you flat iron fans!), can leave hair porous and more susceptible to colour loss. Be sure to use products that include heat protection prior to reaching for your tool of choice.
DON’T
- DIY. Hair colour is one area of life that is best left to the pros. Though it may seem like a good idea to save a few bucks, skip the boxed dye and refer to bullet number one ASAP. The biggest problem with boxed colour is that it doesn’t come with a licensed hairdresser to recommend which shade to use and how to apply it. And more often than not, the colour on the box is usually not an accurate portrayal of what your end result will be. Trust us, you will end up having to spend more money getting a professional colour correction than if you had just gone to the salon in the first place.
- COMPARE OR COPY. So you really like your friend at school’s hair colour, but before you attempt to copy her look, think twice. Hair colour is very personal and the same shade can look very different on different complexions, not to mention your personality. Could you picture Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez swapping hair colours? That’s what we thought. You are better off finding a colour that flatters YOU.
- TURN TO “ALTERNATIVE” COLOURING METHODS: Let’s just put this out there right away: Kool-Aid is a drink and not a hair colour. Skip the sticky mess and the stained bathroom counters. Same thing goes with Sun-In. If you want those perfect sun-kissed highlights, you won’t find them at the drugstore.
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