Making changes to your hair may be nothing new to some people, but to others, the sheer thought of it can paralyze them. Some people like to get creative with their hair, and chopping it off or dying it a completely new color doesn’t phase them at all. Some people are content with their hair when they have found a style or color that suits them, and are more than happy to keep this hairdo for many years. I’ve only tied dyeing my hair once and never will again! Just highlights please! I have had my hair long for over 10 years and can’t imagine chopping it now.
Change can be a good thing though. Whether that change is adding some subtle highlights or lowlights to your hair or getting a little more taken off your length when you usually go for a trim. It can significantly change how you feel and can help boost your confidence.
If your hair is long or short, curly or straight, blond or brunette and you are considering a new color or style, then there are a few things you must take into account. Here are things you should think about before making any drastic changes to your lovely locks.
Changing your hair color
Whether you decide to go to a professional at a hair salon or if you attempt to dye it at home, changing the color of your hair is a big change so think carefully and research before you proceed. Not every color is going to suit you and it can change your complete look, so bear this in mind. Before dyeing your hair you may want to consider the following things.
Compliment your skin tone
When deciding on a new hair color, you need to make sure it compliments your skin tone. To help you find a shade that will work for you, determine if you have a warm, cool, or neutral skin tone. You can do this by looking at your veins; if they are blue or purple then you have a cool skin tone. If they are green then you have a warm skin tone, but if you have both then you have a neutral skin tone.
Once you’ve worked out what tone your skin is, the next thing you need to do is choose a hair color opposite to that. Cool skin tones work best with ash, cool beiges, and copper shades. Whereas warm beiges, chocolate browns, golds, and mahogany reds work well with warm skin tones. If you have a neutral skin tone then you win! You can go with any of these shades as they will all compliment you.
Changing with the season
Something you need to consider before taking the plunge is the time of year that you will be dyeing your hair color. People with healthy locks have it slightly easier than those with damaged hair. Generally, people go for rich, warm tones for winter, and for summer, people like to brighten their hair up and dye it lighter.
If your hair isn’t in the best condition you should re-consider dyeing it, as you don’t want to damage it further by bleaching it. And keep in mind, if you expose your dyed hair to too much sun, it could end up drying it out and making it even more unhealthy.
Think of the maintenance
One thing that a lot of people seem to forget about when dyeing their hair is how much maintenance is required. So if you are thinking of changing color drastically you need to remember that it will probably involve a lot more upkeep and more trips to the salon around every four to six weeks to get the roots touched up. Or if you’re dyeing it home, it’s more time that you will need to spend working on the roots to make sure it matches the rest of your hair.
If you’re not willing to put the time and effort into the upkeep, then you may be better off with a low maintenance hairdo, like ombre-balayage. This allows you to utilize your natural color but with enhanced highlights to compliment your skin tone. With ombre-balayage, you can get away with not getting your roots done as often, so this is perfect if you haven’t got enough time or money to keep booking regular appointments at your salon. If you’re thinking of getting balayage, check out these bronde hair ideas for some inspiration.
Trip to the salon vs attempting it at home
Dyeing your hair at home is much cheaper, but if you are unsure what you’re doing, then it’s best to leave it to a professional hair colorist who has the experience. I’m sure we have all watched the Brand Mondo reaction videos! Aren’t they addicting?! However, if you are feeling brave or you’ve dyed your hair before, then at-home hair dyes are now more advanced than they used to be.
Try to choose a color that is one shade lighter or darker than your current hair color. You shouldn’t put any hair dye on hair that has been previously dyed either, as adding new dye can alter the previous color leaving you with different shades. It can also cause breakage and leave your hair feeling dry. Going darker is always safer than bleaching your hair at home.
Looking after colored hair
If you’ve spent a lot of money getting your hair dyed at a salon, you need to take proper care of it at home by using good products that will protect the color. To help keep your hair healthy and prevent it from drying out, use a deep conditioning mask each time you wash your hair. If you can, try to reduce the number of times you wash your hair each week, as the oils produced help to keep your hair healthy. I try to only wash 2-3 times a week and use deep conditioner and leave-in conditioner afterwards.
Getting your hair cut
Getting a haircut is a quick and easy way to give your hair a fresh update. Although you may be tempted to go and get a chop in the spur of the moment, it’s best to give your new hairdo some thought rather than going out on a whim and being spontaneous.
As with coloring your hair, you need to consider a few things before taking the scissors and cutting off more than you wanted. You don’t want that dreaded feeling that comes when the stylist holds up the mirror and you realize you hate your new hair. To avoid that feeling, read the below to ensure you have taken everything into account before getting your hair cut.
Know your face shape
You can have any haircut you want but there will be some particular styles that simply won’t suit your face shape. We’re all guilty of seeing a gorgeous hairdo on some celebrity and taking a picture of them to our stylist, only to realize we shouldn’t have got those bangs cut in, or a short blunt cut only emphasizes our strong jawline. Instead, ask your stylist what they recommend or find images of celebrities who look similar to you and see what styles look best on them for inspiration.
Keep in mind your hair texture
Just like some haircuts don’t suit certain face shapes, some haircuts don’t work well with certain hair textures and thickness. Before a stylist will start chopping at your hair, they will usually feel it to understand the texture and thickness of it and what type of cut will work and what won’t. If you explain to your stylist what exactly it is that you are wanting, they will have a better idea. You could even show them a picture of the look you’re going for. They will then determine if your hair texture is capable of pulling that look off, but be prepared with a backup idea in case the stylist doesn’t think it will work.
Think about styling
When you change your hair dramatically, from long to short, for example, you need to think about the amount of time required when it comes to styling your new ‘do. Just because your hair will be shorter, doesn’t mean you will be spending less time fixing it in the morning. Short hair can be tricky to style properly, and it will take some getting used to. When your hairstylist has cut your hair and styled it professionally, you need to remember they know what they are doing. So think about the level of effort that will be required and factor this is before you make the chop. I know when I had chin length hair throughout college, it took me just as long to style because it all had to lay perfectly around my face. With longer hair it doesn’t matter as much. And now I have the option to do buns, pony tails, and wear my hair curly when it is humid. With shorter hair those styles just didn’t work.
Do you really want to cut your hair?
There are times when you feel like shaking up your image and going for something spontaneous and completely different than what you are used to. This is fine if you’ve been wanting to experiment with your look for a while but you just weren’t sure what to go for. However, if you haven’t given your new hairdo much thought at all, you may end up regretting your decision which is not ideal. This is why it’s best to give some time and consideration to any potential changes to your hair. What do you really like to have the option of doing? Some hairstyles are possible with shorter hair so keep that in mind.
Hair will grow back but if you want to avoid a bad hair transformation, consider the points that have been outlined in this post before making any extreme choices. It’s always best to have a chat with your hairstylist before coloring or cutting your hair.