I just got a much needed, long overdue cut and color the other day. My stylist asked me what I wanted for my color. I said I wanted it blonder, not so brassy, and absolutely no dark and light stripes. But as I sat and waited for her to mix my color it occurred to me that I have no clue what I want when it comes to color. I just want to look good. I don't care how you get there.That said, you can tell a bad color job a mile away. I remember living in England at a time when henna-tinted red was extremely popular. And you know what? On 99.9% of the women with that shade, it looked downright awful. Hair that is too dark, too light, that lacks variety and depth all look bad. Here are some hints from the Rita Hazan, hair maven over at Oprah.com...the top 10 hair color screw ups, if you will:
Tip #1 You shouldn't over-highlight to blend gray. The highlights are an accent to the color, not a color themselves.
Tip #2 Colors that are too beige or ashy don't complement skin tones. Try using gold or warm tones, this gives the skin a more youthful, healthy glow.
Tip #3 Too solid of one color can look too dense.
Tip #4 Too light of one color can wash you out! Too dark can turn scary. Too red can be too clowny. So try to stay away from the extremes.
Tip #5 Don't forget the conditioner! There are very lightweight conditioners out there if you are concerned with weighing your hair down. Conditioner keeps your hair healthy and shiny.
Tip #6 Don't have the same hair color for years! Every season you need to change the tone a little bit, this way, you will never get stuck in a rut.
Tip #7 Following trends can be hard. Add a touch of a trend but nothing stripey or chunky.
Tip #8 Roots are simply never sexy.
Tip #9 Two-tone hair: Do not walk around with half your head one color and half another color. If you are growing out your hair, darken it first.
Tip #10 Don't get too creative with your color, less is more in hair color!
There you have it! Now, don't you want to go out and get a new dye job?
