Colouring your hair is an exciting moment – the right colour can be an instant confidence boost, perfectly expressing your unique style and personality. But in order to get that buzz of achieving the ideal shade, there are five key things to put on your checklist...
1. Trust the pro, not the box
Especially if you're coloring for the first time, try to avoid coloring your hair at home. Why? Much like the difference between painting your own nails and going to a beauty bar, the professional always does a better job...because it is their job!
Typical mistakes that occur when home-coloring include: not leaving the product on for the correct amount of time, which can lead to unexpected color results, and/or color that doesn't last; not applying the color evenly (the back sections are the trickiest); and choosing the wrong shade altogether, which brings us to our second point for your checklist...
2. Know your best colours
We're all unique creatures with different skin tones and face shapes that make us beautiful. But it's also these varying undertones that mean some hair shades aren't as flattering as others. To ensure your new hair colour will make your complexion glow and eyes pop, it's important to know your tone: cool, warm or neutral.
Cool skin tones often have veins that appear blue or purple, and generally suit silver more than gold. Some of the best cool-toned hair colours to opt for are dark brown, ash brown and platinum blond. On the other end of the spectrum, warm skin tones show greenish veins and look great in gold. You can bring out your warm undertones by opting for hair colours such as auburn, chocolate, and caramel blond.
If your veins are more of a teal colour, and you suit both silver and gold – lucky you, you've a neutral skin tone that suits every colour!
3. Temporary, semi- or permanent?
There are good arguments for each hair color option, so it comes down to choosing the right one for your situation:
Go temporary because:
- You're looking to try out a new hair color for a vacation or event
- You enjoy regularly changing your hair color
- You haven't colored your hair before and are nervous
Go semi-permanent because:
- You want to try out a new color for the season
- You're gradually growing out a previous hair color
- You want to be sure it's the right color for you before coloring permanently
Go permanent because:
- You're color-confident
- You want maximum color vibrancy
You don't want to have to re-color regularly
4. Apps and social media
Your stylist may be a professional, but they aren't necessarily mind-readers. Make sure you're both on exactly the same page by doing your research beforehand, and bring in pictures when it comes to your consultation. Social media and apps like Instagram can be rich sources of inspiration when it comes to hair colour, especially with more complex colouring techniques like balayage, or trends such as mermaid or silver hair.
These days there are also apps which enable you to try out different haircuts and colours. Try our Style my Hair app! By taking this to your stylist pre-appointment and choosing the perfect look together, you'll be able to sit back and relax at the salon, knowing exactly what the finished result will be. Technology is on your side!
5. Prepare your colour care
Don't get caught off guard without the right colour care post-salon. Before you take the plunge and change your hair colour, make sure you've stocked up on some suitable shampoo, conditioner and colour protectant. This isn't a one-size-fits-all situation either; there are Serie Expert products tailored especially for brunettes, for blondes, for redheads, and even for silver hair!
Because colouring your hair can weaken it (especially lightening the hair), a regular deep moisturizing conditioner is highly recommended to prevent colour fade and dry, brittle hair. If you're a fan of the flat iron or curling tongs – don't forget your heat spray.
Once these five points are ticked off, go and get your gorgeous hair colour!
