The Easter bunny hops into town with baskets spilling over with eggs decorated in all the colors of our imagination, but those eggs aren”t the only color on our minds this season. The most popular question asked of me is, “What is the best hair color for me?”
While painting the town, women can do it in stunning hues of blonde, brown and, yes, even red. My answer to this age-old question often begins with a series of suggestions for transforming “ho-hum” boring hair color into something vibrant and modern. First, remember that flat, one-note hair hues without some dimension are like wearing a little black dress with no accessories. Basic roots-to-ends hair color begs to be dressed up with one or more of the innovative techniques available to hair colorists today.
Balayage is a French style of hair painting that is as beautiful as a watercolor painting by Wyatt Waters, using lighter and darker variations of blonde, brown and red to enliven the otherwise simple color.
The result is a natural sun-kissed color that is achieved by hand painting two or three tones in the same color family right onto the strands of hair with no real rhyme or reason, just as if the sunlight was your colorist. I love it.
Another clever way to bring pizzazz to your hair color is by adding a bit of gold or copper around the face with a slightly richer, darker backdrop underneath to create texture within the hairstyle. When it comes to highlighting and low lighting, this season the sky is the limit with “fringing,” a process that singles out the soft fringe surrounding the hairline for an unexpected surprise of brightness, or “twisting” longer strands, for example, of chocolate brown lengths haphazardly, then painting with striking shades of contrasting hues for a beach vibe, grown out color perfect for summer.
Don”t forget about the simple things you can do to guarantee healthy, shiny hair color such as investing in the proper shampoo and conditioner that is gentle enough for color-treated hair. Believe me. Your hair will thank you for it.
Before leaving the salon, ask for a clear color gloss that only takes an additional 20 minutes and does for the hair color what clear top coat nail polish does for your favorite fingernail polish. It”s the secret of all celebrity hair stylists used to seal, protect and turn up the shine on remarkable blondes, browns and reds all over Hollywood.
The time for sensational hair color is now, so if you are not happy with yours, get thee to a talented hair colorist who can take you to the next level of beautiful. And you don”t have to wait for the Easter bunny. Get hopping!
David Creel, formerly of Columbus, has 20 years experience in the beauty industry. He owns Beautiful With David salon in Jackson. Reach him at 601-487-6198 or [email protected].
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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