Your hair is one of the first things people see when they look at you and one of the first things you notice when you look at yourself in the mirror. Like it or not our choice in hairstyle and colour plays a significant role in how people perceive us and in many cases how we feel about ourselves. Find out how to pick the perfect hair colour and what styles are most flattering for you...
Hair Styles
Often people want to know what their hairstyle options are - what will suit their face shape is the most often asked question? In this video, Jill Chivers of Shop Your Wardrobe and I discuss the 5 essential questions you should answer before you cut your hair or choose a hairstyle! Face shape is just one element of the equation, discover the other four that are important to consider when discussing your hairstyle options with your hairdresser.
Ideally, you want to think about creating a balanced appearance and hair works just like clothing, using the optical illusion of horizontal to widen (or balance) and vertical lines to lengthen and elongate. I created a series of ideal hair styles based on face shape.
Hair Colour
When you are thinking about your hair colour, the first consideration is always your skin. You want to find a hair colour that flatters your complexion. In fact hair, as it's so close to the face, really will reflect onto the face and can make you look washed out or bright and healthy
Your perfect hair color isn't a whim or a trend but picking the wrong shade can be an expensive and frustrating experience. Finding the right shade can be hard for anyone, a good colourist will always work with your skin tone to give you a colour that complements your skin.
Changing your hair colour can be fun and give you whole new look and attitude. There are two main ways to change your hair colour; Block colour - where a dye is applied to the roots and all over the hair to give full coverage OR high/low lights where separate strands of hair are coloured for a natural look. Block colour has many benefits and is easier to apply (great for darker colours and hiding a few greys) but it does require touch ups every 4-6 weeks or much more frequently if you have 50% grey or more. Colour choice aside, your hair texture also influences how you should colour your hair.
For those of you thinking about going lighter, there are additional things you need to consider when choosing a shade of blonde. One of the most important things to consider when making the decision to go blonde is the condition of the hair. It needs to be healthy. Skin tone is another factor that is hugely important when choosing your blonde, especially when looking at the shade and placement of the colour.
For those of you going lighter, not by choice but through the aging process, there can be some adjustments. Your contrast levels will change and your colouring becomes cooler. You still need to keep your colours on the warm end of the warm/cool divide, as otherwise you will look washed out and pale. But you may need to add in some elements of coolness to tone with your hair.
Virtual Makeovers
If you're worried about how a new you will look, try a virtual makeover first. It's completely reversible, it's free, and it might inspire you to make the changes you're considering. The website I used in this post is not longer working but an alternative is StyleCaster Virtual Makeover
