Should I stop colouring my hair?

For people who are starting to show signs of grey in their hair it is very tempting to turn to the colour bottle and banish those greys at least for a few weeks. A visit to the hairdresser to have a full colour or to just have roots touched up can be costly so many people buy a home colouring kit and either colour their hair themselves or get a friend or family member to do it for them, but at which point should you get off this carousel and start to welcome the greys and stop colouring your hair?

The answer really is whenever you want to or never because for some people keeping their hair colour has a lot to do with their self-esteem and may make them feel old before their time if they stop doing that. They feel that the expense and the inconvenience is worth it to make them feel good about their appearance.

For those people that want to embrace the grey and stop colouring their hair, rather than just letting the grey roots grow down it is a good idea to see a hairdresser who will be able to help you to gradually turn grey or to put highlights in the hair so that the grey is not so noticeable as it grows down.

Choosing a Bold Fashion Colour

Bold, bright colours will make you stand out from the crowd and can look simply stunning in your hair. You should always visit a hairdresser if you want a colour like this, as they will make sure it comes out well in your hair. You can choose from all sorts of shades, from pillar box reds and dusky pinks to bright blues and greens. You might choose to have some small sections coloured for a more subtle look.

For a colour to look really bright and bold, it might be necessary to lift up your colour first. This involves bleaching the hair to make your base colour lighter. You will need to have this done for very vibrant reds.

If you don’t want a permanent colour, you can have a semi permanent fashion colour blow dried in. This will last for 3 washes approximately, and your natural hair colour will need to be compatible.

Balayage – Choosing your Colours

Balayage is a hair colouring technique that gives natural highlights and lightens up sections of hair in a natural looking way. Balayage is a technique that many hairdressers can offer, and it’s important you choose the right colours for your balayage so that it will complement your skin tone and suit you.

You should always go for a colour consultation with a stylist before any colour, especially balayage. This gives you the chance to spend some time with your stylist and discuss the different colour options that are available to you. The stylist can show you a colour chart so that you can see the exact colours that will be used on your hair. If you have ideas, tell your stylist, but do listen to their professional opinion as well.

You should also make sure you have a skin test if the stylist will be using different colours on your hair.

Why is a Skin Test Important Before a Colour?

Skin tests are carried out by hairdressers before a client has a hair colour applied. This is so important, as it indicates whether they are going to be allergic to the colour they are having put onto their hair. All salons should carry this out – if they don’t offer to before you hair colour, and you are a new client, you should ask them about it to make sure you are going to be safe. Equally, if you apply a colour at home, you need to perform a skin test with a sample of the colour first.

You can become allergic to a colour at any time. It doesn’t matter if you have had it applied 20 times before – you could suddenly have a reaction. If you have the colour on a regular basis, that is fine, as the colour will act as your skin test. However, if you wait a while in between, make sure you have you colour patch test before your next hair appointment.