Spring is here! As we scour the magazines for the latest hair trends of the season, deep down inside we know that once winter rolls around the process of change happens all over again. With each passing season, there is always going to be a new, fun trend to try for your hair. Let’s face it, changing your hair is fun and a great way to change up your look without the permanent commitment. However, all that changing from dark to light and back to dark isn’t really the best for our hair. So how do people go through these changes and their hair still looks healthy? Read on to find out how you can have healthy hair through all of the trends.
When you consult with your stylist, you should ask them what type of color they use. Permanent color is, well, permanent and even though it will stick to your hair, it will be all the more difficult to remove once you’re ready to lighten up again. Ask your stylist about using Demi-Permanent color instead. Demis usually will last you 6-8 weeks until you’ll need a touch up again and will be much easier to get out of the hair compared to permanent color since they fade out of hair.
Next, it’s time to think about what kind of change you’re looking for. You should consider your hair type, the integrity of your hair and how much change you’re looking for. If you love your blonde locks and don’t want to go much darker, choosing a brunette shade for cooler seasons is probably not the best choice. The same goes for darker hair. If you aren’t too keen on brightening up too much, a heavy highlight session is probably not in your cards. This is not to say that it won’t be flattering, but if you’re going to go back to blonde in the summertime, it’s going to take a toll on your hair.
The best way to change it up during the year is a more subtle approach. For blondes who like to stay blonde, going a few tones darker- or even opting for a ‘cooler’ tone- will help you feel on-trend with the winter without being too much of a hassle. For brunettes and darker, adding in a few highlights just a few shades lighter will help brighten you up for spring without being too damaging on your hair.
Now that you have an idea of what color you’re going for, it’s time to think about a service. You need to ask yourself the following questions: How much brighter/darker do I want to be? Where do I want to see the most change? Do I want to keep any of what I have now? These questions will help during the consultation with your stylist. They will help your stylist determine what service would work best for the look you’re trying to achieve.
It’s important to do your own research and bring in pictures. To help you and your stylist visualize how much lighter or darker you want to be, pictures will help a great deal. Even though your hair and the model in the picture’s hair are different, it will still help with a general direction to go. Are you looking for an all-over lighter look, but still want to keep some of your natural color? Do you love the contrast of a sombre or are you more into the subtle, sun-kissed look of a balayage? Figuring out how you want to change for the season will help you and your stylist choose a set service to book.
Whether you’re blonde going darker for cooler months or a brunette shaking things up with some highlights for summer, you will experience some damage. Keeping up with the trends also means keeping up with your hair and knowing what it needs. When you’re looking to go lighter, you should have a hair mask that will help add protein to your hair. Aveda’s Intensive Treatment or MoroccanOil’s Reconstructive Mask are great to help add a little oomph to your hair. These will help with damage control on your next highlighting service. Though they won’t stop all the damage, they will surely help keep hair stronger.
When it’s time to deepen the color, you should get a good hydrating mask like Aveda’s Dry Remedy Mask or MoroccanOil’s Light or Intensive hydrating mask. Winter months are drying and our hair suffers just as much as our skin. Getting a good mask to keep hydration in your strands will also help keep damage at bay so your hair is nice and healthy for summer highlights!
Seasons change and so should you. Not only is changing up your look is keeping you in trend, but it’s also fun to experiment with your appearance. It’s extremely important to consult with your stylist when deciding a major change. Brightening up and Toning down doesn’t have to be as dramatic as brown to blonde, but it can still change the way you look. Since spring is around the corner, it’s time to lighten those locks! Book your consultation with your XEX stylist soon so you can warm up just in time for beach weather.
