Hair color tips

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Dye your hair often? Even if you only dye your hair a few times a year or once or twice in your lifetime, it is always better to proceed with a new color in a way that is systematic and gives you a color result that not only matches your features, but also looks even and professional. These hair color tips will enhance any dye job and help you get more beautiful hair.

Match your color to your features

Your application can be absolutely perfect, but if the color doesn't match your features it can look harsh or just plain odd. Colors that match your complexion, and to a lesser extent your eyes, are generally always going to look better than shades that don't.

There are two factors to analyze here:

• Level
• Tone

The level of a color is how dark it is from a level 1 or 2, which is black depending on brand, to a level 10, which is the lightest blonde and looks close to white depending on shade choice. If you have lighter skin you will usually suit lighter colors better, whilst those with darker skin will benefit more from a darker color.

Tone is the actual color of the dye. Dark golden blonde and dark red blonde are two different colors of the same level which look different because they have a different tone. When working with tone, you're working with either a cool or warm hue. Ash, pearl, violet, and natural tones are all cool; gold, copper, and red are all warm.

If you have a cool complexion, cool toned colors will suit you best. Warm colors are the opposite and suit a warm complexion. The same principle is used to match color to your eyes, but it is your skin tone that is most important here and proper color matching is overall one of the best hair color tips for a color that looks great. The rest is all application.

 If you don't know whether your complexion is warm or cool, there's a fairly foolproof way to tell. Take a look at your wrist, right below your palm. Specifically, look at any veins. If you have warm skin, the golden tones present in your skin tone will cause your veins to look greenish. If you have a cool skin tone, the veins look blue.

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Section hair before dyeing

One of the best hair color tips for the actual dyeing process itself is to properly section your hair prior to applying the dye. Doing so will enable you to apply the dye much more rapidly, as well as ensure that you get an even application and don't miss any sections.

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To do this, part your hair directly down the middle from your forehead, all the way to the nape of your neck. Your hair is now split into two parts on both sides of your hair. These parts are then further sectioned by parting it again from ear to ear to give four quadrants.

When you apply dye to your hair, start with one quadrant and take thin layers of hair from the top of the section. Apply to both sides of this layer, flip it up, and work downward until you get to the bottom of the quadrant before moving onto the next. Eventually all your hair is covered and you will be amazed at how much quicker and easier the application was.

Apply hair dye with a tinting brush and bowl

Hair dye is always best applied with a tinting brush, from a bowl. Even if you're using box color instead of salon dye, a tinting brush is still your best friend during application. Your hands are a tool that allows you to use the brush; not to blend dye into your hair. They're too clumsy for that. The tight bristles of a tinting brush allow for accurate application without missing anywhere.

To use a tinting brush, mix up your chosen dye in the bowl and then apply to sectioned hair. The brush shouldn't be heavily covered as it is better to work with smaller amounts of dye to ensure that the hair is consistently coated and no sections are coated in less or more dye than required. If you work with small amounts of dye at a time, you get a more even and reliable result.

Have a question about hair color tips or want more tips for your own hair situation and needs? Leave a comment for tailored advice...


More information:

• What are hair color levels? - Find out what levels are and how to use them properly to choose the right color for your hair...
• Types of hair dye - Discover the different types of dye available, how long each type lasts, and how to use them...
• How to keep hair color from fading - Color not lasting as long as you would like? Find out how to keep it for longer...

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