I asked my favourite hair colourist Maria Kontos from Ena Salon (www.enasalon.com ) to share her wisdom with us....
Most of us have been colouring our hair for years, without giving it a second thought. The right colour can literally take years off your looks by injecting colour and lifting your complexion; but get it wrong and you’ll look more death warmed up than glowing goddess. Here are some tips on how to ensure you get it right......
- Don’t be afraid to change. As we get older we lose a lot of colour in our complexion, so what suited us in our 20s may be flattering in your 40s. It’s important to tweak and change ones hair colour at least every 2-5 years to ensure you maintain a youthful glow. Sometimes we need to go darker as we get older, for others we may need to lighten up a bit. He secret is being open to experimenting with your hair colour – it may give you a new lease on life.
- Hair that is too dark will make you pale, washed out, line and wrinkles may seem more prominent and your features may even appear sunken in. At worst, inappropriately dark hair colour can give the impression of a wig, rather than a soft and natural colour you were sure to be hoping for.
- An easy way to test whether your hair colour is too light or dark is to look at your skin in the mirror without any make-up on. If it looks sallow and washed out – chances are its draining you and needs to be brightened up a bit.
- Highlights are exactly that – splashes of light around the hair line – they should not be used all over as you’ll lose definition and the lift you were trying to achieve.
- Blonde isn’t everything. Over bleached or highlighted hair can take on the appearance of straw and drain ones complexion too. Highlights are best used in conjunction with a tint and best placed around the face to inject light into the skin.
- If you want to create a youthful appearance, smooth, silky shiny hair is essential. Always make sure you look after your hair and protect it from heat and chemical damage. A good enriching conditioner is essential. If you’ve got problem hair, it’s definitely worth investing a little more in professional hair products to give you hair a boost.
- Highlights don’t need to 100% bleach – anything that’s 2 shades lighter than you’re overall colour will do the trick. Also, when you are going lighter than your natural colour, have your eyebrows coloured one shade darker then the colour your choose, this will bring out your features and make your youthful appearances shine through.
- Whether we like it or not, grey hair will instantly age you, but keeping grey roots at bay can be high maintenance. To ensure a softer regrowth, it is preferable not to cover your white hair completely. Instead, use a semi or demi permanent colour in the shade you want and when combined with your existing hair colour you will achieve a softer, translucent, natural look.
- Never try to lighten your hair at home. Hair colour can build up on your hair, so in order to get a lighter look - you may need to have previous dark colour residues removed from your hair. The only way to successfully eliminate old colours from your hair is in the safe hands of a professional in a salon. Once the old residues are gone, you are free to choose a new shade with the help of a professional colourist.
- If you do decide to colour your hair at home and aren’t happy with the result, seek professional help first. Do not throw another colour on top as they results will only look worse and are likely to damage your hair in the process too. We all know how ageing dry, frazzled hair can look.
For more information and appointments visit www.enasalon.com
