(Photo: Christopher Polk/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank)
Among other things, 2018 was the year of dramatic hair colour transformations, from Instagrammable pastels to platinum to cool silvery greys — and everyone from celebs to your office pod mate were giving bold shades a try. This year, pastels still reign supreme but you can expect to see colours on the polar ends of the vibrancy spectrum: think ethereal hues like lilac and cheery shades like coral.
For the pastel-averse, this is also the year of natural, your-hair-but-better colours, a reaction to what Toronto-based hairstylist and owner of Medulla & Co. Luis Pacheco calls a “colour hangover” from the unicorn and rainbow shades of the past. These new colours are far from OTT, but still about celebrating individuality. So whether you’re craving a daring new look or covet a low-key change, here are the pro-approved trends to inspire your next colour refresh.
Celebrity inspiration: Paris Jackson
The lowdown: Don’t be surprised if you see Pantone’s 2019 Colour of the Year showing up on hair. “Fashion colours are becoming more and more accepted as hair colours like blonde or brunette,” says Jill Buck, an L.A.-based stylist who has worked with Nina Dobrev and Julianne Hough. The fashion-forward orangey-pink is fresh, fun and of the moment.
Pro tip: “This colour looks best when some of the natural root is still there,” says Buck. “Using a foil technique with feathering up to the root helps create that blend of colours.”
Celebrity inspiration: Chrissy Teigen
The lowdown: This rich multi-dimensional brunette boasts specks of warm golden blonde. “It’s not about shifting the base so much, but introducing a few fine baby lights that follow the natural flow of the hair so that when it falls and it parts, [the] falls in its right place,” says Pacheco.
Pro tip: Get a gloss refresh from a pro in butterscotch every four to six weeks to maintain the vibrancy of your hair. In between, use a colour-safe shampoo and a conditioner to extend the life of the colour.
Celebrity inspiration: Cardi B, Halsey
The lowdown: Purple’s softer sister is already having a moment. According to Pinterest, searches for lilac hair are up more than 1,000 percent over the last few months and on a steady rise. Plus, when Halsey enlisted her fans to help her choose her next hair colour, lilac emerged the winner.
Pro tip: This soft pastel is more high-maintenance and requires a prescription conditioner with toner as a take-home treatment in order to prevent fading. “If you use a generic blonde shampoo or violet shampoo, you’re just toning out the yellow but you’re not adding any [additional] tone to it,” explains Pacheco.
Celebrity inspiration: Lady Gaga
The lowdown: Think sheer watercolour blue that glows without being overpowering, says Frederic Aspiras, Lady Gaga’s longtime stylist who was responsible for the star’s colour transformation for the Golden Globes. The blue ’do’s translucence also makes it compatible with every skin tone. To get Lady Gaga’s see-through cerulean, Aspiras combined shades Sky and Rose from Joico’s semi-permanent Color Intensity collection with a clear mixer.
Pro tip: For proper at-home maintenance, stock up on good colour-protecting shampoo and conditioner, and toning products. Aspiras recommends Joico’s Colour Balance Purple and Colour Balance Blue Shampoo and Conditioner, and Blonde Life Brilliant Tone Violet Foam.
Celebrity inspiration: Priyanka Chopra, Sarah Hyland
The lowdown: This warm, earthy brown is the hair colour equivalent of NARS Orgasm blush — it looks good on every skin tone. “It’s rich and soft with a beautiful shine, and also captivating to the eye,” says Takisha Sturdivant-Drew, who’s worked with stars like Kerry Washington and Vanessa Hudgens. “It stands out against the recent trends like blonde balayage or fun colours.”
Pro tip: The shade requires little upkeep — save for the roots, if your natural colour is dramatically different. “If your hair is not naturally brown, you’ll have to touch up your roots when they start growing out,” advises Sturdivant-Drew. Expect to get a touch-up once every two to three months.
Celebrity inspiration: Lili Reinhart
The lowdown: Violet and gold mixed together strike the perfect balance to create a sparkling blonde, says Buck. “It’s not too yellow and it’s not too ashy.”
Pro tip: To keep blonde in top form at home, a simple purple shampoo will do the trick. Buck is a fan of Unite’s Blonda Shampoo, which she recommends using once a week.
Celebrity inspiration: Kim Kardashian
The lowdown: This jet-black hair is all about ultra-reflective, glass-like shine, almost like it’s digitally enhanced.
Pro tip: Instead of permanent colour, opt for demi-permanent so that it’s more of a stain, advises Pacheco. That way, you get to experience the colour sans commitment. “The hardest thing we do as colourists is correct people who’ve been colouring their hair black with permanent dye. It’s a sucker to get out,” he says. To amp up shine, he likes using the TO112 Collagen Mask. “The low pH level helps tighten the cuticle, creating a light-bouncing effect while helping with hair colour retention.”
Celebrity inspiration: Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lopez
The lowdown: “It’s a golden tone but a little bit more subdued,” says Pacheco about the powdery blonde. The sunlit shade has a softness that differentiates it from its brighter sparkling blonde counterpart.
Pro tip: Choose a colour-safe shampoo that’s right for your scalp, and tag team with a conditioner that’s appropriate for your hair type—the latter is a must for nourishing dry, brittle stands that’ve been zapped of moisture from the colouring process.
Celebrity inspiration: Hilary Duff
The lowdown: This platinum blonde borders on white. “It rides the edge of ‘natural colour’ since it’s not highlighter-yellow or purple, and yet it’s still different because rarely anyone has naturally white hair,” says Sturdivant-Drew. “It will look more natural on light skin tones, but dark skin tones will still look amazing in it.”
Pro tip: To achieve the full platinum-white effect, make sure you’re going for regular root touch-ups at the salon at least once every two months, says Sturdivant-Drew. Prevent hair from becoming brassy by using a blue or purple shampoo; it’ll counteract the green/yellow and tone your hair to the perfect icy shade.
Celebrity inspiration: Zoey Deutch
The lowdown: You’ll be seeing a lot more warm, golden reddish tones this year like this rich copper, according to Pacheco. It’s a natural-looking but equally striking alternative to fiery red. The addition of highlights gives it more dimension than straight-up ginger.
Pro tip: At home, use a colour-safe, paraben and sulfate-free shampoo. Schedule a roots touch-up every four to six weeks, along with a gloss so that the colour remains fresh. Red is vibrant upon application but tends to fade quickly.
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