Bright hair colours have become an 'anything is possible' service in recent years, and for good reason. Vibrant hues of pink, blue, purple, and other bold shades can make a statement and express your personality in a unique way. However, achieving and maintaining bright hair colours requires quite a bit of knowledge and experience. If you're looking for a professional salon for a bright hair colour transformation, in this article we'll explore the process of colouring your hair bright colours and the aftercare necessary to keep your locks looking vibrant and unique to you.
Consultation
Before colouring your hair a bright colour, it's important to have a consultation with a professional stylist. They will be able to assess the health of your hair, discuss your desired outcome, and recommend the best approach to achieve your desired colour. Your stylist may suggest a bleach and tone, balayage or foiling technique, or suggest semi-permanent colour. That all depends on the look you are after.
Choosing a colour
When choosing a bright hair colour, it's important to consider your skin tone and natural hair colour. Some colours may look better on certain skin tones than others. Your stylist can provide a colour chart or swatches to help guide you to the right shade. They may also suggest a toner or gloss to customise the shade to better suit you.
Preparation
Before your appointment, it's important to prepare your hair properly. It's best if you do not wash your hair for a few days before coming in - in this case an oily or dirty scalp will help protect. A really 'clean' scalp could cause sensitivity, so please don't come in with squeaky clean hair. If you have previously coloured your hair, we may need to remove the colour before applying a new one. This can be done using a colour remover or bleach. If you have particularly sensitive skin or scalp, make sure to inform your stylist so they can use the most gentle products possible.
During the appointment;
Once you and your stylist have decided on the perfect shade for you, it's time to start the colouring process. Here are the general steps that we'll follow when colouring your hair a bright colour in the salon:
- Protect your skin - Your stylist will use a barrier cream, ear shields or protective foil to prevent the dye from staining your skin.
- Section your hair - Your stylist will section your hair into four or more parts to make the colouring process easier and to ensure accuracy.
- Apply the lightener or colour - Depending on the technique chosen, your stylist will apply the lightener or colour to each section of your hair, starting from the roots and working their way down to the tips. They will make sure to saturate each strand and avoid overlapping the colour on already-coloured hair. On a 'Virgin application' on previously uncoloured hair we may need to do this in reverse: mid lengths, ends and then the scalp. That's due to the heat from your scalp accelerating the lightener in that area whereas it's cooler on the rest of the hair shaft.
- Processing time - The amount of time your hair will need to process will depend on the colour and technique used and your natural shade. The darker your hair is naturally the longer it will take to lighten. Your stylist will monitor your hair during the process to ensure that it is not over-processing or becoming too damaged.
- Rinse and wash - Once the processing time is complete for each section, your stylist will rinse out the lightener. We use 'sectional rinsing' which means we'll remove the lightener in the order we've applied it. This makes sure you don't get ob=ver processed on the first section while we wait for the last section to catch up. It means extra trips to the basin but guarantees an even result. They will then wash your hair using a gentle shampoo and conditioner to restore moisture and prevent damage.
- The final step. The creation of your bright colour. We can use just one shade. A few complimentary shades or multiple colours to create your own distinctive 'unicorn' or 'bespoke' look that you know only you have.
- Processing for the final colour is 20-30 mins. Then it's rinse, condition and cut/style.
Aftercare
Once you have achieved your new bright hair colour, it's important to take care of it properly. Here are some tips for maintaining your vibrant locks:
- Use sulfate-free shampoo - Sulfate can strip your hair of its natural oils and cause the colour to fade more quickly. Choose a sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to help preserve the colour.
- Avoid hot water - Hot water can also cause your colour to fade more quickly. Try washing your hair with lukewarm or cool water to help preserve the colour.
- Use colour-safe products - In addition to sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner, look for products specifically designed for colour-treated hair. This can include hair masks, leave-in treatments, and serums.
- Limit heat styling - Heat styling tools, such as curling irons and straighteners, can cause damage to your hair and make the colour fade more quickly. Try limiting the use of heat styling
- Avoid if possible strong sunlight. The UV in Australia can fade your bright colours quickly.
- Try not to wash it too often. For most people once or twice a week shampooing is enough.
- Use a colour tone support product such as EVO FAB Pro to keep the colour pigments topped up and fresh.
- ENJOY and live your best bright hair life.
- Send us a selfie or tag us @chumbahair. We love seeing how you look outside of the salon rocking your new locks.
