Articles by Topic: Coloured Hair

The techniques below can be beautiful or dramatic or both—as long as they're left to a professional. Even then, they take a talented hand and a skilled eye. At the very least, a colourist can see the back of your head, and you can't!

Most over-the-counter permanent hair colour is stronger than professional salon colour, which is usually not available to the public. It works more quickly, which makes you feel as if you're getting more bang for your buck, but it usually contains more ammonia, which means it is harsher on hair. Salon colour not only works more slowly but also becomes more diluted when the colourist mixes it to create just the right tone for you.

There are several different types of hair colour. Some simply lay colour on top of the hair strand like paint on a canvas; other require a chemical reaction that takes place inside the hair shaft. The amount of time the colour lasts depends on the complexity og the colouring process and the fire power behind the chemical process. Whatever your reasons for wanting to colour your hair, carefully consider the chocies before making the plunge.

If you're thinking about colouring your hair for the first time, book a consultation with a colourist, or talk to a colourist at the salon where you have your hair cut. Ask yourself what you want to change about your hair. Do you want to brighten your natural-born mousiness? Cover gray? Make a dramatic change? Your reasons for colouring will determine which products you should use, the best techniques, and whether or not you can do it yourself.

Colour-treated hair needs special care. "Colouring weakens the hair, breaks down the disulfide bonds in the hair shaft, and gradually breaks down elasticity," says Philip Kingsley, a trichologist and owner of salons in Manhattan and London. The best thing you can do to keep colour-treated hair healthy and shiny is not to colour it too often—although a lot depends on the type of colour and the chemicals used.