A Few Good Ways To Avoid Sketchy Hair Color
Remember how we recently spoke about salon speak--and how it's a language I kind of don't, uh, speak? Well I am heading out to get my hair color done this afternoon, and just in the nick of time, I got some helpful tips from Clairol's color director, Marie Robinson.
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Sophia Bush has lovely hair color right now, don't you think? Here she is at an event on Monday.
I sent Marie some questions about how to never again leave a salon with hair color you don't love. Here's the sage advice she sent my way.
Me: What are some mistakes women make when requesting/describing hair color? Are there certain generalities or terms one might want to avoid?Marie Robinson: One mistake women make is requesting the trendiest hair color. It's best to ask for a hair shade that complements your skintone for optimal results. Red is hot right now [ed note: oh, we know!], but bright red's not for everyone, so opt for a less extreme shade in the range that's still on-trend. It's always a good rule of thumb to start on the more subtle end of the spectrum, because you can always go bolder. Another mistake is going against a stylist's advice when requesting a particular hair color. A good colorist knows what works and what doesn't, so trust him or her to get the perfect shade.
Me: Is bringing in photos of a hair color you like generally enough--or should you also figure out a good way to describe exactly what you want? What are some examples of good, specific terms that describe hair color?
Marie Robinson: I definitely recommend bringing a photo of the hair color you want to help show your colorist what you're looking for. It's great when my clients bring in pictures of themselves at a point when they loved their hair color. Sometimes that picture is from childhood, before they started coloring their hair. It also helps to be able to describe what aspects of that particular look you want most. Some key "vocabulary" terms every woman should understand are:
