What Colour Should You Dye Your Hair?

“What colour should I dye my hair? Should I choose a radically different shade? What colour will look good on me?” These are some of the most common hair-colour-related questions.

Dating all the way back to ancient Greece and Rome, the art of changing hair colour for cosmetic purposes has steadily increased in popularity over the years. In fact, the global market for hair dyes exceeded 29 billion U.S. dollars in 2019. By 2025, it is expected to reach 42 billion dollars.

Modern hair colours are available in a myriad of shades, including flamboyant ones like tiger’s eye, sable brown, rose gold, and chocolate mauve. However, natural shades like brown, black, blonde, and red are the most popular.

Before you choose any highlights, smears, or streaks, you first need to choose your base hair colour.

In this post, we will bring you all of the hair colour information you will need to choose the shade that would best suit you.

Choosing Your Hair Colour: Things to Consider

Want to start dyeing your hair? It is important to consider these factors first:

1. Your Hair Colour Goals

First and foremost, decide on your colour goals. For some, covering their grey hair is their biggest priority. Others may want to enhance their natural hair color for a richer look or change it completely for a funkier look.

Next, you must decide how long you want the dye to last. This may vary depending on how often you wash your hair and what home care products you are using to look after your colour. Also what colour has been used and if there is any underlying colour in the hair.

• Semi-permanent colour will begin to fade after 6-8 washes
• Demi-permanent colour will fade after around 24 washes
• Permanent dye will remain permanent in the hair only slightly fading after a long period of time but needed to retouch the roots after around 6-8 weeks.

If you want a lighter colour, you may want to consider getting neutral highlights as well.

2. Your Natural Shade

For your first dye, go for a colour within two shades of your natural hair colour. Shades that are much lighter or much darker can look unnatural.

If you want a dramatic colour change, start with a neutral colour and gradually increase the intensity. You can even mix and match with different colours to achieve different looks.

Whichever shade you pick, make sure to take special care of your hair, especially while using harsh colours.

3. Your Undertones

Another important factor to consider is whether a hair colour that will suit your skin tone.

If you have warmer skin tones, you should use warmer colours. For example, those with olive, pink, or ruddy skin tones may choose burgundy, auburn, browns, or golden blondes.

Likewise, people with cool skin tones should choose cooler colours. You may want experiment with ash blonds or even purple-tinged streaks.

4. Your Hair Texture

Be careful when choosing you hair colour, as some may weaken your hair strands. To prevent damage, you must consider your hair texture.

If you have dry hair, which is especially prone to damage, a platinum-blond colour may cause more harm. On the other hand, warmer tones would make it look healthier.

5. Your Hair Colour in Childhood

We all had great hair during our childhoods. However, it often grows lifeless and dull as we get older.

You may want to choose a shade that is close to the one you had during those wonder years. Doing so will make your locks look lustrous and healthy.

6. Your Eye Colour

Do you want your dyed hair to suit your eye colour? You must decide if you want the shade to complement it or contrast it.

If you have dark, deep brown, amber, or gold-flecked eyes, warmer hair colours and highlights would complement your eye colour. On the other hand, if you are light-eyed, a lighter blonde shade will enhance the overall effect.

To contrast your eye colour, opt for the opposite tone. For example, if someone with brown eyes wanted a contrasting hair colour, they may choose a light blonde.

7. Maintenance

It is important to understand maintenance after your colour service. For example if you were to get an all over permanent colour you will begin to see a regrowth of your natural colour coming through at the roots and will be in need of a touch up after roughly 6-8weeks. A semi or demi permanent does not have as strong or obvious regrowth as it fades over washes so you may be able to leave these colours longer. A great low maintenance colour would be to add some natural highlights to the hair so only some pieces of the hair are coloured, this will create a soft blend as the hair grows out and becomes less maintenance.

Hair Colour and Personality Traits

People assume that redheads have a fiery temper. Blondes are often referred to as “dumb blondes”. Is there a relationship between hair colour and personality?

Here’s how people judge others by their hair colour:

• Redheads are believed to be fiery, mysterious, romantic, and confident
• Brunettes are said to be honest, reliable, secure, warm, and hardworking
• About 70% of the world population is made up of black-haired people. They are considered intelligent, happy, confident, logical, and attractive
• Blondes are perceived to be bold, fun-loving, earthy, high-maintenance, and carefree

What Colours Can I Use to Dye My Hair?

Now that you’ve considered a few of the most important factors, here is a list of some interesting hair colours to choose from:

1. Platinum Blond is the lightest of all blond shades. Since it has a whitish/yellowish base, you should use a toning shampoo to keep it looking shiny and healthy.

2. Macadamia Nut has a bit more of a golden tinge. It goes well with light eyes, hazel, and green/blue eyes.

3. Champagne Blond has a tinge of rose. It suits light skin types and those with light eyes.

4. Beige Blond has a darker base with lighter highlights. It is best for olive skin tones.

5. Dirty Blond is darker than the beige blond and has caramel and golden highlights, with a darker blond hue.

6. Strawberry red works well with fair or neutral skin tones.

7. Bronze is copperish with golden undertones. It looks great on darker skin tones.

8. Auburn comes close to strawberry, but it has browner tones and suits both fair and dark skins.

9. Sangria is fiery, unique, and daring colour with purplish undertones. It suits medium to dark skin tones the best.

10. Light Natural Brown has a golden hue with a neutral shade. Hence, it suits all skin tones.

11. Dark Brown is a rich brown colour and best suits darker skin tones.

12. Jet Black looks great on dark skin tones. Use a good-quality shampoo and conditioner to keep it looking lush and lustrous.

Common Colouring Questions

Here are the answers to some commonly asked hair colouring questions:

What colours can I use after I have dyed my hair blue or green?

If you want a subdued effect, you should choose muted shades. You can use reds to neutralize greens. You will have to decide how much red you want and how little of the green.

What colours can I use after I’ve dyed my hair pink?

If the pink has faded enough, you could try a tinge of red, blue, or purple. Also, black will help camouflage the faded pink.

What colours can I use for school?

It would be safest to go with black, blond, brown, auburn, red, or burgundy. Always check your school dress code before dyeing your hair.

How can I return to ash brown hair?

Wait for your previous colour to fade. Then use dyes that are marked “N” (neutral), “A” (ash), or “W” (warm or gold).

Choose the Right Colouring Product for Your Crowning Glory

The hair colour you choose shows off your unique personality. No matter what shade you use, make sure to use a high-quality product to maintain your hair health.

Are you wondering what colouring product to use for your crowning glory?

Cutters His & Hers Hairdressing offers you a range of professional hair colour services to give you the look you desire.

Contact Cutters to learn about their full range of services.