It really is the little things in life we appreciate. Summer evenings. Being offered a seat on the bus. A home-cooked dinner. Dyeing your hair and not wanting to immediately shave it all off.
Yes, a successful dye job is up there as one of life's little unexpected pleasures. Because there's a lot that goes into a drastic follicle makeover: is it going to suit your complexion, your eye colour, your hair type? Like cutting yourself in a fringe, dyeing your locks is not something that can be easily changed back if you're not happy with it, so you have to be sure that it's definitely what you want. To save any in-salon regret - because there's nothing worse than crying in front of the person who just spent 6 hours colouring your hair - here's some tips to choosing the right shade of blonde for your complexion.
Fair complexion
Rebecca Cottington, Artistic Designer and Colour Master at Live True London Putney, tells us that fair-skinned ladies should generally go for lighter shades of blonde - platinum blonde, for instance, is perfect because it's super close to your skin colour. "You need to avoid too much warmth as this can highlight the pink undertones in your skin and make you look flushed," Rebecca says. "If all-over platinum is too bold, combines platinum highlights with a beige blonde for a softer look."
But y'know, not everyone's into the icy blonde look. If you want something a little warmer, then Rebecca says a sandy blonde is perf for fair skin: "It's rich and warm without too much red or orange."
Medium complexion
Medium skin tones have got it made, because they can enjoy the benefits of both light and dark blonde shades, and for that we are eternally jealous. "Platinum can work with medium skin tones too but team this look with darker, biscuit blonde roots," advises Rebecca. Alternatively, warm tones are also gonna look banging on you, so it's a win-win. "Caramel blonde is warm and will complement medium skin tones beautifully - add highlights and lowlights to give the hair dimension."
Olive and darker complexion
Olive and dark skin tones should avoid too much white, platinum or orange shades in order to keep your look natural. But Rebecca has an interesting tip for choosing which shade of blonde works for you. "Take inspiration from the colour flecks in your eyes," she says. "Caramel and bronze tones will bring warmth to your face. Golden blonde looks fabulous with dark skin, and keeping roots darker ensures you don't look washed out."
Things to consider
So, in summation, when choosing the best shade for you there's actually more to take into consideration than you might first think. There are so many different shades of blonde that you're bound to find one that suits you, but as a guide Rebecca says that warm skin tones go better with golden blondes, whilst cooler skin tones match an ash or light blonde. Also, Rebecca says, you should think about your eye colour and the time of year. An icy blonde with blue eyes in winter works a treat, whilst a summer glow with a caramel colour is gonna look pretty hot too.
All the non-blondes
If you're not really feeling the blonde bombshell look, then Symon May, colour expert at The Chapel, said that no matter what colour you're dyeing your hair, it comes down to identifying whether your skin tone is warm or cool.
For those with olive skin, choosing a colour is, again, a walk in the park: "Olive skin can suit warm or cool tones, for example a dark chocolate for cool or caramel for warm, but ultimately will always suit rich tones." Symon also advises that those with a pinky tone to their skin should spend some time identifying the right colour to neutralise the pinkness, avoiding reds and golds, whilst fair-skinned ladies should avoid too much richness in their hair colour to stop the skin looking washed out.
What shade of blonde would you go? Let us know! @sofeminineUK
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