This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NYU chapter.
For those of us who either dye or highlight our hair blonde, we all know how much of a daunting task it is to reach the perfect shade. Summer is all about a bright, white blonde that almost becomes a total bleach in the sun. Fall colors are warmer and less harsh, and it’s important to bring your hair away from a bold blonde and go for a softer look for the colder months. If you’re ready to make the switch, read on for a few tips.
- When beginning to think about a new hair color, skin tone is very important. If you are fair skinned, going too dark will make you look washed out, and if you have a pinker skin tone, try to avoid getting too warm of a blonde. Any skintone can start by mixing in some more golden honey highlights to create a good base.
- Low lights are also an important part of the transition. As you may have noticed, a huge fall trend is going ‘bronde.’ This is a lighter, more golden brown and a deeper, more brazen blonde all thrown together to make the line between blonde and brunette ambiguous. A lot of bronde hairstyles have strawberry hints, so putting panels of a strawberry color gives a little more depth and contrast. Keep in mind not to make too drastic change, or else it just looks like an all-together color change, not a gradual highlight that is more natural.
‘Bronde’ hair
- More ashy blonde works best if you have naturally light hair, as it looks real and flows much better. If your hair is dyed a lot or your natural hair is darker, adding red tints might work better. One thing to be weary of when you go from blonde to brunette is that when your natural blonde highlights grow out, it may create the illusion that you are bald. This creates more maintenance than going from brunette to blonde, which is a common misconception.
Ashy blonde
Blonde with red understones.
Tips for DIY color:
- Everyone who has ever been to a hair salon knows how expensive a cut and color can be, so there are ways you can get this look for less in your own bathroom. First you have to make sure you buy the right dye. Usually for home dye jobs, you aren’t going to want to go more than two shades darker than your natural hair. You should also have dye filers for the hard to reach areas. Also, be cautious of dying previously treated hair because treated hair lacks the pigment that makes the dye stick, so you might need a little more dye or leave it on longer.
- Avoiding a solid color is very important. Buy shades that are a little lighter and a little darker to mix in so your hair does not look flat. Keeping dimension in your hair makes for a more natural look. Dying you hair for fall is all about the warmer tones and finding a balance from a dyed blonde and more at ease hair color. Whether you’re going to the salon or braving a home dye, changing your hair color is a go-to beauty transformation for the fall season.