Better
blowouts, everyday hair-styling tips, post-workout hair hints -- it's all here
in our healthy hair-care guide. Get salon-ready without the stylist.
Tips to Sport
Best Shade
1. Find Your Perfect Hair Color:
In the market for a serious transformation?
Change your hair color. You'll feel as good as you look: Sixty-nine percent of
women are more confident after a dye job, a Wella Professionals study revealed.
But finding the right product and hue to take you from so-so to smokin' can be
challenging without a hair-color consultation, and 42 percent of women have
never had one. We asked pros for the scoop on the best home color for you and smart tips for maintaining your new shade.
2. For Color That Lasts for Months:
Choose
permanent color. You can go darker or lighter and cover gray, but try not to
stray too far from your natural shade. "You don't want to get stuck with a
dramatic change that you dislike," explains Michael Canale, a colorist and
salon owner in Los Angeles.
Permanent color can change over
time. "Use shampoos and conditioners designed to offset brassiness,"
says Marie Robinson, the owner of an eponymous salon in New York City. Look for green or blue pigments in the ingredients
list: We like Pantene Pro-V Brunette Expressions Shampoo.
3. For Shine Without Color:
Grab a glaze that heightens sheen
but doesn't alter or add color. To aid absorption and boost the effects, wrap a warm towel around your strands for 20 to 30 minutes before
rinsing, suggests Mike Petrizzi, a colorist for De Berardinis Salon in New York City. Try Rita Hazan Foaming Gloss in Ultimate Shine
($26, Sephora stores). Make It Last. End every shower with a cold rinse.
"This makes the cuticle layer lie flat, so hair is more reflective,"
Petrizzi says. "And skip one shampoo a week to preserve luster".
4. For Easy Application:
The latest technology, foam color,
is "a mousselike product that stays put where you apply it," Canale
says. "Foam is great for someone who's coloring her hair
for the first time and wants to avoid dripping or making a mess."
Try
Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Foam ($9, drugstores).
Stick with either color-safe
or color-preserving shampoos and conditioners, like Bumble and Bumble Color
Minded Sulfate-Free Shampoo ($29) and Conditioner ($32, Sephora stores), that
are free of hue-stripping sulfates. To prevent fading, Robinson recommends that
you wash hair with warm water rather than hot, which can strip
and damage color-treated strands.
5. To Camouflage Roots:
Get a root cover-up kit but go a
shade lighter than you think you should, Petrizzi says. Always comb the color
slightly beyond your roots so that there's a smooth shade transition. Try
Revlon Root Erase by ColorSilk ($4, drugstores).
If you've got some regrowth before
you're ready for another coloring session, conceal it by zigzagging your part.
Also, don't let styling products accumulate on your hair: The
buildup makes roots more obvious. Once- or twice-weekly sessions with a
clarifying wash made especially for color-treated hair, such as ColorProof
Clear It Up Detox Shampoo ($30, colorproof.com for salons),
should help.
6. For No More Grays
Opt for permanent color, which lasts
until your hair grows out. Choose two hues a shade or so apart within the same
color family. "To prevent obvious roots, use the lighter one around your
hairline and the darker one everywhere else," Canale says. Look for
"natural" or "soft" under the shade name or "risk your
grays picking up a vibrant, almost neon hue," Petrizzi says. If your hair
is already dyed and you want to cover gray growth, apply the lighter color only
on roots. Try L'Oréal Paris Excellence Crème ($9, drugstores)
Conceal rogue white strands with
mascara-esque wands that deposit temporary color, such as No Gray Quick Fix
Instant Touch-Up ($6, drugstores). If your hair is dark, use your regular
mascara in a pinch.
7. For Perfect Highlights:
Start with a store-bought
highlighting kit but improvise with precision tools that you won't find in the
box. "Use a tiny paintbrush, a cotton swab, or a
toothpick to paint in the highlights," Canale says. "The more precise
the application is, the more natural-looking the results will be." Start
with a few highlights around your hairline and part and never go more than two
shades lighter than your natural color, Petrizzi advises. Try
Clairol Nice 'n Easy Hairpainting ($11, drugstores).
Pick shampoos and conditioners, such
as Redken Blonde Glam Shampoo ($15) and Conditioner ($16, redken.com for
salons), that boost shine and prevent any yellowing of your highlights.
8. Discover Your Best Hair Color
Rita Hazan, the owner of an
eponymous salon in New York City, helps you choose shades that complement your
skin and eyes.
Fair skin + dark eyes: Try a
golden blond or brown. The richness of gold tones brings out dark eyes' sparkle.
Medium skin + light eyes:
Dark blond to honey brown will warm up your
skin and make your eyes pop.
Medium skin + dark eyes:
Chocolate, caramel, and auburn will keep your complexion from appearing washed
out.
Dark skin + dark eyes: Your
skin looks vibrant against espresso or cocoa hues with highlights in the same
family.
