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When it comes to experimenting with our hair, many of us opt for a colour update, instead of a new cut. As we get older, we tend to understand better how we like to wear our hair, settling into a style such as long wavy locks, a straight short bob or a pixie crop. If you’re someone that’s confident in your cut, a great way to freshen up your style is with colour. Here are five colour trends to consider for 2019…

Chestnut Brown/Gold

Chestnut brown is a super flattering shade that can work for a number of skin tones. In 2019, this classic colour gets a subtle update, with the introduction of face framing golden brown highlights. Adding new dimensions to brunette hair is a great way to freshen up your look, without going for a complete colour overhaul. Easy to maintain, this is the perfect option for a spring/summer update.

Chocolate Brown/Copper

2018 was all about hot red tones and warm hues, but for 2019 red shades become a little more subdued. If you’re brunette and you’re looking for a subtle update, consider going chocolate brown for the year ahead. Copper shades will also be big, and can be interpreted for brunettes, blondes and redheads. Think strawberry honey for blondes – this is a super creamy shade that’s a great way to give a nod to red shades, without going fully red.

Dirty Brunette

We’ve all heard of dirty blonde before, but what about dirty brunette? This look is all about natural-looking brunette shades that also includes dark blonde pieces scattered through, in a smokey neutral shade, almost in the middle of warm and cool. Avoid going to far over into blonde for this style, the look should still very much be brunette.

Antique Blonde

White blonde is set to take a back seat this year, in favour of this classic and fresh take on light blonde shades. Antique gold is likened to the colour of champagne, with a mix of warm and cool tones. This colour is still light, but it’s more like beige than white, with a creamy finish that’s really pretty but still edgy.

Caramel Ombre

Ombre locks are still in, but for 2019 it’s all about rich dark hues with subtle caramel tones through the length. A mix of dark and mid browns is great for warming the complexion. If you’re already brunette, this is a pretty simple update, that involves lightening through the length of the hair by a shade or two to add warmth and depth.

With so many stunning shades to try this year, it can be tricky to choose just one. If you need advice on which shade will work best for you, get in touch to book your consultation.

Naturally looking wavy hair is one of the most sought after looks around the world. Waves seem to always be on trend, and it’s this relaxed ‘I woke up like this’ vibe that we all want to achieve. Waves look soft, pretty and feminine, without being over done or too styled. Wavy locks are a go to for many occasions – from festivals and summer holidays, to bridal looks and everyday style – waves continue to be in high demand.

Night Time Buns

No time in the morning to style your hair? Try this simple way to create natural waves, without the addition of heat damage. Just before bed, part your hair and split into two sections. Twist each section into a tight bun and secure with grips. Use a spray bottle to spritz each bun to make the hair damp. Leave in over night to create natural looking waves. In the morning simply unravel each side. You might need to tease the hair into place here and there, and back brush a little to create volume, but you’ll only need five minutes in the morning and you’ll be good to go.

Mermaid Worthy Waves

Creating waves with your straighteners is easier than you might think. Our tool of choice is the GHD IV Styler Hair Straightener, as it’s the perfect size to create mermaid style waves. In addition, who doesn’t love having a tool that you can create multiple looks with?

To create waves with your straighteners, section off the top three quarters of your hair and secure with a band so that it’s out of the way. With the hair that’s left down, take a section at a time around one inch wide and place your straighteners at the top. Move them down the length of the hair curling in and out, in and out as you go. You can make your waves as tight or as lose as you want. Work your way around all of the hair that is down, then take down another quarter section of your hair and continue until you’ve done it all.

Back brush the roots a little to avoid the hair being flat at the roots, spritz with hairspray and you’re done.

Whether you want to create quick and easy waves without heat, or you want to go for a more precise look, creating waves at home is doable with these two methods.

Many of us have a pretty good idea of what suits us, or the length in which we most like our hair. Choosing a flattering length and shape for your hair is key to feeling and looking your best everyday, but some of you might actually be supporting the completely wrong hair length for your features. If you’re thinking about trying a new style, or you simply want to find your most flattering hair length, read on…

Consider your Face Shape

While there are various factors to think about to find your perfect hair length, one of the biggest elements is your face shape. It is important to create balance to your overall appearance, and balance can be enhanced, just like imbalance can be emphasized through the shape and length of your hair….

– Long face: if you have a long and narrow shaped face, avoid long hair. Going for length will simply drag your face down, making it appear even longer. Instead, try a bob that sits just short of your chin to create better balance.

– Round face: If you have a round face, opting for longer styles will help to make your face look more balanced and oval in shape. Long length and a side swept fringe can help to slim your face and make it look more contoured.

– Square face: Try waves or curls in mid lengths to soften a square face. Shoulder length hair or a little longer is perfect for those with a square face.

Heart shaped: Long hair is great for a heart shaped face. Avoid blunt edges though, particularly in shorter cuts, and stay away from bobs.

Oval face: An oval face shape is considered to be balanced already. If you have an oval face you are lucky as you can try out almost any length.

Consider Texture

The type and texture of your hair matters when it comes to length too. If your hair is pretty normal – i.e. not particularly thick or thin, not coarse or frizzy, you can get away with most hair lengths.

– Fine hair: When hair that is on the fine side gets long it can end up looking limp. The longer it gets, the heavier it will be, and so the more it will drag itself down. Shorter haircuts can create more body and volume. If your face shape requires a longer cut but you have fine hair, consider going for a length just a few inches under the shoulders, with lots of layers.

– Thick hair: Those with thicker hair might find that their hair is unmanageable in shorter styles. Thick hair is often coarse and frizzy, which results in a mind of its own in short styles. Try growing it long to add weight and tame it. As your hair gets longer, it will naturally sit smoother and be easier to manage.

Finding the perfect hair length means achieving balance, and both your face shape and your hair type matters here. If you’re not sure what’s best for your hair, book in for a consultation to receive professional advice.

Hair colour is a little more complex than you might realise. Over the years, if you’ve experimented with changing your colour, you might have found some shades were a great success, while others just didn’t have quite the same impact. This is because hair colour and skin tone are both very precise, meaning while some hair colours look great on some people, on others they are unflattering.

We are always happy to advise through consultation in regards to the best hair colour for your skin tone. For now though, read on to get an idea of the kind of colours you can pull off, and which to avoid…

Cool Blonde

Cool blonde or ‘ice blonde’ is ideal for those with pale skin tones. If you have very fair skin, with rosey warm undertones cool blonde is an ideal colour choice. If you have blue, grey or green eyes and fair skin, try and ash blonde.

Warm Blonde

Including caramel, gold, honey, butterscotch and amber, warm blonde is best suited to those with olive skin tones, or fair skin with cooler undertones. Lighter ashy blonde shades can wash out an olive skin tone. If you want to go lighter, try a caramel blonde rather than a cool blonde.

Cool Red

This shade includes dark auburn and burgundy. It may not sound quite right, but red is very flattering for those with red tones in their skin. Opting for a red shade will make your skin look glowy, rather than trying to fight against it. If you have a warm and fair complexion, try a cool red to make your skin glow.

Warm Red

Think copper, strawberry blonde, amber and rust. Warm reds are very flattering on fair and neutral skin tones. Try mixing a cool and warm red to create a creamy shade that’s warm and soft, but with a hint of golden tones too. If you have a cool skin tone, you could also try warm reds to counteract the blue tones in your skin.

Cool Brown

Cool brown tones include mocha, dark chocolate, dark auburn and chestnut. Cooler brown tones can look particularly striking on those with warm skin. Whether you have fair skin, medium or dark skin, cool brown is a great choice is you have a warm complexion.

Warm Brown

When it comes to warm brown, think cinnamon, caramel, golden brown, honey, amber and mahogany. If you have a medium skin tone, a warm brown is ideal as it will stop you looking washed out.

Warm Black

Think brown black or dark mocha. Add chocolatey tones to your black shade to warm it up, this is super flattering on cool-toned skin, and ideal for medium to dark skin tones.

Cool Black

Deep shades of coffee, blue-black and licorice are what you’re aiming for here. Opt for a cool black if your skin has warm or neutral undertones. Avoid this shade if you have fair, cool-toned skin.

If you’re interested in a colour change, book in for a consultation. It’s good to have some ideas before you visit us, but if you’re not sure which shade to go for, we can advise on what will be most flattering for your skin tone.

Every now and then you probably find that you get the urge to experiment with your hair colour. While it’s not advised to change your hair colour too often, we all like to try new looks and trends from time to time. From ultra on-trend styles, to colour updates that will stand the test of time, why not consider trying one of these three colour updates this year…

Nude Hair

The nude hair trend is all about getting your hair looking as natural as possible. Those who have been through years of dyeing may find that their hair has varying tones, is patchy and brassy. This is all about going back to basics, using mid shades that are natural and cool in tone, rather than extremes such as black or white blonde.

If you want to try this trend without going lighter or darker, book in for a toner to create an ashy and even shade from root to tip. Nude hair looks best when it’s healthy, so consider a trim and a conditioning treatment too.

Rose Gold

This one isn’t for the faint hearted – in the spotlight this year is rose gold locks. This is the latest colourful update following a string of pretty pastel hair colours, in a variety of finishes. If you’ve always wanted to experiement with colour in your hair, but you’ve been unsure of the bright blues, pinks and purples, this trend offers the perfect middle ground.

Not as bright or as instantly obvious as brighter and bolder colours, rose gold has been on-trend in fashion and home décor for some time now. It’s translated into the hair and beauty industry, with the colour of the season being pretty rose gold tones. For blondes, try and allover colour that’s intensified at the roots and softer on the ends. For brunettes, why not try a rose gold balayage.

Contrasting Tones

We’re not suggesting you go back to the stripy highlights of the ‘90s, but undone roots are one of the leading hair trends for the season. Influenced by past trends of dip dye and balayage, this trend can be done with most hair colours. Ideally you’d want to have a professional dye job, to blend your roots with the length of your hair, but it’s a great excuse to leave your roots au natural in between salon visits.

For light blondes try mid blood roots, for mid blondes try light brown roots, and for those with mid to light brunette hair try super dark roots.

If you are considering a colour change this year book in for a consultation to discus your options. Colouring your hair can cause damage, so it’s important to seek the advice of a professional, to ensure that you are not putting your hair under too much distress and that your colour is done in a way that will not compromise the health of your hair.

A new season means new colour trends, and it’s safe to say we’re pretty excited about the latest additions to the hair colour spectrum. Hair colour just seems to get more and more creative, and new trends, methods and shades present us with the perfect opportunity to create some striking and swoon-worthy looks.

Read on to discover our top pick of spring/summer 2018 colour trends to try this season…

1. Ash-violet

Ultra violet was named the Pantone colour of the year, and the shade is everywhere. From interior design to fashion, of course hair colour wasn’t going to get left out. Taking inspiration from the grey violet shade, ashy-violet is the latest newcomer in hair colour. Think ashy, muted shades of violet that are much more wearable than brighter shades. We’re loving this colour painted on tips, but also from root to tip too.

2. Strawberry Blonde

On-trend hair doesn’t have to be all about multiple tones, highlights and lowlights. This year since-processed hues are also on trend, with creamy strawberry blonde being the top of the hot list. Think soft, pretty and natural. If you’re blonde or have red hair, a strawberry blonde update could be the perfect way to welcome in the new season.

3. Face-framing Balayage

This year it’s all about face framing. The balayage of last year was seen throughout the mid and long lengths of the hair throughout, but in 2018 a few face-framing sections of warm caramel blonde or cool ash blonde are all you need. If you’re not keen on dramatically changing your hair colour, this is the perfect update for you.

4. Auburn Ombre

Ombre is still going strong, but it’s getting an auburn update this summer. If you’re brunette think dark roots blended with auburn through the mid and long lengths. For blondes think strawberry blonde through the length of the hair. As you already know, ombre is the more subtle version of a dip-dye, so keep the look natural, but opt for fiery auburn tones or vibrant strawberry blonde.

5. Exposed Roots

Platinum is still big this season, but in 2018 it takes a grungy update with dark exposed roots. If you’re naturally blonde head to the salon to have dark roots created. If you’ve got dark hair think about adding some natural highlights through out, but leave your roots natural and dark.

With so many new colours to choose from this season it’s difficult to choose just one! What will you go for?