8 Tips for Dramatically Changing Your Hair Color ...

1. Think about Your Motives

First on my list of tips for changing hair color is plain and simple- ask yourself one very important question! “What are my expectations?” Are you hoping the new, different hair color will help you look younger? Trying to fulfill a dream of being a redhead, blonde, brunette for the first time in your life? How about the shock and awe? Could that be it? A radical change is a big step and the only way to make sure you’re really taking a step in the right direction is to spend some time trying to decide what is it that you want your new color to do for you.

2. Find the Ideal Shade

Pros at Schwarzkopf advise you to spend some one on one time with your mirror and focus on your features sans makeup in order to choose the perfect shade. Now, although this hair coloring tip may sound quite reasonable, I seriously doubt it will do much good, which is why I’d urge you to do something even better – visit a wig shop and try all shades of your desired color that look interesting. It works way better than that virtual makeover thingy and doesn’t leave much room for doubt. Seeing is believing!

3. Give the Desired Color a Test Drive

Once you got your ideal color figured out, it’s time to give it a test ride! Now, if your shade happens to be much lighter than your natural color, I’m afraid the wig trying experience is as far as you can go before making it permanent. If we’re talking about a darker or simply different color, you can always opt for a non-permanent dye that’s easy to remove in case you’re not 100% satisfied with the look.

4. Hair Color is like Makeup

Or so says Doug Macintosh, L’oreal’s pro stylist and the guy behind many celebrity makeovers. And who are we to trust more than a guy who makes all those amazing celebrity dye jobs happen? Right? Well, time to put one of his tips for changing hair color to a test. Take your makeup bag out and use the shades you’d like to see on your hair. If the colors looks good on your eyes, they will look good on your hair as well, says Macintosh!

5. Decide between Pro Lightening or DIY

Ah…choices choices! Should you opt for a box color or consult a pro? Well, P&G beauty scientist Teca Gillespie and Doug Macintosh team up trying to provide the best answer for DailyGlow and their hair coloring tips are definitely something every girl hoping to have lighter hair color should know! It’s pretty simple actually – if your desired shade is up to two shades lighter than your natural hair, box color is a safe bet while anything lighter than that does require a skilled hand of a professional colorist!

6. Be Prepared to Sacrifice Some Length

Is it possible to significantly lighten your hair without having to chop a considerable amount of length off? Well…yes…and no! When done by a licensed, experienced pro, lightening can be achieved with the least possible amount of hair damage, although you can’t hope to have a fresh, vivid color if you’re not prepared to give at least some of your length up. The very ends of your hair will turn orange even when handled by a pro, stylists claim, and the lighter your desired color is, the more length you will have to give up in order to look great with your new color. Celebs are not an exception to this rule, of course, although we often can’t tell due to the hard work and tons of extensions that go into creating a perfect red carpet style.

7. Pale Eyes + Red Hair = Perfection

Ladies with pale eyes look good as redheads, pro stylists say, adding that ladies blessed with this amazing feature should definitely consider adding this suggestion to their lists of tips for changing hair color! Warmer skin tones would look best with warm and gingery shades of red while cooler skin tones have a whole palette of rich cooler reds to choose from.

8. Redheads Don’t Make Perfect Platinum Blondes

If you’re a natural redhead like Lindsay Lohan or a brunette with warm skin tone and dark eyes, you should take note of this next and last tip for changing hair color in such a dramatic way. Doug Macintosh invites you to compare Lindsay’s photos and see for yourself. Note how much older she looks with a platinum blonde shade and pay special attention to the dull, matte look of her skin. Now whip out a photo taken during her natural phase and you’ll see a fresh glow and an overall youthful appearance a girl her age should have! Interesting, huh? Well, it’s all about skin tone! When coupled with a warm skin tone, platinum blonde will show its cool character, giving the wearer’s tan a bit of a grayish tinge.

These, my ladies, are some of the most useful pro tips for changing hair color I think you should know, although I bet you could help me make this post even better! Am I right? Well, start sharing your hair coloring tips right now!