Laura Young - Hair Color Code

Kristen Wiig – Funny, Sexy & a Hair Color Diva!

June 20, 2012 By Laura Young 3 Comments

Here at HairColorCode HQ we’re massive fans of Kristen Wiig – her outgoing personality, the fact that she’s a naturally funny lady, and of course her willingness to experiment with her hair color, all add up to mean that she’s our new gal pal crush.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with Kristen; she is an American actress, comedienne and writer currently starring as a cast member of Saturday Night Live. Kristen has appeared in numerous films, including Adventureland, Paul, MacGruber and Flight of the Concords and also voiced characters for How to Train Your Dragon and Looney Tunes.

She’s probably best known for her 2011 film Bridesmaids, billed as the female version of The Hangover, which she co-wrote and starred in. Bridesmaids earned her two prestigious nominations; Golden Globe for Best Actress and Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.

The style behind the laughs

Kristen Wiig on the catwalk with brown hair

Kristen doesn’t just express herself through her comedic roles; she also likes to mix it up with her style and is regularly seen on the red carpet rocking a creative, bold look, such as a bright red lip color, stunning cut-out dresses and fierce accessories.

Although she’s probably best known as a blonde with short, tumbling waves, like her character in Bridesmaids, Kristen is actually a hair color chameleon – she’s rocked deep dark brown, ombre-hued hair and a lovely mahogany tone, as well as golden blonde beachy locks.

The various hair colors of Kristen Wiig

Kristen Wiig with brown to blonde ombre hair

Kristen wig with dark brown hair, including auburn shades

Kristen has been blonde for most of her acting career and has switched between light blonde highlights to golden blonde sun-kissed waves multiple times.

She’s also rocked a light brown hue with golden blonde panels – this is one lady who is not afraid of experimenting with foils!

In summer 2011, she showcased ombre locks, sporting a deep rich chestnut color at the roots and through the mid-lengths of her hair, with light blonde tips.

She kept up this style to promote Bridesmaids during the summer and actually persuaded me to follow suit with ombre locks of my own!

Early 2012 saw another change for Kristen as she ditched the ombre for a rich, auburn-toned mahogany shade. Since then, she’s swapped from auburn to a brown so dark it’s almost black.

Kristen is lucky enough to suit a wide range of hair colors, from blonde to auburn to brown, and we’ve yet to see her with a hair don’t.

Kristen is a true chameleon that most definitely knows how to make a statement with her hair and her style – and that’s why we love her!

Ombre Hair Color – The Big Look This Year

June 15, 2012 By Laura Young 4 Comments

Ombre hair color is the look of the year, making its way from stylish celebrity circles to become a cutting edge and contemporary mainstream trend.

If you’ve not seen it yet, don’t worry, there is still plenty of time to jump on board with this latest look.

Ombre is basically a fancy term for hair that is graduated in color, most commonly from brown at the roots to blonde at the tips.

The hair world borrowed the term ‘ombre’ from the French word meaning shaded or shading, which is a pretty accurate description of this style.

Some people have described ombre hair as ‘looking like you have massive regrowth’, whereas others prefer to see it as a new way to do sun-kissed hair – it really depends on the difference in color between the brown and blonde, and whether the colors blend together or stand out against each other.

The benefits of ombre hair color

Drew Barrymore with brown to blonde ombre hair color

Aside from being massively in trend right now, one of the best things about ombre hair is that it is super low-maintenance.

Think about it – you won’t have to get your roots touched up, or get your color redone – all you might need to do is add more blonde (or whichever color you’re doing this look with) to the ends of your hair as and when you get your hair trimmed.

It’s also super economical as once the ombre tone has been achieved, you can leave it 4-6 months before you color your hair again. Just make sure you use a deep conditioning treatment once a week to keep the ends of your hair in tip-top condition, as the bleach used to achieve the color will dry out hair and could cause damage if you don’t look after your locks properly.

How is the ombre look achieved?

Ombre is sometimes also referred to as ‘balayage’, which is a French freehand coloring technique where the dye is literally painted onto certain strands of the hair.

Some colorists will use a backing board and foils, others will separate layers of the hair using cotton wool and some will pull strands of the hair forward in front of the face before freehand painting the hair to create the ombre look.

What hair colors work with ombre color?

Alexa Chung with brown to blonde ombre hair

The real appeal in ombre locks is the fact that it can work on almost any cut, from a pixie crop right through to waist-length locks.

Alexa Chung is often credited with kick-starting the whole trend and she only has shoulder-length tresses, although ombre toned hair looks particularly good on long hair styled in curls or waves, as you can see the variations of color throughout the hair.

You can’t really see these variations if the hair is up and so this trend will work best if you style your hair down and loose around your shoulders.

Many, many celebs have been rocking the ombre look – Drew Barrymore, Kristen Wiig, Whitney Port, Lauren Conrad, Rachel Bilson, Jessica Biel and Ashlee Simpson to name a few. It seems that the A-list can’t get enough of this new trend and as we’ve seen ombre hair all over the catwalks too, it’s a look that is most definitely here to stay.

Changing Hair Color – Transform Yourself!

April 9, 2012 By Laura Young 7 Comments

Woman with dark purple shades showing her changing hair color

As women we are often defined by our hair color – redheads are thought to be wild and carefree, brunettes are believed to be sexy and studious and everyone knows that blondes have more fun, right?

Hair color is a fantastic way of showing your personality, and the shade you choose can give other people clues as to who you are and what you are all about.

It’s no surprise then that the decision to change your hair color can be the first step to a whole new you!

Why change your hair color?

We usually switch our hair color because we are ready for a change. There can be many reasons for this, for example a break-up or divorce, or because you’re starting a new school or job, or maybe you’re just tired of the same old look.

Changing your hair color can really feel like a new beginning, and a new color along with a new cut can make you feel like a completely different person which can give your confidence a huge boost.

We’re not talking a shade or two difference here but an extreme color makeover, for example, if you’ve always had long brown hair, going for the chop and changing your hair color to blonde can give you a new lease of life – equally, if you’ve always been blonde, dying your hair brown or red can make you feel like a new person.

This can be quite a daunting prospect, but when you walk through the door and your family and friends can’t believe how amazing you look, then it will all have been worth it.

So why did you make the change

We asked some of our friends and Twitter followers what prompts them to make a hair color transformation. Drop a comment at the bottom of the page and let me know what prompted your last (or first!) hair color change, and I will add it to the list.

“The first time I colored my hair was the week before I went to college. I went jet black, which I swear was stylish at the time. It gave me the confidence to walk proudly on to campus and quickly make some new friends” – Lisa, San Antonio“I can’t remember why I first colored my hair, but I can tell you that my last trip to the salon was to cover a few sneaky grays” – Mary, LA

“I don’t change my color that often. When I do it’s usually a major change. My last update was going blonde after spending 9 years as a brunette, which was pretty drastic. The reason for the change was a divorce! – Jamie, Toulouse, France

“It is a bit of a cliche, but my first hair color was a total act of rebellion. I bought a home color kit and me and my best friend went wild in the bathroom. The results were, erm, interesting.” – Anita, Miami

“First hair color? I think I bought the cheapest product in the shop when I was a teenager, but I can’t remember the shade. Nowadays I change quite regularly, usually so I have something to write about for HairColorCode.com!” – Susie, UK

Go forth and color!

The best piece of advice we can give here at Hair Color Code is never rush into changing your hair color.

Feel free to choose something completely different to your usual shade, but take the time to really think it through, taking into account your complexion, your style, how much maintenance you can commit to, and also how you are going to achieve the color you have chosen (salon or home dye kit).

Good luck, and a Happy New You!

Natural Hair Dye – Do It The Organic Way!

March 27, 2012 By Laura Young 1 Comment

Whether you’re coloring your hair at home or at the Salon, the process usually involves reaching for a chemical cosmetics bottle at some point.

A home hair color starts with a fun trip to the drug store or beauty depot to pick up a hair dye kit, whereas the Salons receive the premium products direct to their door.

Which ever way you decide to go, with the right preparation, product and application you can achieve an amazing result, however there are downsides to using chemical hair color products, and that’s why more and more people are now actively seeking out natural alternatives.

What is the problem with cosmetic hair dyes?

A badge saying no chemicals in hair color products

The majority of hair dyes contain strong chemicals, and although these are safety tested, you can never be certain about how your body will react.

It’s not unknown for people who have never had any skin problems before to have a bad reaction to a hair color product, and the last thing you want when you are changing your hair color is irritation, burning, or even worse; serious injury.

If you are concerned about how your skin may react to hair color products, read our guide to hair dye allergies, and of course, always perform a skin test before applying any products to your hair.

The other issue with chemical hair colors is the environmental effect of producing and testing the products. There is still a worryingly high number of cosmetic companies who openly use animal testing on their products, and the production of these chemicals takes a toll on mother nature too.

With this in mind, we’ve tracked down some of the best natural hair dye products, as well as a few colorants that you can make using ingredients from your food cupboard – yes, really!

Ammonia, Peroxide and Paraben free

If you want to make sure that you’re protecting yourself against potential chemical damage when coloring your hair, look for products that are ammonia, peroxide and paraben free as these are the chemicals that have the potential to cause the most damage.

Ammonia, peroxide and paraben free colorants tend to be temporary rather than permanent, and nowadays they often come in the form of a foam color – L’Oreal Paris Foam is one such product and aside from being ammonia free, it is incredibly simple to use.

L’Oreal Professional Inoa is another product that is ammonia and odour-free, and it’s a permanent rather than a temporary dye so it’s ideal for people who don’t want to have to top up their hair color every 28 washes. The only downside is the effect on your budget, as Inoa is currently only available in salons.

Henna Hair Dye

Henna hair dye has often been thought of as an alternative or new age product, but henna dyes are increasingly making their way into the spotlight thanks to their flexibility, look, and natural benefits.

With henna hair dyes you can layer the colors to get a darker tone, or mix colors together to achieve an entirely unique shade.

Henna is an all-natural product that has been used for hundreds of years to dye the hair and to create temporary body art, and is ideal for individuals with allergies.

The bonus of using a henna dye is that it can actually give the appearance of thicker and shinier hair so it works as a dye and a hair care product in one. Unfortunately henna, along with most other natural hair dyes, will not dye your hair lighter than your natural hair color, you can only dye to an equal depth or darker than your natural shade.

Homemade Hair Dyes

Homemade hair dyes take a lot of getting used to because they are so different to the chemical dyes that you buy from the drug store. For a start, you will usually have to apply them every time you shampoo, but the bonus is that most of these dyes are incredibly cheap, risk free, and you’ll never wake up to find unsightly roots!

Desired color: Blonde

Ingredients: 2 tbsp. of lemon juice to 1 gallon warm water.

After washing your hair, rinse with this mixture 15 times, then on the final rinse leave the mixture on for 15-30 minutes before rinsing with cold water to seal the color. Let your hair air dry. The lighter your natural color, the more likely that this rinse will have an effect (someone with naturally black hair is unlikely to see much difference).

Desired color: Brunette

Ingredients: strong black tea or strong black coffee.

Rinse unwashed hair in cooled coffee or tea, then shampoo with a gentle shampoo. Repeat several times to build up color and then leave the final rinse on for 15 minutes before rinsing with cold water.

Desired color: Red

Ingredients: ½ cup beetroot juice and ½ cup of carrot juice.

Pour this rinse over damp hair then sit out in the sun for an hour or dry hair with a hairdryer before blasting hair with the cool setting to seal the color. Alter the amounts of beet juice to carrot juice to change the tone of the color.

And there you have it! There are plenty of alternative options to chemical hair dyes out there, and although some of them are time-consuming, they can give you a stunning and lustrous hair color.

Auburn Hair: Subtle, Stylish and Dazzling!

January 10, 2012 By Laura Young 3 Comments

Auburn refers to the family of natural looking shades where red meets brunette or dark blonde – if your hair appears brown until you stand under a light source and reveal a halo of shimmering red or strawberry highlights, then chances are you’re already an auburn kinda gal.

Auburn is a great choice for anyone who wants to revamp their look in a classy and subtle fashion, particularly if you are a natural brunette or your hair is a darker shade of blonde.

If you are lucky enough to have natural red highlights then an auburn hair dye can really add shine and lustre to your locks, be prepared to dazzle!

How to achieve an Auburn hair color

The great thing about auburn as a shade is that’s possible to try it out using temporary tints and dyes so you can make absolutely sure you like the tone.

Lets be honest, there is a limit to how much temporary dyes can do (for example they won’t lighten your hair) but the auburn tones are where they really come into their own. Also, there is a great selection of natural hair dyes, including henna, in auburn shades so you can change the color of your hair without damaging your locks.

Another great way to achieve an auburn effect is in the form of lowlights, meaning that you have just a few bits of red throughout your hair to catch the light. This is a great way to build up to a full head of red if you’re a little too afraid to take the plunge in all one – you can gradually add more and more lowlights, getting a deeper overall color as you go.

This is also a fantastic way to get multi-tonal color. If you like the sound of lowlights its probably best to visit a professional salon as it can be a difficult technique to get right at home.

There are a whole range of permanent home dye kits in auburn tones, and in fact auburn is one of the shades that the big brands produce really well, as it’s such a natural and universal color it is relatively easy to carry off.

Check out the hair color charts to see the huge range of formulas and shades available in auburn tones – as long as you stick to a shade that is no more than three shades away from your natural color you can’t really go wrong.

For the best effects, avoid going lighter or darker and instead look for a shade that is the same ‘level’ as your natural color, but further towards the red end of the color spectrum. Do make sure you are happy with the tone you have chosen as red hair will stick around for a very long time even if you dye over it – particularly if you have gray strands or lighter highlights.

Once you have done the deed you need to take care of your hair with shampoos and conditioners specially formulated for red-heads, as these will help to look after your hair whilst also adding further tones and highlights to the hair to keep it looking shiny, healthy and lustrous.

Auburn hair: the color working it’s way through Hollywood!

Auburn hair has massively increased in popularity over the last five years or so, as many celebrities are embracing their natural auburn locks while others enhance their natural color with red dyes.

However, as little as five years ago, red was really not a popular hair color and many natural auburn-haired beauties were dying over their natural locks and going blonde or brown instead.

Nowadays, natural blondes and natural brunettes are taking a walk on the wild side, and it may surprise you to know that there are an awful lot of celebrities out there who we think are natural redheads who are most definitely not – Debra Messing, Sophia Loren and Rose McGowan to name a few.

There’s no doubt about it, auburn hair is certainly back on the fashion radar and here at Hair Color Code, we absolutely love the sophisticated effect of red-hued locks!