Refresh your hair with the hottest hair colours for 2017

Get ahead of the style pack with this year’s hippest, hottest hues.

One of the easiest ways to refresh your look is to change your hair colour.

And unlike a haircut, which needs time to grow back, if you don’t like it, you can just dye over it – simple.

Sam Pickering, senior brand manager of L’Oreal Paris Hair Colour, says people are trending towards being bolder and more creative with their hues this year.

“There will be a mass emergence of both pastel and vibrant colours; whether temporary, semi-permanent or permanent,” Sam says. “Think blue, lavender, mint, pink and even grey. Women are becoming more confident and playful with their hair colour and starting to think of it as an extension of their overall look.”

“The trend has been exploding in the US and filtering across to Australia. Women want to match their hair colour to their mood or fashion choice and hair companies are picking up on it.

“At L’Oreal we’re launching the Colorista range, which will open up endless possibilities for in-home colouring, whether you’re after pastel or vibrant, temporary or permanent.”

Creating your signature style is limited only by your imagination.

Change your hair for a confidence boost

We all know a new outfit can increase your confidence. New research however reveals changing your hair can do the same.

A survey found that 94 per cent of women not only felt more confident after a hair change, but also felt stronger.

“When my hair is healthy and strong, I feel in control, in charge and ready for anything,” actor, singer and Pantene #StrongFromTheCore spokeswoman Natalie Bassingthwaighte says.

If we’re feeling the need for an instant pick me up, a change in either cut or colour is an instantaneous and relatively cheap option to help us to feel better about ourselves.

It’s also an expression of who we are and how we see ourselves.

“I’m always finding different ways to express myself, and changing my hair is a big part of that,” singer and Pantene #StrongFromTheCore spokeswoman Ricki-Lee Coulter says.

Know your hair terminology

Sam demystifies hair terminology to have you speaking like a colourist in no time.

BALAYAGE A French word that means to sweep or to paint. It’s the freehand application of colour on to the hair in a vertical sweep. This creates a beautiful sun-kissed, natural-looking hair colour with highlights throughout.

OMBRE Coming on to the scene a few years ago, it is still one of the most searched terms on Google. It’s basically a dark to light fading of the hair that starts near the roots and gradually gets lighter towards the ends. Ombre can be subtle or striking, depending on the level of lightness.

SOMBRE An extension of ombre but slightly more subtle. The appearance of dark roots is far less obvious as the lightening effect is more gradual and seamless. The lighter sections start closer to the roots and the lower lengths have bands of dark colour for a more gradual transition.

BRONDE It’s not blonde, it’s not brunette, it’s somewhere in between. It mixes natural darker blonde hair with lighter ribbons around the hairline and ends. With the darker tones playing off the lighter blonde, bronde is perfect for those who can’t commit to one colour.

RONZE An updated take on bronde, this trend is made for red heads. Ronze is a mixture of copper red and bronze brown.

BABYLIGHTS Another highlighting process, it’s a very fine technique that mimics the subtle multi-dimensional hair colour that comes through naturally on children’s hair. It’s basically super-soft highlights designed to soften the roots of solid-coloured hair.

RAINBOW This term describes the real colour enthusiast; those who are using
a multitude of bright, vibrant colours to create a completely multi-coloured rainbow effect. 

HIDDEN RAINBOW An extension of the rainbow, but for those women who are a little less daring. Colour is applied under the hair for a subtle look when your hair is down or bold when it’s up.

Celebrities who turn heads with their hair colour

Celebrities know a dramatic hair colour change is sure to garner attention on the red carpet.

Here are some of the most eye-catching in recent times.

• Kylie Jenner is not just the queen of changing colour but changing hues. She’s tackled every shade on the colour chart as fearlessly as she tackles the paparazzi.
• Carrie Bickmore created a social media frenzy when she went over to the dark side. Last year she traded her golden tresses for a glorious brunette mane.
• Rachel McAdams is an early adopter of hair trends, changing her colour and cut as often as some of us change our shade of nail polish.
• Katy Perry has covered the whole rainbow of shades from blonde to brunette to brilliant blue and back again.
• Michelle Williams loves her blonde locks, but there’s blonde and then there’s blonde. From platinum to honey to golden to sandy, this blonde chameleon has all the tones covered.
• Rihanna has never been one to shy away from colour, sporting varying shades of bright red for years. More recently she’s hopped on to the brunette bandwagon.

Need a new hair colour you can apply at home? Shop at Chemist Warehouse for all your hair colouring needs!