How do I choose the right hair color?

The single most important thing to consider as you age is your hair color. When you’re young and your skin is flawless, you can get away with almost any hair color. And I mean almost.

Look at poor Lindsay Lohan, she’s barely in her twenties and she looks terrible as a blonde, however no one’s willing to say it. The yellow in her hair clashes with her skin and makes her look sallow. She wears tons of make up, uses self tanner, and has her photos retouched, and sadly she still looks mediocre at best. However, she’s stunning as a redhead or brunette, because it’s what’s right for her skin tone.

At any age, rule number one must be, choose what’s right for your skin tone. If you have to wear makeup to make your hair color look good, then it’s probably not the right hair color for your skin. Good hair color will make your eyes look bright, and your skin look healthy.

The myth that your hair should get lighter as you get older is just that, a myth. You should periodically re-asses your hair color, and be open to making the needed changes. The best way to quickly try out a new hair color is to go to your local wig shop and try on wigs. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices for a possible change, talk to your colorist to find the exact tones that are right for you. If your colorist isn’t willing to make the change, be willing to talk to another colorist for a second opinion.

I’ve been doing hair for close to 15 years here in Los Angeles. Recently, I sat down with one of my clients and reviewed her color card. To our surprise, we counted more than 40 different color combinations for her highlights during our 15 years together.

The point is this: I never have a client’s color mixed and ready to go when he/she sits in the chair. I always take the time to review what we did most recently, and to re-asses how it grew out, making any necessary changes. Both applying hair color, and choosing hair color, is an art form. Frequently, I’ll lay the color swatches against the client’s skin near their eyes and lips, to see how it affects their overall palette. As the skin tones change, so must the choices in hair color.