Spring Hair Color Tips from Celebrity Colorist Marie Robinson

With the weather finally heating up, we sat down with Marie Robinson, Clairol’s Color Director, to get the scoop on how moms can easily refresh their looks for spring. The warmer weather still calls for lighter locks. According to Marie, blondes should think light and beige… For brunettes? Golden undertones or a very smokey look. Reds will be more of a soft strawberry and copper, like the colors of a sunset. Sounds gorgeous right? Well, read on for some of Marie’s must-know tips on how you can update your look right at home.

What should I keep in mind when choosing a shade?

Your skin tone and eye color are super important to consider when selecting a shade. Hair color tones help to personalize the shade so that it complements your skin tone and eye color. Consider this:

• Warm is sometimes referred to as golden and works best for women who tend to wear gold jewelry, have dark eyes and an olive or darker complexion. 

 

• Cool is sometimes referred to as ash and works best for women who tend to wear silvery jewelry and have light eyes.

 

• Neutral works for women who can wear either type of jewelry.

 

All shades, with the exception of reds, have these tone varieties (red is warm by nature). If you’re deciding between two shades, a good rule of thumb is to go with the lighter option. Once you go too dark, it can be hard to go lighter.

How do I know if I need a demi-permanent or permanent hair color?

It all depends on how much of a change you’re looking for. A permanent hair color will give you a more transformational change and also work best women looking for 100% gray coverage. 

On the flip side, a demi-permanent hair color is a temporary option that will enhance your current hair color. This type of hair color is perfect for commitment-phobe hair colorists as it washes out in roughly 28 shampoos. It’s also great for women who are experiencing their first gray hairs.

How do I get my spring look at home?

You can easily get a lighter hair shade at home by selecting a permanent hair color that will lift your hair up to two to three levels. I love the new Natural Instincts Vibrant Collection. Women starting out with medium brown hair color can go to a light brown for the spring and summer. With a hair color such as the new Vibrant Collection, it takes just 10 minutes to process and also works best for women looking for 100% gray coverage. If you need a refresher on DIY hair coloring, check out this great how-to video with some instructions on how to easily color at home.

What causes hair color fade? How do I beat it?

Hair color fade is unavoidable whether you color your hair at a salon or at home. From exposure to the sun and chlorinated water to heat styling, all these factors and environmental elements can cause hair color fade. To help fight this fade, Natural Instincts has another great product to give you the boost in color you need in between the times you color your hair. It’s the Week 2 Color Refresher and it comes in every box of hair color. Simply apply it to your locks 15 days after your initial color to help replenish the tones your hair color loses first. This simple little sachet not only gives hair color a boost, but also helps women have more “good hair color days” until the next time you color.

How do I make sure I get the look I want?

When it comes to changing your hair color, follow these tips to ensure gorgeous results:

• For best results, stay within two to three shades of your current hair color, depending on whether you’re using a demi-permanent or permanent hair color

 

• Make sure you have some Vaseline on hand to place around your hairline to keep the hair color from staining your forehead

 

• To help maintain healthy-looking hair color, I recommend treating your hair to a weekly deep conditioner. Always detangle wet hair with a wide-tooth comb. A boar-bristle brush is great for dry hair and apply a heat protection spray to damp hair prior to styling to help shield from the heat.

 

I know I’m ready to color! How can ModernMoms get their hands on the product so they can try it for themselves?

Natural Instincts wants to get women started by giving away 75,000 coupons for free boxes of hair color starting May 13-15, 2011. 25,000 boxes will be given away each day, so simply log on to Facebook, “like” Clairol and click on the Natural Instincts tab to claim your free box!  

*This post is sponsored by Clairol Natural Instincts.