How to Choose a Suitable Hair Colour

The colour of one's hair can make or break a look: it can give you confidence, boost your self-esteem, or make you wish the ground itself would come up to eat you. Deciding on what colour best suits you can be tricky due to all the variables that come about.

From personal experience, I dye my own hair. I managed to find a shade that looks rather natural, and I've been told ever since I started dyeing it that I have such a lovely auburn tone. Doesn't that just make a girl want to grin?

Below I'll outline some of the things I took into consideration before deciding to dye my hair, and hopefully they'll help you in your own quest. Good luck!

Your Favorite Colour

One would think that your favorite colour would have nothing to do with dyeing your hair -- but that's where you're wrong! Well, a little, if you're concerned about this sort of thing, anyhow. When you change your hair colour, your over all appearance will be changed -- colours help people discern what to notice first. Are your eyes most striking? Your contrasting earrings, or perhaps that wonderful shirt you found on clearance? When considering changing your hair colour, think about what colour clothing and accessories that you adore are. Unless you feel like replacing your whole closet just to feel like you 'match', it would be wise to put a bit of thought into that area.

Your Family Tree's Got It Goin' On

Another good way to decide what colour would be good for you is to look at some old family photos. Did grandma have blonde hair? How did she look? Or was their a redhead somewhere? Comparing photos of old family members is an easy way to get a preview, not only of what you'll look like in twenty years, but also of what your general skin tone does with certain hair colours. Pay particular attention to those that people always comment on you resembling -- you have your father's nose but your grandfather's ears.

Get a Makeover!

Not literally, at least, yet. You still need your hair colour to decide on! While I dislike promoting sites so openly, I must admit that Makeover Solutions has got it down pretty good. It's a free site, where you are allowed to upload one photo of yourself and 'add' hairstyles, and colours. Feeling like a little flair is needed? Well, how do you look with purple highlights? Play on the site for a little while, choose a few that you like, and let a friend (or a hairstylist, they do know best) help you decide. Or you don't have to -- isn't that the beauty of the internet? I know I myself hate committing to hair-related things. So play away.

Get Some Advice

Many hair saloons will give free consultations on cuts, products, and colours (though I suggest finding someone reliable... because it will be their opinion, no matter how professional) and this is such an easy way to get some suggestions from people not related to you. Which is always a good thing.

Skin Tone

I stress this because it is one of the most important factors in choosing a hair colour. If you have pale skin, the dark hair colours will wash your colour out. Think about your complexion. Rosy cheeks? Pale skin? Freckles? Some cliches aren't lying about what hair colour goes with what. If you want your hair colour to look good, and make you feel good, think natural. If you see a woman with freckles, green eyes, and red hair, you don't think twice. But that rosy skin tone would be dulled if she had picked a too cool shade of brown.

Eye Colour

You may just want to note to yourself about your eye colour, and what hair colours it commonly goes with. To some people, this will matter, to others, not so much. It's up to you on what you take into mind.

• When deciding on a hair colour brand, remember that to keep up with your roots, you'll be redyeing every month or two -- watch what price range you decide on.
• Getting it done professionally is an option -- stealing your best friend for a night to help you is also.
• Afer first dyeing your hair, the colour will usually be intenser than normal for a few washes, then fade to what it will generally look like. (My hair is bright orange for a day or two, then fades to auburn.)
• Treat your hair kindly after dying -- no matter what colour you choose, it will look really bad if you don't take care of it. Try buying yourself a more expensive brand of shampoo & conditioner to help ease the stress on your hair, or resign to no blowdrying for a few days.
• Remember to do the test each box set suggests to check for allergies!
• If you're not sure about the colour, but want to give it a try, get a semi-permanent dye first. That way, you're only trying it out for 20 washes.