Seasonal Hair Color Choices
As the fall season settles in for those of us in the northern hemisphere, the question on many women’s minds is whether to try and maintain their summer hair color, let it revert to a natural fall and winter coloration, or make an all-at-once transition to a flattering seasonal color choice.
For many individuals, the color of their hair shifts during the summer months, getting lighter with sun exposure and the effects of things such as swimming pools and seawater. Just how much the color changes depends on how much the hair is exposed to such factors, as well as the specific traits of the hair, with porosity and texture being key among them.
Sometimes these natural color shifts aren't as pleasing as we hope, which is why many people have taken to having their hair lightened (or doing it themselves) at the beginning of the spring or summer months.
The trend of changing hair color according to the seasons has at least one benefit: during the winter months, since most people spend the majority of their time indoors and the periods of daylight are significantly shorter, people become paler and their hair returns to its natural hue due to less sun exposure.
Of course, during the summer months the skin darkens from tanning and the hair lightens. The resulting changes in skin and hair color are complementary. Lighter hair complements tanned skin, and darker hair colors are complementary to fairer skin tones.
Choosing the Right Color for Your Seasonal Transition
It is important to choose your hair color carefully when planning to lighten it for spring/summer or darken it for fall/winter. As a hair professional, it is very distressing to see women who alter their hair color too drastically from what would be a naturally occurring color.
When looking to lighten your hair for spring and summer, try to keep your change to within three light levels of your hair's natural color. The less drastically you lighten the color of your hair, the less likely you are to damage it. The dramatic lightening processes that are sometimes resorted do not only remove the color of the hair, but destroy the hair’s integrity and make it more porous.
Conversely, when you are looking to return to a darker shade for the winter months, aim for your hair’s natural color or slightly lighter, as this will often be the most flattering option. When you dye your hair a color darker than your natural color, you can make your skin appear too pale and any lines and wrinkles more noticeable. In fact, for older women, it is advisable to focus on keeping their hair lighter in order to minimize the look of wrinkles and lines.
One option to keep in mind is to adjust the hair's color by adjusting the tone rather than lightening or darkening it. Try using a demi-permanent color, which is traditionally more gentle to the hair, to add a touch of warmth or to tone down a sun-bleached blonde for the winter months. This will leave your hair looking healthier and keep you happier with the result in the long run.
©Hairfinder.com