Colour by complexion

Before you take the plunge and change your hair colour, identify which shades will work best for you... and which won't.

  Regis Artistic Team We all love to transform and update our look with a fabulous new hair colour, but sometimes a wow-inducing colour swap can raise eyebrows for all the wrong reasons. If you want to change your hair hue with success, stick to these simple rules and your colour will go from drab to fab with ease...

 

The three shade rule
For the most natural looking results, stay within a couple of shades of your own hair colour - lighter or darker. If you want something more dramatic, speak to your colourist for guidance. As a rule it's not a good idea to go more than three shades lighter than your natural colour without going to a professional colourist. Even switching from mid-brunette to raven black can be a bit a gamble if you haven't got the right colouring to carry it off Angelina Jolie-style.

 

Who's hue?
Complexion is key to making the right colour choice. If you have an ivory or creamy coloured skin, you can be as adventurous as you like. Whereas cool skin tones, pale pink-toned or ruddy complexions, like Nicole Kidman or Renée Zellweger, need to be a little more cautious. Avoid red tones at all costs or you'll look as though you suffer from hot flushes 24/7. Instead, Julie-Anne Rackham of Regis, suggests cool skins should "opt for honey and caramel tones. Shades such as Intense light natural gold blonde and Intense dark natural gold blonde from the Wella Professionals Color Touch Plus range exude a healthy-looking shine and condition."

 

Complexion is key to making the right colour choice. If you have ivory or creamy coloured skin, you can be as adventurous as you likeA sallow (yellow toned) skin will be energised by rich autumnal browns, auburn or dramatic blue-black shades. Olive skin looks best with dark hair, so if you want to experiment with colour limit yourself to highlights or lowlights in contrasting strawberry blonde, red or burgundy shades. "If your skin tone resembles the likes of warmer celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz and Eva Longoria, then be deep and mysterious with chocolaty and mocca shades," says Julie-Anne. Mediterranean skin tones rarely work well with blonde hair, despite its popularity with the likes of Donatella Versace - money, make-up and attitude are what's needed to carry off the look and, let's face it, even she struggles. If you have black skin you can create fabulous effects with hair extensions or weaves, using reds, coppers, plums and burgundies.

 

The eyes have it
Eye colour should also be taken into consideration when it comes to changing your hair colour - and don't ignore your eyebrows. Can you really carry off champagne blonde hair and dark brown brows, for instance? Red hair and chocolate locks make blue eyes really stand out, green- and hazel-eyed redheads and blue-eyed blondes look terrific and totally natural, but you must feel comfortable. The more mature consumer should opt for a lighter version of her natural colour, as we grow paler as we get older and going darker can look harsh and draining - also it's easier to blend in any greys.

 

If you're a mousy blonde or have light brown hair, green or brown eyes and a creamy or olive complexion, you will suit golden, honey or strawberry-blonde tones best. Ash, pearl and beige tones will work most effectively with blue or grey eyes and a pale porcelain skin.

 

 

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