Hue's next?

Take the guesswork out of finding your perfect shade by using your skin tone and eye colour as a blueprint.

The most-wanted hair colours of the season are often inspired by the hottest celebs on the circuit. Sienna Miller, Rachel Stevens and Jennifer Aniston have spawned mainstream copycat mania in less time than it takes to say 'tint brush and foils', while edgier stars such as Gwen Stefani, Alison Goldfrapp and Keira Knightley inspire the urban-cool crowd. However the potential to get a colour change wrong is considerable. Ignore at your peril skin tone, eye colour, brow colour and your hair's texture and condition, as they will all have a bearing on how successful the outcome is. With deluxe-natural getting the nod this autumn, it's all about making a perfect marriage between features and follicles, improving on Mother Nature rather than going all GM, so to speak. 'Stripy, too vibrant or unnatural-looking colour does not translate into expensive hair,' says Gary Richardson, creative colour director at Daniel Hersheson in London.

If you're heading to the salon, a professional opinion from your colourist is worth listening to, as what works for your favourite superstar might do you no favours at all. And if you're doing it yourself at home, choosing a shade that's either two shades lighter or two shades darker than your natural colour is about as adventurous as you should get.

Skin tone – cool
Skin with pale pink undertones is classified as cool. Eyes are usually blue or grey. Blue-eyed blondes are the classic male fantasy and blue-eyed brunettes look unusual and striking, the right brown shade making eyes look more intensely blue. Grey eyes go with everything.

Golden rule: use predominantly ash tones to neutralise the pinkness in your skin if you regularly fall into the flush/blush/looks-a-bit-of-a-lush category, despite being pre-menopausal, unselfconscious and sober.

Skin tone - warm
Your complexion is often described as 'peaches and cream' and has yellow undertones, or you could have an olive skin, Mediterranean, Asian, dark or black skin. Eye colour tends to be brown, hazel or green.

Golden rule: creamy is usually dreamy, but brown eyes, dark brows and blonde hair need careful blending, and picking up on a toning brown and combining it with blonde will blur the join, as it were. The brunette buzz is for golden, rich browns and melting, milk-chocolate shades. Sallow complexions don't tend to be flattered by yellow gold or light copper tones, but intense dark chocolates, deep reds and burgundies will have an energising effect on skin that looks jaded.

Word of caution
Golden rule: creamy is usually dreamy, but brown eyes, dark brows and blonde hair need careful blending When it comes to colouring your hair at home, always read the instructions carefully and carry out the recommended skin test - in case of allergic reaction to any of the chemicals. Salons usually insist that first-time clients have a skin test before going ahead with any colour work that comes into contact with the scalp.

New in salon
Clynol Viton Medium Matt Ash Auburn Brown is a rich, dark brown shade ideal for producing muted chocolate effects with cool, sultry tones and Dark Matt Ash Auburn Blonde adds milk-chocolate effects to dark blonde and light brown bases. Colour Technician of the Year Lisa Shepherd says, 'In the past brown shades have incorporated a certain amount of warmth, but these innovative chocolate tones are completely matt and neutral.'

Wella's salon exclusive Vibrant Violet Mahogany is available in either permanent or mildly oxidising semi-permanent formulas. The permanent option via Wella's Koleston Perfect completely covers grey and can be used for an all-over transformation or for more subtle effects like slices or tips on the ends of the hair. Colour Touch lasts for up to 15 washes and Shine Intensive Complex gives vibrant colour, brilliance and shine. www.salonfinder.co.uk

Schwarzkopf Igora Duality is a two-phase, ready-to-use colour, an ammonia-free semi-permanent that lasts up to 15 washes. It's a perfect no-commitment option, since there's no issue with regrowth. There are 18 shades to choose from. Use it to add a shimmer to your current hair colour by having a treatment in your Schwarzkopf appointed salon or by paying £9.99 and doing it yourself at home.

New on shelf
L'Oréal Féria 3D Color's Blackest Black, Mystic Black and Starry Night, £7.49, are particularly suitable for enhancing dark brown and naturally black hair. The permanent gel colourant uses vibrant three-dimensional, triple-highlights-effect technology, while the double-dose, nutri-protective, highlight-enhancing conditioner nourishes hair and prolongs shine and colour durability.

Clairol Herbal Essences Fearless Colour, £5.99, is 100% ammonia-free permanent colour with the same signature fragrance as the shampoos. Available in 50 shades, including Bronze Ice, a medium golden brown, and Cocoa Infusion, a medium brown.

 

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