How times have changed! Hair color trends today are a far cry from some of the styles of years gone by, and just as fashion progresses and changes so do trends in hair colors and hair coloring techniques. Recently vibrant colours and ombre styles have been super popular, but in 2015 things are shifting once again…the times they keep a changing.
The History of Hair Color
Sometimes it’s a good idea to look back and see where we came from before looking forward to where we are going. Throughout the course of history, people have found ways to alter their appearance either for practical or societal reasons. Some hair colours were regarded as a signature of social rank, so these colours were either sought after or shamed depending on what the times dictated. The practice and art of hair coloring can be traced back as far as around 15oo B.C. with the Egyptians using henna as a hair coloring agent. In fact there is evidence through human history of people using different extracts of plants and other natural agents to dye their hair.
Fast forward to the 1800s when chemists discovered a substance called para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and its use in the creation of a synthetic dye. At the same time, it was found that hydrogen peroxide was a gentler and safer chemical as compared to the other chemicals for hair bleaching. These two discoveries paved way for chemist Eugene Schueller, who created the first commercial chemical hair dye.
In the 1930’s women used to brave the beauty salon subjecting themselves to harsh, harmful chemicals that often resulted in headaches, swollen eyelids, and even blistering on the forehead & scalp (Ouch! Seriously?). For years hair has been frizzed, teased, padded, coated with lard, drenched with toxic chemicals and accidentally set on fire – “all in the name of beauty,” writes Mary Trasko, author of “Daring Do’s: A History of Extraordinary Hair”. Her book documents hair styles (for women and men) and the processes used to achieve them throughout history, it’s pretty interesting and will make you pretty grateful to be living in this century…
Hair Color Trends for 2015
Rainbow Bright
As mentioned, vibrant hair colors have become really popular. We do a lot of these at the shop (you can check out our gallery for examples), everything from pink, purple, blue, green, flaming red, and every variation thereof. You can go bold all over, ombre your ends, or go a little more subtle with balayage highlights. These colors definitely stand out and make a statement, be prepared for maintenance though, as these colors will wash out and become less vibrant with every shampoo – the right products at home are key for maintaining these looks. Also, be prepared to have random strangers commenting on your hair, asking you the ever-original sarcastic question “Is that your natural hair color?” to which you can reply “Why yes, and it scared the $h!& out of my mom when I was born…” Have fun with it, if you have a bold personality and style, this look will likely jive well for you.
Metallic Pastels
A more subtle, downplayed way to play with color is pastels: bubblegum pink, lavender, sea foam, etc. These are lighter versions of their bold counterparts mentioned previously. Matte pastels can take on a lustrous life of their own with shiny, metallic finishes. For strands to reflect these shimmery tones, hair must be kept as healthy as possible. Since nearly all pastel hair colors require a lifting process, protein and moisture treatments will be a necessary component of this trend.
Silver Fox
There was a time when clients just wanted to cover grey, now they’re asking for it! Whether you’re embracing the natural or trying to achieve the edgy, grey is an option available in more than just 50 shades. On one of the end spectrum, silver can be used subtly to create an overall natural look, or you can adapt this color for an edgier look by incorporating blue-based colors to achieve an all over fashion color. Darker grey or charcoal colors are also trending upwards. Balayaging a few different types of grey and silver to create a highly dimensional fashion hair color is a hot trend right now as well.
Aubergine, Merlot, & Rose Gold
These three colors are huge this year. Aubergine appears on the very violet spectrum of your wine reds. Its deep plum and dark red hues resemble that of a young, full-bodied wine. Merlot is a rich red color with subtle hints of cherry and cocoa, it contains equal parts violet and red, and can be easily modified to suit all skin tones. Rose gold is a gorgeous pinkish copper toned color, it can be accomplished on almost any hair color but definitely requires pre-lightening so be prepared for that.
Soft & Natural
The exact opposite of the rainbow color trend, a return to softer natural looks is also growing in popularity. In fact the best hair colors for spring as highlighted by Harpers Bazaar are all natural soft looks, and many of the hair colors and styles during Fashion Week 2015 were simple, clean, and subtle. Techniques like “baby highlights” (basically very subtle balayage), Ecaille (a slightly richer and darker version of your natural color paired with golden highlights and a whole lot of shine), and rich brunettes with caramel highlights are all really popular color trends this year if you’re looking for something a little less wild than the aforementioned trends.
Whatever your dream hair is for 2015, our stylists can help you get there. We work with color lines like Redken Professional and are up to date on all the latest training for coloring techniques. So if you’ve been dying for a change, ditch your old do, book a consultation and we’ll make your hair dreams come true.