I’d rather dye

Coloring your hair is an undertaking that must not be taken lightly. Too often, we see morena girls trying to pull off a ghetto-fabulous style by having their hair dyed a certain shade of blond that matches the color of corn husk. Fair-skinned girls also make mistakes by overestimating the power of their light skin tone, choosing hair colors of an unnatural shade of red. While the results might look good initially, under the bright lights of the salon and with the help of a good blowout, the inappropriateness of a new hair color rears its horns after just a couple of washings. And unlike a bad hair day, a botched-up dye job lasts for months, dulling or washing out your skin tone and giving it a tired appearance. A good dye job, on the other hand, can work wonders. A flattering hair color can brighten your complexion and highlight your features. Hair coloring, when done right, is also a means to individualize your look and give you a more polished appearance.

Now, the only difference between looking like a million bucks and looking like a disaster is the right hair color that will work well with your skin tone.

Step one

Philippe’s Salon owner and L’Oréal Professionnel’s premiere artistic ambassador Philippe Tordjman says that the most common mistake women and their hairdressers make is selecting a hair color that they think looks attractive, without thinking if the shade will work well for them in the long run. “The pigmentation of Asian hair is different from that of Caucasians’, since it has lots of red shades. A color looks good in the sample book, and may even look great on your hair, but what usually happens is it becomes brassy after just two shampoos,” says Tordjman.  For this, he advises women to select hair coloring products that cater specifically to Asian hair, such as L’Oréal’s new Majibrown Color Match Service. A revolutionary professional hair color service that is inspired by foundation make-up, the Majibrown Color Match Service helps diagnose your correct skin tone and the right hair colors that will complement it through a skin tone reader.  “Whether you want a solid hair color or just highlights, you have to know if your skin tone is on the warm or cool side,” Tordjman says. A good way to determine if you’re warm or cool is to check your veins at the undersides of your arm. If they appear bluish, then you’re cool-toned. If they appear greenish, then you’re warm-toned. “From there, you can choose to lighten or darken your strands, with colors that have the same undertones as your skin.” Majibrown’s selection of brown shades works especially well with Filipinas, even for those who want a dramatic change in their hair. Even if brown sounds like an unpromising color, it can actually give a shot of glamour to your look while appearing natural at the same time. From mahogany to chocolate hues and even light russet tints, there is a perfect shade of brown that works for every skin tone.

Step two

But selecting a new shade is just half of the battle. Proper maintenance is very important in keeping your newly colored hair as luminous as it was on the first day. Tordjman notes that the hard water coming out from most faucets is partly to blame for the diminishing appeal of colored tresses. “The water here in the Philippines is full of copper and zinc, which dulls the effects of hair coloring.” He also says that most women don’t take note of the importance of proper upkeep, cleaning their hair with drugstore-bought shampoos that don’t really do colored hair any good. “One you get your hair colored, you must invest in the shampoo you use,” he states. “You must select one with a neutral pH level that will lock the color in.” This might mean spending more on brands used by higher-end salons but according to Tordjman, the extra cost is a necessary sacrifice you have to make to avoid having brassy, lifeless hair. “To be honest, most shampoo brands you find in supermarkets are just detergents added with fragrance. These wash out your color quickly and leave your hair dry and lifeless. That is why I advise women to be committed once they decide to transform their hair color.”

Touch-ups are also important, especially if you have had your hair dyed three shades or more lighter. A solid hair coloring requires a visit to your colorist every six to eight weeks, while highlighted hair needs a touch-up every three months. Of course, you can opt to skip out on maintenance and have your roots show their real color, but that wouldn’t be as rewarding as having lusciously colored locks.

Remember: Getting colored hair is a commitment from beginning to end. But like any worthy commitment, it gives back just as much good as you do.

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Philippe’s Salon is located at 2295 Jannov Building 3, Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City. Call 830-3030/864-0658 or 0918-830-3030 for consultations and appointments.