How to Transition Your Hair from Light to Dark

Whether you are a blond, a brunette, or a redhead, it's time to consider adding some richness and depth to your hair color. So hand over the bottle of bleach and say goodbye to your lightly-colored locks. Before you know it, fall will be here and it will be time for darker, richer hair color. My hair clients are already beginning to ask me what changes they should make in their hair color to get ready for fall. Here are the dos and don'ts of darker, richer, fall hair colors.

Do try lowlights. If you're a little nervous about giving up your summery locks or you're worried about the cost of upkeep on a new hair color, lowlights might be your answer. Lowlights are very similar to highlights, except instead of lightening small sections of your hair, you darken them. You could have a few dark streaks applied around your face for a fun, flirty effect. If you want a more noticeable, dramatic change, you could have heavy chunks of lowlight applied all over your head. If you want your hair to look subtly darker, have your stylist give you natural lowlights in the crown with a color just 2 shades darker than your current color. The effect will be subtle, but darker and richer for fall. Lowlights grow in more naturally than all over color, which means you can go longer in between your salon appointments.

Don't try going darker at home. One of the biggest at-home hair color mistakes that I see is women who try to take their hair more than 2 shades darker with at home hair color. The result is usually a ghastly greenish brown shade with uneven splotches of color. See your stylist when making a drastic change so you don't become a hair color casualty. He or she will help you pick the color and style that's just right for you.

Do go darker with demi-permanent, salon hair color. If you want an all over color change, definitely see your stylist for help. He or she will probably need to use a 'filler' on your hair to even out the porosity and get the hair ready for the new hair color. After the filler has been applied and rinsed off, your stylist can then apply the new hair color. Demi-permanent is a great choice of hair color when going darker because it gradually fades over time, eradicating the problems of regrowth. It is also gentle on hair that's already been color treated and provides extra conditioning properties. It process faster than permanent color and does not have the smell of ammonia.

Don't forget to use a color-protection shampoo and conditioner. Any time you color your hair, you should make sure to use a shampoo and conditioner that are made to prevent your color from fading. Redheads especially are prone to color fade, and the right shampoo really does make your color last longer. Try not to shampoo your hair too often - the less you wash, the longer the color will stay put.