As college students, a quarter-life-crisis is not too far away, and can even make an early appearance with the stresses of balancing academic and social life. Sometimes we need a little deviation from our standard look. Hair dye can offer a fun and temporary way to change things up when you start to get a little bit too bored or start feeling a little impulsive. But for those who are new to hair coloring, what’s the best way to start?
Highlights and Balayage
Want something fun, easy to take care of, but different? Highlights or a ‘balayage’ might be just what you need. These dye jobs give you that extra touch of dimension to your hair keeping it looking natural and effortless.
Highlights are lightened or colored pieces of your hair that create contrast and dimension. A balayage, French for ‘sweeping,’ is a hair coloring technique where color is hand-painted for a natural, sun kissed look. Depending on the vibe you’re going for, it can even enhance your features in subtle, flattering ways.
“I like my dark eyebrows on my blonde hair,” said Sofia Leon-Escobar, a sophomore who finds that her balayage beautifully compliments her natural features.
Wanting to add some brightness to her naturally brunette hair, Leon-Escobar’s balayage did just that.
“I like the blonde. I like the brightness of it. It’s very beachy. It’s very fun,” she shared.
If you are thinking of dyeing your hair for the first time, these styles are a great starting point. You get to keep your natural hair color as a base but still get to express yourself in a bold, creative way.
As Leon-Escobar puts it, “It’s like the best way to express yourself. You look in the mirror and you’re like, ‘Wow, I belong.’”
For Palmer Smith, a graduate student, Leon-Escobar’s sentiments resonate deeply. As a natural redhead, Smith often faced bullying and isolation for a feature that she was born with. Adding highlights to her hair became a turning point for her, boosting her confidence and helping her embrace her unique look.
“When I color, I only do red, I want a redder highlight now, I want some sunshine in my life,” expressed Smith.
Highlights are a fun way to add brightness and dimension to your hair but they can be harder to maintain compared to a balayage.
“Getting highlights every three months can get quite costly. Balayage, I can just do twice a year,” Leon-Escobar said.
Frosted Tips
If you need an easy, low-maintenance dye job and a way to add Y2K Justin Timberlake style to your hair, consider frosted tips. Frosted tips are a style of bleaching where you only bleach the ends of your hair. It is very easy as there is no need for a root touch up, and the only thing you need to do is tone it.
“The last time that I bleached it was five months ago,” freshman Martina Pantaleon said.
She says even after growing it out, it looks just as good as the first day she dyed it.
Frosted tips are easy to get rid of once you do it. All you have to do is cut an inch or less off the tips of your hair, almost like a trim for dead ends. Frosted tips can also come in all different colors, and Pantaleon mentioned the different colors she had her frosted tips, including blue. Since it is bleached, you can dye your tips whatever fun color you would like.
Ombré
Choosing an ombré look is playful because of its dimensionality. This dye style can be as simple as a smooth transition from your natural hair color to a slightly lighter or darker shade–or as bold as a vibrant color.
Melanie Lanza, a freshman, has the coolest ombré hair. Her rich brown hair melts seamlessly into a deep purple. But she didn’t always rock this hairstyle.
“I first dyed my hair when I was 16–hot pink, it was kind of crazy,” Lanza laughs.
While this can feel a little risky for many people, she offers some advice for anyone considering ombré or dyed hair.
“Semi-permanent dye is your best friend.” It makes experimenting fun without long-term commitment.
Although this look has its perks it can be time consuming to dye and fades quickly.
“I dye it every month and a half, semi-permanent,” Lanza said. It might take you a little more time and effort to care for this dye style than others.
Money Pieces
Money pieces, most popular among brunettes and known for their major comeback in 2020, are a great styling choice. They’re easy to bleach, dye, maintain and they are incredibly versatile.
Alena Lloyd-Yao, a sophomore, loves how easy it is to maintain her blonde money pieces on her naturally brunette hair.
“I bleach my hair myself every two months,” she shared.
After purchasing a kit from Amazon, Lloyd-Yao taught herself to dye her own hair, finding it more affordable than salon visits.
“Try to do it yourself. I think it’s a very interesting experience,” she advises.
For Lloyd-Yao, her money pieces are not just a hairstyle; they are part of her identity and individuality.
“I feel like I can use this as my brand to let people get to know me from my hair,” she said.
Full Color
Looking for something super bold? Try a full color hairstyle.
For darker hair, you can either bleach first and then color, or you can use a color specifically made for dark hair, which lightens your hair as it deposits color. Blondes are lucky. You guys can put pretty much any color over your natural hair and it will turn out perfectly.
Full color can be hard to manage, with growing out roots and the possibility of color bleeding and ruining all of your favorite outfits.
“The cons are definitely just paying for a dye and the upkeep, and sometimes I have to make sure I don’t wear white so it doesn’t get my clothes,” said Liana Barros, a second-year graduate student.
A tip to deal with this is to fully dry your hair before wearing any colors, but you may want to ditch your light wardrobe for a week or two after a fresh dye.
Wigs
If you prefer to preserve your natural hair color and texture, or don’t trust someone to go near it with harsh chemicals, wigs may be the right option for you. They can also be useful to help your hair heal from any previous dye jobs, or to help you achieve vivid colors that are hard to reach with typical hair dyes.
“It’s very much a protective style if you do it correctly,” said senior Christian Blickley, who owns a wig installation business, @CrownedByChristian on Instagram.
She adds that wearing wigs can help with growing out your hair because there is no manipulation to the natural hair. She previously colored her own hair and had to do a big chop to cut out the damage, but wigs gave her an outlet to continue to express herself.
words&photo_valentina carbonell, keira faddis and tatiana pina
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