Huffington Post – Gina Rivera Transition to Fall Hair Colors

Don’t feel like you have to do this all at once.

If you try to go from beachy blonde to dark plum for fall in one trip to the salon, you may be disappointed with the results. Certainly, there are stylists who say it can be done, but for big moves in color, a phased approach is far better.

This is the time of year when we’re all doing it, moving from summery shades of honey with bright highlights to darker, romantic shades for fall and winter. This is a challenge in part because we’re probably dealing with damaged hair.

Chemicals needed to get those light summer shades were hard on our hair. The sun, pool water and wind left our locks dry and leached of oils. So, the first step should be to get your hair healthy.

A couple days before going to your stylist to begin the transition to fall, use a clarifying shampoo or mix of baking soda and water to get your hair really clean. Then go with a deep conditioner to nourish your hair. Let it sit in your hair for a while before rinsing. Almost certainly, your stylists will use a clarifying shampoo again right before coloring. Also, go with a protein treatment and daily protein spray to help restore the hair follicle before you go in.

The good news is that the darker shades are healthier for your hair, in part because they don’t need the strong chemicals that it takes to go light and because higher quality colors incorporate oils and other nourishing ingredients that leave your hair stronger, more flexible and feeling beautiful.

Going with a phased approach will give you a more natural transition. And if you had a really good time with your hair over the summer, you may have quite a collage of colors, including some you never intended. You need to deal with this mess in the transition to those darker shades. If you have a menagerie of crayon colors mixed with bright, high-contrast highlights, some of that could show through. You also need to deal with roots if they’re showing strong. These are all good reasons to make the move over a couple appointments rather than all at once.

Don’t suppose for a second that a transitional style is boring. These should be beautiful and full of the healthy, natural style that are trending so strong right now. Pair the new color with a trim and your can have an entirely new look that you might like better than what you’d planned.

Final bit of advice: after your appointment, pull back on the shampoo and conditioner. Let the darker shades settle in. Otherwise, you may see that beautiful new color headed down the drain.

Have fun. Be open to change!