Photo courtesy of Tony Armstrong Photography.

Blended tones sizzle this summer from coast to coast

By Kaila Heard, My Salon Scoop writer

MIAMI—Summer ushers forth shorter hemlines, bared skin and dropped convertible tops—all in the name of snagging attention. Today's hair-nistas are no exception, but we do it with splashes of color.

Blazing color trends
This season find it not strange to see women in Miami with crowns of glory in shades of auburn, orange, brown and even purple, says Felicia Brown, hairstylist and owner of Mahaqni Sophisticated Looks Salon.

Bold colors are the name of the game. To pull it off, Brown says, "The colors must be blended correctly."

Colors can be mixed together to create a new color before its applied to the hair or the colors can be applied as highlights and lowlights to help create a more flattering look, she explains.

If bold is not you, try letting your personality shine through using highlights and lowlights. Master hair color artist Michael Angelo says this technique allows women to find a look that flatters their natural beauty.

"This summer, dramatic hair color and heavy contrasting looks of the past seasons will make their way out and the trend will be a more natural look to help complement skin tones and eye colors," says Angelo, owner of The Michael Angelo Hair Studio in Tampa.

Complementary hues, tones
Regardless of this season's hottest hair colors, in-the-know hair-nistas realize that the best colors are the ones that make their overall look complete.

Actress, Sharon Leal. (Photo credit: PRPhotos.com).

"Gray, blue or dark brown eyes are generally considered cool while hazel or green eyes are considered warm," Angelo says.

Warm skin tone hues tend to be complemented best by rich browns, golds and reds. If your skin skews toward cooler tones, look to ashy brown and light blond hair colors.

In addition to skin tone and eye colors, consider your day-to-day activities. Are you artsy? Are you an entrepreneur? Do you work in mainstream corporate America? Are you a stay-at-home mom? Your hair color, Munoz says, should complement your lifestyle. "It depends on the personality and what they do."

Safe dying alternatives

With women always looking for ways to enjoy shaking up their look without the dryness and breakage permanent color can bring, several alternative

Reddish highlights can complement skin tone. (Photo credit: PRPhotos.com)

In addition to semi-permanent hair color, which is less damaging than permanent color but can still make your hair look dull and dry, Angelo says salon glazes make an ideal alternative since they fade in about six weeks.

"These glazes are perfect for someone wanting to go a shade or two darker than your natural color without a permanent outcome, or brighten lighter shades with clear glaze," he says.

Meanwhile, Brown says to look to nonpermanent hair accessories. "Because hair coloring can be...damaging, a lot of people go with (colored) extensions."

Fade-fighter techniques

To help your hair colors remain vibrant for as long as possible, Angelo recommends protecting your hair from sunlight by wearing hats and using products specifically for color-treated hair. Even just rinsing your hair with cold water after you shampoo can aids in preventing your color from fading fast.

"This helps close down the cuticle of the hair shaft, which will help your hair color last longer and increase shine," he says.

Kaila Heard is a South Florida freelance writer who can be contacted at kaila.heard@gmail.com.

Full photo credits:

Tony Armstrong/Tony Armstrong Photography
Model: Mickey M.
Dress by Latasha Anderson for CLEVA Fashions Hair By: Mikallie Myvett

Copyright 2010 © My Salon Scoop, LLC

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