How To Go Darker For Fall

Fall is one of the most anticipated seasons of the year, when a whole new vibe takes over. There's the back to school rush of getting the kids out the door, and all the planning and preparation for the rush of friends and family with the holidays to come, but it's also an exciting time of year to make some changes of your own—like a rich, deep tone for your hair to match the season. Here's a guide to going darker from the pros at Madison Reed.

If you're looking to change up your look, but want to go for a trial run first, try these options:

Go for Lowlights

Going darker doesn't always mean completely changing your hair color. If you like where your hair is now and want to take a more subtle approach to going to a darker shade, try placing some sporadic lowlights in your hair. What's a lowlight? It's basically a highlight, but with a darker color, and it goes inside your hair (while highlights are usually placed on the outside). It's a beautiful new take on color.

Go Darker in Stages

Whether it's your first time going dark, or you've done it for ages, the general rule of thumb is to take it in baby steps. Going dark is a big change, and has the potential to make you look like a completely different person. If you are a creature of habit, try taking the color one shade at a time, and gradually work your way to your goal.

Try a Semi-Permanent Gloss

If you're looking for richer, more vibrant tone, but you don't want to go with a completely different color, a semi-permanent gloss is perfect. It gives you just the right shine and richness you might be craving (especially after those summer months) and can be the perfect alternative to going for a complete change.

 

If you're looking to make a full-on change, good for you! Here are some things to consider before going dark:

Consider Your Skintone

Your skin tone is pretty easy to determine. Just look at the veins on the insides of your wrist in natural lighting. If you see a blue-violet color, you have a cool undertone. If you have a slightly more greenish color, you have a warm undertone. It's really important to consider what tone you are before choosing a color, so that the shade you choose looks natural with your skin, and you can look and feel confident with your color choice.

Choose Your Color Wisely

Find your perfect hair color with Madison Reed's Color Advisor. It's just 8 easy questions to give you a perfect match. For a quick glossary, you can also check our Field Guide to Hair to get the best overview and ideas. Make sure it matches your skin tone, and choose a color that you know you'll feel comfortable with.

Pick a Hairstyle That Works

A darker color can add a whole new dimension to your hair, but with the right style, you can achieve an even bolder and more beautiful look. A deeper color typically usually adds the appearance of more weight to your hair, so if you like to keep your hair from your face, try some face-framing layers. If you want to try a short haircut with your new color, check out this guide to matching your face shape with an appropriate cut, and make your move from there.

Don't Forget the Brows

You might be so excited to finally color your hair that you've completely forgotten about your eyebrows. Yup, those need a little taking care of too. Before you head out the door, ask your hair color specialist to tint them to match your hair. It will make an incredible difference to your overall appearance. If you don’t want to put color near your eyes, you can always use a darker brow pencil to fill them in. Pro tip: Madison Reed's Root Touch Up is great for eyebrows!

If you need some guidance on ways to care for your new hair color, here are some tips:

Use the Right Shampoo & Conditioner

Going darker can also mean a completely different hair care regimen, if it's far from your natural color. Where getting away with certain shampoos and conditioners were okay once, now you will want to keep that color in place. Hair care products that are optimized to keep your color from fading is key, as you're going to want your new hair to last all season. Products like Madison Reed's Nourishing Color Enhancing Shampoo and Conditioner are formulated to actually help your hair color last longer.

Keep it Gentle

Coloring your hair can give you beautiful results, but keep your hair healthy and hydrated during the process. Keep away from parabens, ammonia, resorcinol, gluten, PPD and other harsh chemicals that can leave your hair dry and damaged. If you’re gonna go darker, do it right and keep it healthy and strong.

Treat it Right

Your hair looks and feels more vibrant. Treat it well, and lay off the heat styling once in a while. Let it air dry. Deep treat it with an extra-moisturizing natural mask, and let it shine.

Your hair should be as radiant as you are—because feeling beautiful is everyone’s best accessory. Build your Hair Profile at Madison Reed today, and choose the colors that look best on you!