Pastel Hair: How to get it & what to consider

We’ve all seen Katy Perry’s blue-hued bob, and lately, even the most unexpected celebrities like January Jones and Kate Bosworth are sporting rainbow streaks from the red-carpet to a night on the town.  I have to say, January Jones pink streaks are my favorite.  Her streaks are understated, feminine, and just down right pretty, but what if you have darker hair? 


 Kathleen Firth, Paul Mitchell Educator and owner of Paul Mitchell Focus Salon, Raika Studio in New York City, shows how you can work with your stylist to get the perfect pastel look for your hair. She says that, brunettes should know that it might be necessary for their stylist to pre-lighten hair to a pale blonde before applying color as color is less likely to show on darker shades.  

Women with blonde hair can easily get the look with Paul Mitchell INKWORKS, a professional and semi-permanent hair color that features pure, vibrant pigment, so you can add a subtle, unexpected twist to your summer style.  Kathleen also suggests that you start off by determining your skin tone – warm or cool – to decide on the best shades for you.  If you have “warm” skin, colors like oranges, pinks and yellows would be best.  If you have “cool” skin, stick with colors like purple, blue and green.  


Then, once you've gotten your color be sure to use a shampoo specifically for color-treated hair.  Kathleen prefers Paul Mitchell Color Protect Shampoo because it prevents color fade and helps keep delicate pastel colors from becoming distorted by chlorine or sea water, which can both trigger bad reactions and strip color out.