Thank the fucking hair gods that the days of unicorn hair are over, and we’re moving on to more natural hair colors that don’t look like a mythical creature threw up on your head. Pack away the Manic Panic you bought for Coachella last year, and start showing your colorist these pictures so you can look sophisticated AF and on trend this spring. Because let’s be honest: no one’s going to take a betch with metallic hair seriously in 2018. Presenting THE best hair colors for spring 2018.
1. Pearly Blondes
Pearly, shiny blondes are the new fried, unhealthy looking platinums. It’s 2018 and if you go blonde, you also need to go shiny, not dull and damaged looking. Gone are the days of sacrificing our luscious locks just to see how blonde we can go. And who better to look to for the pearlescent trend than Kim Kardashian, whose colorist Chris Appleton spent almost 24 hours taking the betch to an icy pearlescent shade of blonde?
2. Rich Browns
This spring, the rich brown hair trend is going to mean more to you than the rich brunet Wall Street fuckboy who ghosted you last month. Deep, chocolatey rich brunette hues full of dimension are replacing the tired, dual-toned ombres of recent years. Take notes from celeb colorist George Papanikolas’ chocolatey color transformation on Lydia Hearst.
3. Natural Root-Shadowing Blondes
Thanks to the shadow roots trend, anyone can see if blondes have more fun—and at a cheaper price. Shadow roots are when you embrace your natural root color from the beginning of the dye job. Fully embracing your natural color as part of the growing out process not only saves you serious money between appointments, it also saves your strands from being over-processed. Texas-based colorist Eric Vaughn shows us the epitome of blonde root-shadowing goals.
4. Redheads
As we patiently wait for the redhead emojis to make their appearance on the next iPhone update, you can get ahead of the trend and embrace the ginger trend this spring. Opt for warmer, multi-dimensional red hues to spice up any lewk. See below for a redhead look created using Davines color.
5. Cinnamon Hair
Cinnamon hair is a blend of the deep rich brown trend, the redhead trend, and a blend of blonde tones. The look is typically achieved using the hand-painted balayage technique and creates tons of a dimension. Talk to your colorist about the exact cinnamon shade that works for your skin tone.
6. Subtle Highlights
Remember those tiger stripe highlights you used to rock in middle school, inspired by none other than Kelly Clarkson circa 2002? Yeah, subtle face-framing highlights are the opposite of that. Using the same hand-painted technique as you do with balayage, subtle highlights look just like those face-framing highlights you used to get from the sun after a day at the beach when you were a kid.
If you haven’t been watching this season of The Bachelor then you haven’t lived you’re probably doing ok, but you’re missing out on one of the most diverse seasons ever. And, no, I’m not talking about race… I’m talking about hair. One contestant in particular, Bekah M., is making Bachelor hair history. For reference purposes, Bekah M. is the girl who looks like the ABC production team picked her up after she missed the bus for her school field trip and shoved her in a limo heading to the Bachelor mansion instead. People are losing their shit over her because not only does she look hella young, but she’s also the only woman in Bachelor history to ever rock short hair AND have a man be sexually attracted to her despite it *gasps*. We’re really making huge strides for womankind this season, ladies! I’m actually rooting for her even though every time Arie tries to slide his hand up her dress I want to call Child Protective Services. I’m calling it now, this hairstyle is about to be v popular with a bunch of barely 21-year-olds who want to be the “edgy girl” in their sororities. That said, pixie haircuts are actually a huge deal. You can’t just show up at your hair appointment and ask for this cut without doing your research first, lest you end up cutting off all your hair and looking like a British man. But luckily for you I have way to much time on my hands I’ve done the research. So here’s exactly what you should ask your stylist for if you want to copy Bekah M.’s look.
Does This Cut Make Me Look Fat?
First things first, Bekah M. is a fucking chameleon and don’t you forget it. As evidenced from my in-depth stalking of her Instagram, the girl has had pink hair, blue hair, long hair, short hair, blonde hair, BANGS—all in one fucking lifetime. Basically she can do whatever the fuck she wants to do with her hair and she’ll still have grey haired men wanting to feel her up look flawless. You, on the other hand, won’t be so blessed. But hey, at least you won’t be mistaken for a member of the lollipop guild, so, hopefully that keeps you warm at night. Anyway, it’s important to talk to your stylist about what they think your face shape is (I’m still in deep denial that mine is round) and what the best pixie cut for your face shape is. Anyone can pull off short hair, though round and heart-shaped faces have an easier time getting away with any pixie cut they want. If you have a more angular face, then you’ll want to ask your stylist about which cuts have the right proportions for your face shape.
Actual footage of Bekah M. in her natural habitat Instagram
Don’t Trust Yourself To Get The Length Right
Going that short with your hair for the first time is fucking scary because your face will be, like, out there and on display for the world *shudders*. The first time you go short, always go longer with the cut than you think you want. For example, if you’re trying to seduce the dad of the kids you babysit and want to try Bekah M.’s look (based on Arie’s reaction, it works), then maybe try out a bob first or a longer, messier, pixie. Something that won’t make you want to immediately fling yourself off a cliff when your stylist turns you around to face the mirror. That’s the feeling we’re trying to avoid here.
The most important advice we can give you when trying out a new haircut is to never, ever trust yourself to know what’s best for you. Think of it this way: The last time you probably took a risk was when you got shitfaced on a Tuesday and drunk matched with someone whose answer to the question “what are you legitimately bad at” was commitment. (Just me? K.) The point is, leave all the risk-taking to the hair professionals, because odds are they know way more than you do about what actually complements your face.
How TF Am I Going To Style This Shit?
Short hair doesn’t actually mean low-maintenance hair, kinda like how the super short girl in your friend group isn’t really fun-sized but is actually more of a shitshow. If you’re going pixie-short, then you’re going to want to style the fuck out of your hair. Make a point to ask your stylist the best ways to style your new hair and the products you’ll need to do it. Trust me, those bitches will be foaming at the mouth to shower you in over-priced hair products. Seriously, every time I go to the salon my hairdresser always gets me wasted off complimentary wine and then swindles me out of $40 for some obscure hair product that will “change my life,” but I’ve only ever used once. Ah, the memories. If you’re more of a betch on a budget, then I recommend using Bumble And Bumble Sumotech for faux-mohawks and serious hair hold. You’ll also want to try Bumble And Bumble Surf Spray for Bekah M.-inspired pixie waves.
