Looking to update your hair or wig? Color is a great way to do so and 2016 is all about rich, warm colors. For brunettes, think tones of milk to dark chocolate—delicious! There is a new color called bronde (as one would expect, it’s a combo of brown and blond)—which is all the rage and, for the blonde lovers, buttery blondes are back! After years of cool, icy blonde shades, warm, bright, buttery beige blondes are making a comeback. Variations of highlights and darker colors at the roots are also very popular—which is great for wig wearers as it works to create a very natural look on a wig.
This year, achieving that perfect color is all about balayage—hand-painted-on highlights/color as opposed to traditional foils used for highlights/lowlights—which allows the stylist to control placement. This creates a blended dimension, resulting in a more natural/lived-in feel. Ombre is being replaced with Sombre, its more subtle cousin. Here are some other new techniques to ask for that will transform your hair or sheital from mundane to fabulous in no time!
With a name that is fun to say, Flamboyage is a gorgeous and exciting style. A combination of ombre and balayage hairstyles, this technique results in a brightened, yet natural, lived-in look.
Deliberate Roots creates an appearance of your roots having grown in. This trend is especially great for sheitels as it transforms any hairstyle, especially blonde, into a more natural look.
Hair Strobing is a popular technique that customizes color to complement one’s hair/wig natural color, skin tone and face shape. It highlights where the light would naturally hit, enhancing and brightening one’s best features.
Dainty Babylights are delicate highlights that are placed softly in the hair to create a very natural look. As opposed to splashlights—which see sharp flashes of laser-like blonde on dark tresses—babylights are much finer. The hair is separated into itsy-bitsy sections and color is applied to each group of strands and left for more than an hour. Yes, it’s costly and time consuming, but you’re left with a more multidimensional, radiant, natural-looking dye job.
Snow Light Highlights are shimmering pieces of pale blonde scattered across the top of the head like snow. Try this to get a sparkling lift for your summer wig color.
The demand for dark roots and lighter ends started a few years back. Ombre can feature quite a stark dark-to-light fade—making Sombre a much more nuanced take on the dip-dye trend. With Sombre, the lighter sections start up a bit higher and the lower lengths have ribbons of dark color for a more gradual transition. Just like its predecessor, the worn-in look is perfectly low-maintenance. There’s no need for constant touch-ups due to there being no clear demarcation line or regrowth—making it an economical option.
Don’t be afraid to try a new look; consult with your stylist for her honest opinion to ensure a fab transformation!
By Sari Friedbauer
Sari Friedbauer is the owner and stylist of Sari’s Wigs, and you can call or text her at 201-694-5319.
