HAIR COLOR

5 Steps To Gorgeous Wedding Day Hair Color


Getting ready for a wedding requires a lot of prep work months in advance of the big day. There's the obvious stuff: dress fittings, food tastings, guest lists, seating charts. Oh, and don't forget your hair color--it requires plenty of advanced planning, too. "I have lots of clients who come in when they get engaged and they're like, 'Amy look at my ring!' and I say, 'Great! Let's talk about your hair,'" laughs Amy Mrkuric, a colorist at the Oscar Blandi Salon in New York City. "It can take months before the big day to get the bride's hair color exactly right. We decide if the bride is going to grow her hair out, cut it short, wear it up, down, in between. Then all of that goes into planning the perfect hair color." Here are key steps to getting fabulous hair color.


1. Book a consultation with your hair colorist three months before your wedding date. Discuss how you're going to wear your hair and what kind of hair color you want. (You can try on Wedding Hairstyles and hair colors in the Makeover Studio). This will give you ample time to make several appointments if you need to get to your desired hair color in stages. You can also plan out what type of highlights you'll want. Certain wedding hairstyles require a few strategically placed highlights to catch the light and highlight your face.


2. Show your colorist your veil and hair accessories. "Highlights are all about creating a contrast between dark and light. If I know what your veil looks like or where you'll place shimmery stones or little flowers, I can tweak the color so those things really stand out," says Mrkuric. Try on bridal hair accessories in the Makeover Studio.


3. Get your highlights done seven to ten days before the wedding. "Highlights look best after the color adheres to the hair and it takes about a week for that to happen," Mrkuric notes. Ask for a few extra foils around your hairline to help brighten your face and makeup in photos.


4. Once you've gotten highlights, wait at least two days before shampooing. You want to give hair color time to settle before washing it. Also, use a shampoo that's safe for color-treated hair to reduce any color being stripped away.


5. Keep hair well conditioned. Healthy, moisturized hair really makes highlights sing (think of how light reflects off of a shiny surface compared to a dull one). Treat yourself to an at-home hair mask. Mrkuric recommends Oscar Blandi's Luce, a gloss that adds shine, plus a built-in hydrating mask.