Pastel hair colour tips and tricks

When it comes to pastel hair, I've seen a fair few disasters! Ive also experienced a fair few disasters as well... I have NOT enclosed pictures of said disasters, however i figured after all of my attempts to get a lovely blush of candy colour on my bonce i can share with you my advice and hopefully help you to avoid some common mistakes.

1. Possibly the most important thing you need to know about having pastel hair is that you need to get your hair to the lightest shade possible before applying the pastel colour or it will not work. Aim for white and get this step done by a professional, with salon hair lightener. I know it is expensive, but unless you have naturally very fair coloured hair you will end up with a warm (gingery) blond. Whatever you do, do not re apply bleach onto already bleached hair! it will destroy your hair and its unlikely you will get it much lighter.
2. If you cant get your hair white enough opt for pinks or peaches. Lavenders, lilacs and mermaid blues do look gorgeous but if you have any warmth in your hair it will work against this ironically.
3. now you have decided what colour you want to go and you have your hair lightened you are ready to pick a dye! Bright fun colours and pastel shades are sadly only available as semi permanent and will wash out but i think with pastel colours, watching the colour fade adds to the effect. Stargazer are my favourite brand of semi permanent dyes but you can also use manic panic and directions hair colours. All of these are available on Amazon.com and you can also find these dyes at alternative style stores. Apply as per bottle instructions and your good to go!
4. My biggest secret when it comes to pastel hair colours is that i actually buy a bright, bold colour like stargazer 'shocking pink' and then i mix a small blob of this with loads of white conditioner. Not only is this cost effective because your bottle of colour will last for ages, but you can also customise how dark or light you want the colour and top up your colour every time you wash your hair by using this mix as conditioner (it will not damage your hair in any way as semi permanent colours don't contain peroxide). One warning if you choose to use this technique, the end result will look lighter than your mix so mix it so it is a tad darker than you desire.
5. To make your colour last longer, wash your hair less frequently and use dry shampoos where possible. use the coldest water you can bare when washing your hair and use a shampoo that is designed for coloured hair. Don't use too much heat on your hair as this is the most damaging thing you can do for hair and it will make your colour fade quicker.
6. If you have very dark hair naturally or don't want to lighten your hair, try hair chalks or hair extensions. These will only offer a very short term effect and in my opinion look better in just small sections as opposed to a full head application but can be great for a one off event, party or festival.
7. This tip might cause controversy but if like me you work 9-5 and need to get the colour out of your hair and quick, i find that mixing washing powder and a harsh shampoo like head and shoulders and applying to wet hair thoroughly will strip this colour out ready for Monday morning. proceed with caution as I'm pretty sure that this is NOT advised by any hairdressers and will be drying on your hair. I get my hair trimmed every 6 weeks and regularly apply hair masks so i feel i can get away with doing this.
   
   Have you ever considered pastel hair colours? feel free to ask me any questions if you require any more advise!