After all the new color introductions of the past few years, how can there be anything new out there. After all, what could top Balayage? And Ombre? Well, keep your caps on, color aficionados, there’s no shortage of fresh ideas. Stylists keep coming out with new ones, and it doesn’t look like there’s an end in sight. In fact, many of the new styles are variations of Balayage and Ombre. In addition, there are new metallic shades and more shades of natural hair colors. For those that are more daring, there are plenty of vivids to try, from solids to split colors to blends.
Who hasn’t had highlights at one point or another… but how many of you have tried Babylights or Bronds? For sun – lovers, or even those who want to be thought of as outdoorsy, these are two styles to look at. Babylights are meant to more closely mimic the effects of sunlight, and, if applied correctly, look more natural. Brond is a quirky name for another sunkissed, beachy look. For brunettes who want a little more oomph, Brond is a great choice. 
Ombre has been around for a while but is still very popular. The word “Ombre”, if you don’t already know, comes from the French, meaning “shaded”. The color style is a more extreme departure of natural lights and darks. If that’s a little too daring for you, but you want to test the waters, Sombre is the way to go. You still have the interweaving of lights and darks, but the look is more diffuse, more suggestive and subtle.
Now, if you’re into super blonde or silver, you may have heard of double processing. Double processing, as the name suggests, involves two procedures – the first bleaches the hair and the second adds new tone. It’s not a simple process and is best left to an experienced stylist, but, the effect is stunning, from ice blues to grays and silvers to soft pastel colors.
A big step up from soft, elegant mixes, are the newer, bold, color statements seen in recent years. Colombre, another twist on the Ombre style is dramatic. The combinations of colors are limited only by your (or your stylist’s) imagination. Blues, purples, reds, oranges are all possible.
This summer, make a promise to yourself to try something new, even daring. You might be surprised at how great a different look can make you feel about yourself and life.
