Different Hair Colours And Styles

Hair color can be changed by a chemical process. Hair coloring is classed as "permanent" or "semi-permanent".

Permanent color, as the name suggests, permanently colors the hair - however because hair is constantly growing, the color will eventually grow out as new, uncolored hair grows in.

Permanent hair color gives the most flexibility because it can make hair lighter or darker as well as changing tone and color, but there are negatives. Constant (monthly or six-weekly) maintenance is essential to match new hair growing in to the rest of the hair, and remedy fading. A one-color permanent dye creates a flat, uniform color across the whole head, which can look unnatural and harsh, especially in a fair shade. To combat this, the modern trend is to use multiple colors - usually one color as a base with added highlights or lowlights in other shades.

Semi-permanent color washes out over a period of time – typically four to six weeks, so root regrowth is less noticeable. The final color of each strand is affected by its original color and porosity, so there will be subtle variations in color across the head - more natural and less harsh than a permanent dye. However, this means that gray and white hair will not dye to the same color as the rest of the head (in fact, some white hair will not absorb the color at all). A few gray and white hairs will blend in sufficiently not to be noticeable, but as they become more widespread, there will come a point where a semi-permanent alone will not be enough. The move to 100% permanent color can be delayed by using a semi-permanent as a base color, with permanent highlights.

Semi-permanent hair color cannot lighten hair. Hair can only be lightened using chemical lighteners, such as bleach. Bleaching is always permanent because it removes the natural pigment.

"Rinses" are a form of temporary hair color, usually applied to hair during a shampoo and washed out again the next time the hair is washed.

Brown Hair Color:

If you have super pale skin and brown hair, consider going lighter or at least having some highlights painted or foiled in. Super dark shades can wash you out and even make you appear older. I love the uber-trendy "bronde" and "ombré" styles for brunettes for the perfect sun-kissed look. See my examples of them above.

Can I Go Red?

Almost everyone can go red, what's most important is finding the right shade of red. If you want to go red, I suggest not trying it on your own. Get a professional consultation. You won't believe the number of emails I get from women whose hair turned out orange when they went the box route.

Gorgeous Black Hair

African-American women have many options when it comes to coloring hair. You can tint your hair, add highlights of color or try wigs and weaves to change it up without having to opt for permanent-never-washes-out color. More for black hair:

• Black hairstyle trends for 2011
• About.com's black hairstyles site 

Gray Hair

Many women with gray hair choose to dye their hair. If you are all gray, you may choose to go blonde because blonde is easier to achieve (and maintain) than going dark. More and more women with gray hair are actually learning to embrace the grays (see She's 55 & In Love With Her Graying Hair). And it's no wonder. Grays and silvers are gorgeous colors, so much so that a couple years ago, young models were dyeing their hair gray and it was a trend of the moment.

For inspiration, see this gallery of 20 gorgeous gray hairstyles.

Should You Do It Yourself?

Home-color kits have come a long way in the past few years. They are perfect for busy people and those who want cut the cost of professional colorings. (We know of a couple top fashion editors who color their hair themselves). But if you plan to color your hair more than 2 shades lighter or darker than your natural shade, you should head to a pro.