There are many different ways to permanently and temporarily colour your hair. Here’s how each one works and tips for deciding which one is best for you.

How does hair colouring work?

There are many different ways to permanently and temporarily colour your hair. Here’s how each one works and tips for deciding which one is best for you:

Permanent Hair Colour: This is the most popular kind of dye, but it’s also the most damaging. It’s typically a mixture of ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, citric acid and a pigment that binds to your hair shaft in order to change its colour (and keep it there). Permanent dyes can cause damage if they’re applied to dry or damaged strands; however, they tend to last longer than semi-permanent or demi-permanent alternatives.

Semi-Permanent & Demi-Permanent Dye: These temporary options usually contain less ammonia than permanent dyes do—but still more than other semi-permanent/demi-permanent options—so they won’t be quite as harsh on sensitive scalps. They also tend to have fewer chemicals that can cause damage over time compared with permanent dyes because they’re meant to wash out within two weeks (or a month) instead of lasting indefinitely like their heavier counterparts do.”

Gloss

Glosses are a type of semi-permanent hair colour that have a clear base. They can be used to give shine and tiny bit of colour to your hair without having to bleach it first. If your hair has been bleached by the sun or with other chemicals, glosses can be used to tone down the damage and give your hair a more natural look. Glosses can also be used as part of an at-home root touch up kit if you’ve coloured your own roots before and want them refreshed. When choosing a gloss, take into account how much damage you want to fix or even out—some glosses are stronger than others, so go for one that matches what you need!

Highlights

Highlights are a low-maintenance option for those who want a more subtle change in their hair colour. Highlights can be done at home or by a professional, but if you’re looking to keep things simple and save some money, it’s best to opt for self-highlights.

There are many different types of highlights that can make your hair look great. The trick is finding the right one based on your natural hair colour, skin tone and personal style.

Ombré/Balayage

Ombré and balayage are probably the most popular hair coloring techniques out there, and for good reason. They can be subtle or dramatic, depending on which variation you choose.

Ombré is a gradual transition from dark to light at the top of your head that mimics natural highlights as they appear in nature (the sun). Balayage is similar to ombré but instead of being applied over all of your hair, it’s applied only to sections above your ears so that these sections look darker than those around them. Hair colouring looks best when it’s blended in with your natural colouring rather than contrasting against it. This means that if either of these methods appeal to you, go ahead and give them a try! However…

While ombré and balayage are both cool new ways to spice up your hairstyle, they’re not necessarily right for everyone—especially if you have short/fine/thinning hair because these colours tend to make thinning spots even more obvious than they already are (especially after washing). If this sounds like something that would bother you then I’d recommend sticking with traditional colours such as black or browns until those patches grow back in—and even then consider going lighter instead!

Permanent Colour

Permanent colour is applied to your hair roots and lengths. The result is that it lasts for 6-12 weeks before needing a touch-up. This type of colour can be used to change your hair shade or enhance an existing one, and it can also be used to cover greys. You can have permanent colour applied at the salon or do it yourself at home, but there’s a big difference between doing so in either setting!

Semi-Permanent Colour

• Semi-Permanent Colour.

This type of colour lasts up to 12 washes and is great if you’ve never coloured your hair before. This can be used to deepen the natural colour of your hair, boost highlights, cover up roots and even cover grey hairs.

Glosses, highlights, ombrés, balayages and semi-permanent colours are great if you want a less permanent option or to just try out a new shade. Permanent dyes allow you to change the colour of your hair most dramatically.

You may want to try out a new colour before committing to it. Glosses, highlights, ombrés, balayages and semi-permanent colours are great if you want a less permanent option or to just try out a new shade. Permanent dyes allow you to change the colour of your hair most dramatically.