Just when you thought we had seen ALL the rainbow hair colors there were to see, this season brings a dreamy new version so gorgeous, it blows all the others away. Spring 2016’s version of the multi-color hair trend, dubbed watercolor hair, involves a blend of different pastel shades strategically placed onto bleached hair, to give off a blurred, brushstroke-like effect using the hair as a canvas. It’s a colorful look that's a bit more subtle than previous rainbow hair trends. The soft, random bursts of color give off an almost translucent effect, like watercolor paintings.
Though the trend resembles many other multi-color hued hair crazes from previous seasons, this conceptual technique brings a new level of artistry to the world of hair color. Plus, there's something to be said for the delicate saturation watercolor hair painting requires. The finished effect is similar to pastel rainbow hair, but this look has more of a watery, transparent vibe — it’s basically, pastel hair after a few washes, without losing the luster of the original color.
The watercolor hair trend isn’t something you should try to achieve at home. The process is best left to a professional hair colorist familiar with the technique. After lightening your hair to a white sandy blonde, your colorist will mix the color (the "paint") with a clear glaze (the "water") to lessen the intensity of each shade. This allows for more interesting blends of colors and helps craft the watercolor result you want. Like with actual watercolor painting, brush strokes should be emotive and somewhat haphazard — leading to a head of hair as unique as the artist who created it. In other words, no two watercolor heads will look identical.
Before you decide to jump on board, you should know that the color of your hair beforehand will definitely affect the finished vibe. This look isn’t brunette-friendly, but if you already have very light hair, or are willing to go blonde first, it can look ultra-chic. It’s also a fun way to experiment if you have grey or white hair, natural or not. Once you take the plunge, be sure to maintain your color with products developed specifically for color-treated hair, like the Schwarzkopf essence ULTIME Diamond Color shampoo and conditioner. And try not to shampoo daily, using Schwarzkopf styliste ULTIME Biotin+ Volume Dry Shampoo in between regular washings.
The rainbow hair trend doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. So if you’re looking for a fun way to refresh your look, watercolor hair is the perfect new trend to try this spring. You can go as light or as dark as you want, depending on how adventurous you are feeling. And if you aren’t ready to commit to a full head of gorgeous muted pastel tresses, have your colorist dip dye just the ends of your hair. Either way, it’s obvious that colorful pastel hair is here to stay. Just remember that with a look like this, maintenance is key, so stock up on all your favourite products from the Schwarzkopf essence ULTIME Diamond Color line and rock your rainbow hair!