How to create the perfect brunette hair colour

Creating a glossy, healthy head of brunette hair is harder than it looks and all too often hair can look flat and lifeless.

Philip Bell from Ishoka in Aberdeen explains how to create the perfect brunette like the nation's sweetheart Cheryl Cole.

DO...

• Consider skin tone and eyes
  
  To achieve the best brunette for your client look at their skin tone and eye colour to help you choose just the right tone. To look really fabulous as a brunette, a client should have warm and olive skin tones and hazel, brown or emerald eyes.  



• Get creative with your mixing
  
  To recreate dark, delicious brunette, mix a dark natural brown with a dash of violet and deep copper.



• Make sure you have an even base
  
  For best results always make sure your client's colour is even in tone from roots to lengths and well conditioned.



• Consider tones carefully
  
  If you want to recreate a brunette tone on previously blonde hair, it's best to go for a warmer tone such as a rich chocolate, rather than a pure natural. To create brunette on grey/white hair don't choose too dark, or too cool a tone.



• Experiment!
  
  Remember, brunette is a hue you can create in lots of different tones and depths so don't be afraid to experiment, just adding a few extra drops of another colour can make it much more exciting for you and your client.



• Offer aftercare
  
  Always make sure your client has the correct homecare products. Shampoos and conditioners with a hint of colour in them are great to keep hair and colour looking terrific until the next visit.



• Refresh the ends as gently as possible
  
  Taking your tint straight through every time will lead to colour build-up and lack of condition.

DON'T...

• Use only natural tones for brunettes
  
  Make it more exciting for the client and tailor-make her colour. Don't be afraid to mix warm and cool tones together, they can make beautiful brunettes.



• Forget what colour your canvas is
  
  If you're creating a brunette on a previously blonde head of hair, it may need pre-pigmenting or a warmer colour choice. This will help prevent flat, lustreless tones.



• Always assume brunette means brown or dark
  
  You can achieve gorgeous brunette from the depth of a medium blonde.



• Forget to replace warm tones which have been removed through lightening.
  
  If you don't, the result will look flat and muddy.