Silver and grey coloured hair was a huge trend last year, and although we do still love the hue, it's time for something new. Step forward, gold hair, because we all could use a little luxury.
Gold hair can be bold or subtle, and the good news is that you'll be able to add incredible gloss and shine to your hair with the right products. We predict this hue will take over your Instagram feeds in 2018, and we wanted to find out all there is to know about the beautiful shade. So we called in the knowledge of Jack Howard, L'Oréal Professionnel hair colourist, who works out of Paul Edmonds London. If anyone knows about hair colour, it's him (Here's proof!) and he's definitely the man to go to if you want to ensure your colour looks rich and metallic, not cheap and brassy.
Why is gold hair hot for 2018?
"We are seeing lots of gold coming through in makeup and clothing, but for me it's more about gold with ash reflects and metallic in general being a super hot colour. What's interesting about a gold shimmer to hair colour is it's going to suit warmer skin tones and can look beautiful on blondes. The new Majirel Metals from L'Oréal Professionnel features 5 high-shine shades with Ash Gold which can deliver a desirable soft shimmery champagne blonde. I love using the Ash Gold shade as a glaze over pre-lightened (bleached blonde) hair – it looks stunning!"
Who can have it?
"Ash and gold in hair colour is quite flexible and I have seen them work on both warm and cool skin tones and still look incredible – particularly when used as glazes by hair colourists. For all metallic shades to be visible, the hair needs to be pre-lightened first or on naturally lighter hair. As long as the hair is healthy it can be any hair type. Beautiful hair colour starts with healthy hair – and my top tip is to ask for L'Oréal Professionnel's Smartbond at your next colour appointment!" I second Jack's tip about Smartbond, it makes such a huge difference to hair health. You'll come out of the appointment with the healthiest post-coloured hair.
How do I get it?
"If you want to have on-trend metallic or gold hair, I definitely recommend seeking out a hairdressing professional – don't do it at home! Go for a consultation, build a mood board, hairdressers appreciate it." This is the news we've all been waiting for. Get those Pinterest boards consultant-ready because we hereby give you permission to spend hours pinning hair colours. Jack also advises to bear in mind upkeep and the cost of a hair colour. But this is something you can discuss in the consultation with your colourist.
What is the upkeep?
"If you want all over platinum with golden tone over the top (as glaze of gloss, in salon speak) you are looking at a high commitment colour and will need to go back to the salon every four weeks. Especially if your hair is naturally darker and you have harsh regrowth lines. However, you can also have a metallic hue and L'Oreal Professionnel's Majirel Metals with balayage and keep the roots natural for a more low commitment colour. This means that you wouldn't need to go to the salon so regularly, but it would wear off quicker, too."
Are there any products you can use at home to keep the colour fresh?
"I definitely recommend using L'Oréal Professionnel's Smartbond in your colour and using the three-step at-home conditioner once a week to maintain optimum condition and get hair that is stronger and shinier. Also use colour enhancing products such as L'Oréal professionnel's Vitamo Color range and use a heat protector such as L'Oréal Professionnel Mythic Oil (£16.50), which will also make your hair look shiny and healthy."
So, there's how to get the colour we predict will be hot next year. Keep reading to begin your golden hued mood board.
