I Might Be a Cancer, but I'm Entering My Gemini Hair Era

@popsugar

It might be Aquarius season, but our UK producer just went full-blown Gemini. Find out how you can get the look at our 🔗 in bio. #GeminiHair #SplitDye #HairstyleSwitch #TwoTone #BeautyTok

♬ original sound - ☽

My star sign might be Cancer, but I didn't need a horoscope to know that the Gemini hair trend would be in my future. Named after the zodiac sign, the two-tone trend is expected to flood our feeds in 2023, with Pinterest revealing that searches for "multi-tone hair colour" have increased by 135 percent. After being subjected to a less-than-joyful news cycle on a daily basis, it's thought that people are looking to swap their natural colour for something more vibrant, bold, and playful. Think dopamine dressing for your hair. And yes, I am one of them.

"Geminis are known for their duality or two facedness, and that's exactly what the Gemini hair trend represents," hair stylist Luke Collins tells POPSUGAR. The look features a combination of two different tones running through the hair which "can either be achieved by literally having two separate colours on either side of your head or, as the trend has grown and us stylists have begun to play around with it, you could have a flash or colour pop underneath or on top."

As a Cancer, I'm known for my fluid personality and intense emotions, which I've always expressed through my appearance. Honestly, you could name any hair colour and I've probably given it a go. Sure you can opt for the more natural "tiramisu" hair colour, "no-bleach balyage", or even the dark blonde "mauve" tones trending for 2023, but where's the eccentricity in that? "I have found that my clients who are creatives or entrepreneurs tend to go for much brighter and bolder colours such as turquoise and purple or pink and yellow," Collins explains. "In general though, blondes against browns and reds for an autumnal feel is proving popular."

In a bid to give my auburn hair a new lease of life, I headed down to luxury hair salon, Steve Diligencé in Notting Hill, London. We started with a quick consultation to discuss the look I wanted to achieve — a pop of blonde at the front, following my hairline underneath on one half of my head. I'm a natural redhead, and always return to the warm hues, but to ensure a strong contrast, Collins started by sectioning my hair and tinting the segments staying auburn with L'Oréal Professionnel Majirel Hair Colour to give it a deeper, warmer tone.

After washing out the tint, we got stuck into the main event: the bleach. Collins applied the Goldwell pre-lightener, mixed with 6 percent peroxide, to the front of my hair, following my hairline underneath all the way to the back of my head on just one side. I sat with the bleach for 60 minutes to let it take to my hair, snacking on some Amorino macaroons while Collins kept me entertained with his best Luther Vandross karaoke attempt. Naturally.

After some interesting experiences with bleach in the past, I was skeptical of how well my hair would lift. Fortunately, when the bleached washed out, it had lightened nicely. To get rid of any remaining brassyness, Collins added a toner to the bleached sections. Fifteen minutes and a wonderful head massage later, we were washed and ready to see the final results.

It's always nerve-wracking to face that mirror moment when you've opted for a drastic hair change, but I couldn't be more obsessed with the look. One of my favourite things? The versatility of it. Depending on how I choose to style my hair, the vibe completely changes. If I part it to the side, I get the best of both worlds, showing off the strong blonde at the front and letting it falling on top of my layers. Then, if I run my fingers through my hair and flip it to the other side, it reveals a whole new colour combination where the vibrant auburn cuts through. When I wear my hair in a ponytail, it looks like my hair is completely 50/50 blonde and auburn. For someone who loves to play with their look, this is ideal for me.

But I know the big change isn't for everybody. If you're a commitment-phobe (I'm looking at you Libras and Aquarians) and you want to achieve the look without the permanency, Collins suggests a few options. "One of them is to use semi-permanent colour, although depending on how light or dark your hair is depends on what you will achieve. A temporary dye, such as a vegetable dye or a wash in and out, can be used to create the same effect without permanently changing your hair colour. The market also has things like colour putties/wax such as BluMann Hair Products. These are direct clays that you put onto your hair and blow dry them in to pop the colour. They will only last till washed."

While the Gemini hair trend can be achieved on all hair types as the sections of colour can be adapted easily, there is an element of upkeep with a style like this. "The best way to keep your colour pop vivid and bright is firstly wash your hair with lukewarm water, or as cool as possible. This helps to keep the cuticle closed and stop the colour rinsing out with the water," Collins advises. "You can also put a clear gloss on top of your colour pop to help lock in the colour. One of
the main things you don't want is for the darker/more pigmented colour to run into the lighter colour whilst washing because the lighter colour may grab the alternative tone." As I opted for bleach which can dry hair out, I'm applying weekly hair masks to keep it in good condition, too.

So if you're after a new 2023 hairstyle, I recommend throwing caution to the wind and trying something totally different. Trust me, you won't regret it. Keep reading to see more photos of the Gemini hair trend and how to wear it.