Current hair color trends are defined within the move towards relaxed glamour. Healthy, shiny hair, with lots of movement, yet still well groomed. Color is defined - it's either pastel blondes, in clean, icy tones. Or cool browns, or brilliant reds. The move has definitely been away from red browns, although if that's a personal choice, or suits your skin tone best, don't be a slave to fashion!

Here are some ideas to incorporate the latest hair color trends into your style:

Double sided coloring - underneath, choose a darker color like chocolate, and over the top, and for most of the hair, choose lighter shades like copper and bronze. The darker color will frame your face, and if you go for any flicks or curls when styling, you'll see it contrasted against the lighter colors. But the main colors when hair is straightened will be the lighter ones. It's great for variety.

Try color combinations like coffee, honeycomb and golden syrup for a more subtle, layered effect.

For brunettes who like their chocolate browns, try a few golden highlights to break up the block of chocolate, unless your face and skin color can handle the density of such a rich dark color. It really helps define your hair style, and is much easier to wear.

If you like very dark colors, try a brown black instead of a straight black. Or get your hairdresser to mix in some blue black into the brown black to give it more intensity, but without the harshness of a solid black that is not flattering to all skin tones. Also, try mixing in some caramel and pink-red foils with a violet brown black base. If they're used creatively, and with restraint, you can keep the overall look very dark and mysterious, with a few hints of color showing.

For blondes, try mixing golden blonde with a very light ash. Or for a more subtle but contrasting look, have the ends of a bob colored a pale pastel coral.

If you want to try platinum shades, instead of going for a harsher white white, try a softer platinum white tinted slightly with pink.

For a pretty natural blonde look, try splicing a few clove and light ash foils through a pale, golden base shade.

Redheads: Go for a rich, fiery copper with a darker brown underneath, like clove. This works well on long hair and mid length hair.

For another red combination, try cayenne, nutmeg and paprika.

For really vibrant colors mixed with a darker base, away from the coppers, try a pink red combination of cassis and raspberry coulis.

For something a little more outrageous and individual, go for a brightly colored fringe, say in pink, and a few purple ends.

If you want something quite striking, but not so colorful, just go for a lighter than usual highlight. As long as it's tastefully done, it'll look great. Don't try this at home!!!

When choosing colors, be aware of whether it's a warm shade or a cool shade. And keep in mind how much of each color is going to be on your hair. Which shade, or tone, do you want the dominant one to be? Do you want a subtle effect, or a more striking one? Unless the contrasting color is going to be in small amounts, keep warm tones together, and cool tones together, irrespective of whether they are blond, brown, black or red. For example, chocolate brown highlights look good with warm vanilla, even though the colors themselves are quite distinct.

You can use different tones together. But it depends on both your skin tone, the way the colors are applied, and how much of each are used. If you're going for this approach, think of the contrasting tone as a painter would, and be judicious about it's placing.

References:

1. Hair Now, N2/06