L’Oréal Professional launches #COLORFULHAIR Direct Dye
#COLORFULHAIR Direct Dye. The first ever L’Oréal Professional rainbow hair colours.
Rainbow hair is officially mainstream. I have been saying for YEARS that L’Oréal Professional needed to have a range of vivid direct dyes for professionals. However when I suggested this to our L’Oréal Professional rep, or to the L’Oréal educators, I was always met with the same response… “There is not enough demand for this type of colour” or, “L’Oréal Professional doesn’t really do alternative colours”. With the increasing popularity of Unicorn and Mermaid hair obviously L’Oréal Professional have finally realised it’s worth the investment! You know when a major brand like L’Oréal decided to join the rainbow hair tribe, it means unicorn hair is here to stay.
The new colours…
L’Oréal Professional had it’s launch event for #COLORFULHAIR Direct Dye on the 5th March with a select number of hairdresser reviewing the new shades. The colours are conditioning ammonia free direct dyes that need to be applied to a pale blonde base, and will fade from the hair with each shampoo. You use these colours directly from the tube, and do NOT mix with peroxide. There are 8 shades including a “Crystal Clear” that can be mixed together to create tailored pastel colours. The shades are: Hypnotic Magenta, Pink Sorbet, Sunset Coral, Electric, Navy Blue, Caribbean Blue and Iced Mint.


Photo credits: L’Oréal Professionnel
How long do they last?
L’Oréal Professional say the new colours last up to 15 shampoos but may vary depending on the type of shade/effect chosen, colour depth and porosity of the hair. Matthew Collins, International Hair Artist for L’Oréal Professionnel told FAB that these colours last 4-5 shampoos, depending on the hair type. The L’Oréal Professional rep I spoke to said the lighter pastel colours such as Pink Sorbet, Sunset Coral and shades mixed with Crystal Clear would last only 2-4 shampoos. But that the deeper colours would last more like 15 shampoos depending on the hair.
How long is the development time?
20 minutes is the suggested development time. However as these colours are direct dyes, with no ammonia or peroxide, you can leave the colour on for longer period of time for a more intense, longer lasting result.
How much product do you get per tube?
Each tube has 90ml of colour, and is a gel-cream constancy for easy application.
How much does it cost per tube?
It will depend on how much stock your salon orders as to how much discount your L’Oréal Professionnel rep will be able to offer you. The more you order, the better the value for money per tube. The price can be anywhere from £7 to £12 per tube.
Can you get them if you are not a hairdresser?
At the moment #COLORFULHAIR Direct Dye are for professionals only. You would have to visit a L’Oréal Professionnel salon to have these colours applied by your hairdresser. However these are direct dyes, so it is possible they could be made available to purchase from the salon to “top-up” your colour at home in the future.

Photo credits: L’Oréal Professionnel
How much would it cost to get these colours done at the salon?
That would totally depend on the salon’s own pricing. Also you will need to consider if you need your hair lightened to blonde first, as this will add to the cost. If you want a more creative design, using 2 or more colours, this will add to the application time and amount of colour, bringing the price up. I would suggest you contact your local L’Oréal Professionnel salon for a consultation and quote before you book in for a #COLORFULHAIR Direct Dye service. For those who are already blonde, or booked in for a normal highlight service, and looking of just a simple pastel shade all over, it would most likely be a similar price tag to what you would pay for a toner after your foils.
L’Oréal Professional tutorials using the new #COLORFULHAIR Direct Dyes…
#PEEKABOO
This electrifying #peekaboo transformation on Talia Mar by Marcello Moccia was created using #ColorfulHair and the following steps…
Step 1. Pre-lighten the hair using Blond Studio Multi Techniques powder 30 vol + #Smartbond
Step 2. Apply 1 tube of Navy Blue with ¼ Crystal Clear to the roots, lengths and top section of the hair
Step 3. Apply ½ Electric Purple with ¼ Crystal Clear to the side sections and section by hairline section of the nape of the neck
Step 4. Apply 1 tube of Caribbean Blue on the mid-section above the occipital bone
#LAVENDERHAIR
Hari’s Hairdressers created this beautiful makeover using the following steps…
Step 1. Balayage pieces using Blond Studio Platinium Plus + 30 vol + #Smartbond
Step 2. Apply 1 Crystal Clear + ¼ Electric Purple through mid-lengths and ends
#CANDYHAIR
Colour transformation by Seanhanna Salons using the following steps…
Step 1. Pre-lighten the hair using Blond Studio Platinium Plus + 30 vol + #Smartbond
Step 2. On the roots apply ¾ Crystal Clear + ¼ Electric Purple + ½ Sunset Coral
Step 3. Balayage lengths and ends alternating mixes of the following colours:
Colour 1 – ½ Pink Sorbet + ½ Crystal Clear + ¼ Sunset Coral
Colour 2 – ½ Sunset Coral + ½ Crystal Clear + ¼ Pink Sorbet.
#MERMAIDHAIR
Check out this gorgeous #mermaidhair iced mint transformation by Brooks and Brooks Hairdressers using ColorfulHair and the steps below…
Step 1. Pre-lighten the hair using Blond Studio Platinium Plus + 30 vol + #Smartbond
Step 2. Tone with LUO PO1 + PO2
Step 3. Isolate the front hairline to keep blonde
Step 4. Taking sections from the nape of the neck apply #colorfulhair in a mixing ratio of 1 Crystal Clear, ¼ Caribbean Blue and ¼ Mint Green, leaving for 10 minutes on the roots before melting the mixture into the lengths and ends
The #COLORFULHAIR Looks…










Photo credits: L’Oréal Professionnel
Follow the L’Oréal Professional education team for #COLORFULHAIR Direct Dye
Discover L’Oréal Professional’s colourist’s squad for the new #COLORFULHAIR Direct Dye. You can follow them over on Instagram…
@leysahairandmakeup @shivvvey @matthewstylist @class76 @shelleygregoryhair @chitabeseau @majormoonn @kinkikappers @brunodviana @minkimcolorist @xavigarcia44
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Want Rainbow Hair?
Discover Anya’s eBook guide: ‘Any Colour Of The Rainbow – The Ultimate Guide to Alternative Hair Colour‘. This guide covers everything from safe bleaching with ammonia free bleach to creating stunning multi colours with foil. Find out all the best products, how to do pastel colours, how to maintain vibrant colour, create ombre colour like to professionals and so much more…
- Published in New Hair Dyes Launch, Runway Fashion Hair, Tutorials
Nicole Richie’s Lilac Hair Covers Paper Magazine’s May Issue.
Nicole Richie dyes her hair on Kelly Osbourne’s lilac dare.
32-year-old American actress, author, designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Nicole Richie, has coloured her hair lilac. For real this time.
It all started with a joke of sorts. On 25th Feb Nicole Richie, wife of Good Charlotte rocker, Joel Maddenher, fooled everyone. She posted on Instagram an old photo taken in 2011 for a French magazine called THAT with her hair photoshopped into lilac. (Her hair was actually blonde in the original shot). It had everyone buzzing about the new look, until people realised it was a fake.
But when Nicole’s celebrity BFF and fellow lilac-haired lady Kelly Osbourne, re-posted the photoshopped photo to Instagram she captioned “I’m in loooooove with @nicolerichie even more now I have seen this pic! I dare you to make it permanent so we can match!!!!”
Nicole took up Kelly’s dare and went to her hair colourist Dany Moon at Andy Lecompte Salon in Los Angeles and asked for lilac. Danny (who is a Pravana Artistic Council Member) used Pravana ChromaSilk Pastels to dye her hair lilac. He used Violet (Luscious Lavender) and Pastels in Mystical Mint for that just-right purple shade to match the one in her Insta pic.
“Nicole posted a picture on Instagram … of her with purple hair. The image was Photoshopped and never actually happened, but she looked great and received nothing but positive feedback after posting,” DannyMoon told People. “This planted the seed, so to say. Thanks, Instagram!”
“I dare you to make it permanent so we can match!!!!” – Kelly Osbourne

“About last night…” – Nicole Richie
The end result was exactly what they had in mind. “I compare Nicole’s lavender color to the jacaranda trees that bloom in L.A. in the spring. It transforms the streets into a page straight out of a Dr. Seuss book — but this is no comic book colour,” Danny Moon says. “Nicole wears it with class and elegance.”
From start to finish, stripping to deep conditioning, the whole process took five hours — which “flew by while we anticipated the colour transformation,” Moon tells People. So how did the “colour-infused princess” (his words) react when she saw the new look? “The first thing Nicole said when she saw her finished hair was ‘I love it.’”
Kelly Osbourne later posted a photo of them both together on Instagram with the caption; “Guess took the bet & dyed there hair MY color.”
“Guess who took the bet & dyed there hair MY color.” – Kelly Osbourne
However she didn’t just stop with the colour. Nicole Richie also went for a new cut to complement the lilac colour. Hair stylist Jen Atkin gave her a ‘Lob’ (Long Bob) cut, and posted a pic of the new look last week (25th April) on her Instagram.
“Just Chopped @nicolerichie” – Jen Atkin hairstylist
“I love Nicole’s hair colour, but I wanted to cut her ends very blunt, and it was her idea to bring the length up a bit,” Atkin told Allure. “With this style, it’s important to keep the layers on the longer side and use scissors so it’s not too choppy and you have more versatility. This cut is very versatile—Nicole can style it wavy or straight or let it air-dry to create natural texture.”
Nicole’s new cut and colour has taken the media by storm. “Forget ombre or balayage, it seems a new hair trend is taking root amongst the celebs of Hollywood.” said the Daily Mail. “We love Nic’s new hair” – Glamour Magazine.
On Monday (28th April) her stunning new do was on the cover of PAPER Magazine’s May issue. Hair stylist Andy LeCompte for Wella Professionals at The Wall Group gave Nicole a pompadour up-style and a pretty braid in the back for the magazines photo shoot. This is a soft, yet sculptural look that can only be described as lavender couture cotton candy. Makeup was done by Lauren Anderson for AVON. Nicole was styled by Jeff Kim. The shoot was photographed by Jake Rosenberg from The Coveteur.
“Nicole is all personality and her style has been pretty transformative since her days on reality series The Simple Life with Paris Hilton. Right now she’s everything that’s hot on the stateside fashion scene – she debuted her first clothing line for House of Harlow 1960 this year – and her boho vibe totally suits.” says My Daily
“I love L.A. style because seasons don’t really play a role. I’m able to wear whatever I want, whenever I want, it gives me the opportunity to experiment and try new looks”, Nicole tells PAPER magazine in the interview.
“My idea of being a grown-up was living behind a white picket fence and changing who you were -getting a bob and wearing beige, but I found freedom through my brand and being myself and being able to do it my way.”
Nicole’s purple hair is all part of her ethos: do it your way.
“I really just want to empower people to feel like they’re strong enough to make their own decisions.” – Nicole Richie
Now feast your eyes on this stunning editorial shoot of Nicole by Jake Rosenberg from The Coveteur…








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Want to create lilac hair like Nicole’s at home?
Discover Anya’s eBook guide: ‘Any Colour Of The Rainbow – The Ultimate Guide to Alternative Hair Colour‘. This guide covers everything from safe bleaching with ammonia free bleach to creating stunning multi colours with foil. Find out all the best products, how to do pastel colours, how to maintain vibrant colour, create ombre colour like to professionals and so much more…
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- Published in Celebrity Hair Trends, Pastel Hair, Uncategorized
3 Bright Hair Colour Styles to Try Out in 2014
With 2013 ending in bold colour …2014 looks forward to a new wave of bright hair colour styles…
This year I see bright hair colours on more celebrities and catwalks than ever before. As bright hair becomes more and more accepted, people will be looking for new ways to sneak it into their look. Colours for 2014 will compliment an individual’s wardrobe, rock the red carpet and cause a hair stir in 2014.
“There’s no trend that should come before individual style and overall hair health – good condition is key to rocking a stunning colour choice.”
So what hair colours will you flaunt in 2014? Especially when bright hair colour styles has to reflect your personal taste and also fit into your daily lifestyle?
Check these for the 2014 hair colours and styles that will do it all.
Pastel
The first sighting of pastels came from Giles and Proenza Schouler Fall 2010 fashion shows. Since then pastel hair has made its way into the pages of “Vogue,” and celebs wear it on the red carpet. Models, actresses, singers and bloggers are all transforming their look with milkshake, lavender, mint and candy floss colours.
Now in 2014, after 3 years of pastel hair in the media, I believe pastel hair is here to stay, and this year will be more popular than ever before. This colour is for the blonds, natural, highlighted or bleach platinum, you can’t play with pastels without a light base colour. However keep in mind that you need to ensure proper care or it won’t stay pastel for long.
Rainbow
Rainbow hair is all the rage, with models such as Chloe Nørgaard and Amelia Nightmare as poster girls for this style. This look uses every colour in the spectrum for amazingly vivid results. Conservative it’s not, but for those who are looking for the ultimate style for self expression, look no further. So get your rainbow dash on, for 20% cooler hair colour in 2014.
You can get rainbow hair done by a colour specialist, but be prepared for a full day in the salon and a price tag to match. For a cheaper option you can do it yourself at home using the guide “Any Colour of the Rainbow”. Alternatively those who want to try this look, but don’t want to commit to dyeing, you can buy a set of rainbow clip-in hair extensions.
Multi-tone Balayage
Not to be confused with ‘Dip-Dye’. Balayage is French meaning “to sweep”. This French colouring technique was developed in the 1970s. It’s a freehand technique where the colour is applied by hand in a ‘sweeping’ motion, rather than using the old highlighting cap. Because this style leaves the natural colour on the top, it’s become massively popular for being low maintenance, easy upkeep.
With the invention of hair chalk in 2011 the balayage style started to take on an entirely new range of colours. What started as just balayage blond tones as a sun-kissed highlight, transformed into multi-tone vibrant bold colours smashed through the lengths and ends.
In 2014, the hair chalk trend has died out as people find them messy to work with, and rubs off on clothes. However the balayage technique has been forever changed by the introduction of multi-tone bright colours, and evolved into this fierce new look using bold semi dyes. Work this style in longer lengths, styled with waves, and textured finishes.
So which one of these 2014 hair colours has sparked a fire in your heart?
Comment and let us know what colour you want to try this year…
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Create salon perfect rainbow hair at home…
Discover Anya’s eBook guide: ‘Any Colour Of The Rainbow – The Ultimate Guide to Alternative Hair Colour‘. This guide covers everything from safe bleaching with ammonia free bleach to creating stunning multi colours with foil. Find out all the best products, how to do pastel colours, how to maintain vibrant colour, create ombre colour like to professionals and so much more…
Like this post? Why not share it?
- Published in Balayage, Hair Colour Inspiration, Pastel Hair, Rainbow Hair
Body Electric – Lavender Hair
Title: Body Electric
Stylist: Christain Ramirez
Photographer: Jaime G. Rivera
Hair & Makeup: Lio Maldonado
Model: Yulie Padilla at EPIC Models
Fashion: Gatsby & Huyke
Where swag meets glamor. Yulie Padilla rocks the lavender locks.
- Published in Magazine Editorials, Pastel Hair