Alternative culture
TEMPTED by the idea of light pink candyfloss hair? If so, you're not the only one – pastel hair tones are big news in fashion for young people right now. Along with soft pink, lilac and light blue, trend-setters on the streets of Europe's capitals can also be seen sporting stronger colours that any self-respecting punk rocker from the 1980s would have been proud of.
True, brightly coloured locks are not for everyone. But hairstylists are now saying they are no longer a niche trend but have made it to the mainstream. According to Antonio Weinitschke from Germany's Association of Professional Hairstylists, the trend will last for one or two more years at least.
Soft pastel hair colours have been a sight on Europe's streets for quite some time. They first appeared on the heads of YouTube personalities, bloggers and supermodels.
To begin with, pastel colours were especially popular with young girls and fashionistas. A couple of major cosmetics firms jumped on the bandwagon, including L'Oreal, which brought out a new line of seven colours under the name #Colorfulhair. Colour choices include bright blue, sweet pink and bright turquoise.
The "geode hair" colour trend is based on crystals, with the hair looking a little like the colour gradients in a crystal. It's created with the use of a sponge, according to Jens Digne from Germany's Intercoiffure hairstylist association. With this look, the tips of the hair are usually somewhat lighter than the roots. The basis colour for the latest hair trends is blonde. If you don't have natural blonde hair, you will need to get yours bleached before applying the colouring. Opinion is split over whether the new trends are bad for the hair. "Yes, bleaching is bad for hair," says Digne, who advises letting a professional do the work. "Long hair will need to be really well cared for afterwards." Antonio Weinitschke is less cautious. "It's no problem. Bleaching hair today does not have to damage the hair." These days, less hydrogen peroxide is used than in the past, but it is left for longer to take effect. If you don't like your new colour, it's easy to change it if your hair was naturally blonde. In most cases, tints rather than dyes are used. "They rinse out, so it's really quick to switch to another colour." But if you had to bleach your hair and get it dyed, it's a different story. Bleaching destroys the hair's natural pigmentation. "If you just apply brown to it without preparing hair for repigmentation, you will end up with green," warns Digne. – dpa