Robert Chizzola
Better Brunette
Go brunette if you...
Have very thin hair
Darker strands add dimension and
the illusion of thickness to fine, airy hair, says Kristen
DePalo, a colorist at the Insitu Salon in New York City. Tip: To
add extra depth, she recommends coloring the under-layers a
slightly richer shade than the top.
Have an olive complexion
No skin tone is better suited to chocolaty strands (or more poorly
suited to light locks, as a blonde), says celebrity colorist
Matthew B. of the Amato Salon in Beverly Hills.
A rich brown will counteract your complexion's tendency toward
sallowness, as well as make your eyes and teeth look
whiter.
Can't deal with high-maintenance hair
Keeping up with lightened locks is costly and time-consuming,
while going darker can require as few as two visits a year, says
Nelson Chan, a colorist at the Estetica Salon in Beverly Hills.
Brunettes also have an easier time coloring at home, says Matthew
B., because they aren't removing pigment (as you must to go
blonde) and don't have to worry about brassiness.
Better Blonde
Go blonde if you...
Have lots of pink in your skin
A cool,
baby blonde is gorgeous with rosy skin, says Matthew B. It
freshens the face yet prevents the skin from looking too flushed.
Conversely, rosy skin (or even just
a face full of bubble-gummy makeup) will clash with warm, brown
hair.
Want to cut your hair short
Meg's messy shag. Reese's bob. Jane from Melrose
Place's chic crop circa '94. "When a short
haircut is really hot, it's always on a blonde," says
Matthew B. This is probably partly due, says Parvin, to
highlights' ability to play up a style's shape.
Need a lift
"When I have a client who is going through a crisis or just
feels down, I tell her to lighten up, "says DePalo. Blonde,
she promises, adds brightness to your look—and your outlook.
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