Five rules for a drastic hair colour change

There is little else more instantly transformative, give or take five hours in a hairdresser’s chair, than a complete colour overhall. Going from brunette to blonde, or indeed the other way around, can change how you dress, the make-up you use and the accessories you reach for.

For the press shots of the forthcoming new series of The Masked Singer, TV presenter Davina McCall swapped her signature shoulder-skimming dark brunette hairstyle for a thoroughly 1980s-inspired blonde pixie cut. Her boyfriend and hairdresser Michael Douglas – who has been styling McCall’s hair for over 25 years – was quick to point out this was a wig by the east London wig specialist Amber Jean.

On The Masked Singer he has around 45 minutes to get Davina ready, so a full-on colour change wasn’t on the cards. “Davina loved the wig instantly; she’s half-French and there’s something a little French about it,” says Douglas.

While a wig was used in Davina’s case, if you were thinking of a drastic hair colour change yourself, here are some words of advice from the experts before you book in for a complete hair colour overhaul.

Assess whether your hair can “take it”

Regardless of whether a hair colour change will suit you, the first thing to think about is whether your hair condition is suitable. “If your hair is naturally brunette, you can’t go very blonde without lots of bleach,” explains Douglas. “If your hair is in good condition you can lift the colour but you should always check with your colourist if the condition of your hair will change drastically with a big colour change.”

This, says Douglas, may put you off, but there are in-salon conditioning keratin treatments such as K18 to help keep the hair as healthy as possible while lifting the colour lighter. A K18 conditioning treatment is available at many salons nationwide, and costs an extra £25 on top of your colour treatment.

Conditioning treatment, £30, K18

Be prepared for it to take time

An ordinary root touch-up for greys can often take an hour or two in the hairdresser’s chair, so a huge colour change takes a lot of patience and planning. You will probably need a few sessions with your colourist to go from brunette to blonde. To go from blonde to brunette “it is somewhat simpler”, says Douglas.

Adopt make-up tweaks to match

While a drastic hair colour change doesn’t mean you need to switch up your make-up, there are a few things to consider, explains the make-up artist Caroline Barnes. “Generally speaking, the darker your hair, the more make-up you can carry off,” she says. “So if you’re a natural brunette and have gone blonder, you might find you have to lessen how much make-up you wear because it will look more obvious.” For Barnes, this is because darker hair framing the face “absorbs the colour and pigment from heavier make-up”.

In terms of shades, darker hair can generally suit deeper, golden undertones on the eyes, while blondes suit colours like champagne. If you’re considering a new eyeliner for instance, the Victoria Beckham Satin Kajal Liner in Bordeaux is a beautifully warm burgundy shade that suits brunettes, while the shade Gold Lamé is a good option for blondes (£32 each). “Think about brows, too,” suggests Barnes. “If you’ve gone from blonde to dark, you might need to use an eyebrow gel with pigment in to give a little depth to your eyebrows.”

Satin Kajal Liner in Bordeaux, £32, Victoria Beckham

Adjust your wardrobe accordingly

If you are darkening your hair brunette, “it can look particularly harmonious with rich browns, dark reds, deep oranges and most shades of green,” says Jules Standish, a colour consultant and stylist. “Blonde hair is flattered with mid-camels and beige, cream, white and navy blue,” she adds. Going blonde may call for some Barbie pink, too: “It’s a fun, playful colour that can highlight blonde hair perfectly,” says Standish.

Consider whether you have a cool or warm complexion

“Your hair colour can be changed but it is always best to stay within your undertone category,” says Standish. This means if you have a cool, blue-based skin tone, and suit silver better, changing your hair to blonde will require a more ash or platinum colour to ensure the complexion stays looking healthy, glowing and youthful.

“If you are changing to brunette and have a warm skin tone that suits golds, the warmth of gold needs to remain in your hair colour,” she adds. Proceed with caution, adds Standish. “To change hair colour that goes against a person’s natural harmony can wash out the complexion, making it look blotchy, tired or make dark shadows more obvious,” she says.

Try this for style...

Wave heated barrel brush multi-styler, £125, mdlondon