Opal Hair Is The Latest Color Trend To Know

If there's one thing that's certain, the colorful hair trend isn't slowing down any time soon. In fact, it's gaining steam. Case in point: opal hair. The latest take on rainbow hair includes multiple dreamy shades reminiscent of the gemstone, painted throughout the head. It's a close cousin to betta-fish hair, and was dreamed up by the fairy godmother of color: Aura Friedman of Sally Hershberger Downtown salon.

So, why opal? "It's my birthstone," Friedman explains. "I've always played around with variations of color, like being able to see different shades when the light hits in different ways." This look actually has a handful of variations — ranging from blue opals to mother of pearl. "I love iridescent colors, so I just like to do them over and over again, expressing them in different ways."

Be forewarned, though: This dye job is the opposite of low-maintenance. "When you're working with nuanced color, they do tend to fade quickly," she says. This is especially true if you dye your hair platinum in order to achieve the look.

Click through to see all of Friedman's stone-inspired variations. Just because summer is ending, doesn't mean it's too late to embrace your inner mermaid.