Pop-Art Hair Is Trending Right Now – Here’s How To Create It At Home

What’s more cheering than colour? Yellow is the colour of sunshine, blue represents tranquillity, pink burns with passion, orange makes us think of tropical sunsets and green is the hue of the great outdoors. Colouring your hair is the perfect way to inject a little joy into your look, especially if you choose a bright burst or a playful splash of colour. It’s the ultimate form of self-expression and gives you the power to tell the world exactly who you want to be.

Equal parts soothing and energising, there’s little like the thrill of having a self-care moment with some fun hair colour. Given that lockdown has made so many of us feel anxious and powerless, a little bit of self-care and self-expression could be the pick-me-up we all need. Plus, the colour-contrasting trend welcomes all ability levels, from total novice to DIY pro – you simply take a section of hair you want to experiment with and add a dash of colour, pop art style. In partnership with Schwarzkopf LIVE, we spoke to three people who’ve all given themselves a fresh pop of colour during lockdown. First up, always ensure you do an allergy alert test with any colour 48 hours in advance, even if you’ve never had a reaction in the past. When that’s clear, it’s time to feel inspired…

Tatyana went for a splashed root effect using Schwarzkopf LIVE Permanent Colour in Cyber Purple. This look is ideal for anyone who wants a subtle but noticeable lift.

"I started colouring my hair obsessively when I lived in Tokyo, as changing your hairstyle regularly is a big thing for young people there. My first big transformation was going blonde, then pink, tangerine and bright blue! I’ve tried so many looks but my most recent was a cherry red pixie chop. I spent an afternoon going through pictures of my mum when she was in her 20s and decided I wanted to go back to my roots with a glossy, darker shade, so I picked this aubergine kind of hue – which is something I’d never tried before! Even with wearing PJs every day, I can definitely sense a different attitude emanating from this look and I love how punky it’s looking as my hair grows. Lockdown or not, I find that changing my hair colour makes me feel rejuvenated and it’s so liberating for me – not only does it remind me that we all deserve to look good, it’s also a commitment to breaking conformity and being who you want. I want to show the world that I am creative, experimental and free and that we can all create our own version of femininity."

Tatyana’s Top Tip: "Make sure you have a clean, uncluttered workspace before you begin, and definitely watch some online tutorials beforehand to get the technique!"

Our Top Tip: Be sure to grab a tail comb to help you take perfectly sized sections.

Kayela coloured one side of her hair pink and the other tangerine, using Schwarzkopf LIVE Semi-Permanent Colour in Shocking Pink and Schwarzkopf LIVE Permanent Colour in Tangerine Twist. This look is great if you want to really make a splash.

"I’ve tried basically every colour and style under the sun on my hair but recently I was seeing a lot of amazing inspiration online of warm colour combinations. I’m also a bit of a comic fan and this style makes me feel like a certain supervillain – an underestimated woman who wears her heart on her sleeve, just like me. Already it’s inspired a lot more hot pink and orange outfits! Colouring my hair is a huge part of my self-care routine because it's one of the ways I show my curly locs some love. Pink means self-love, compassion, nurturing, warmth, tenderness, empathy and of course, love. Lockdown could have easily made us feel like our routines aren’t important but I wanted to continue because self-love is forever. My hair colour is definitely a way of communication, and this look says I'm fearless and I'm loving but I'm tired of all the pain we are facing every day, especially the Black community. It's a friendly reminder to love yourself and love each other regardless of race, culture, gender, sexuality or any other differences that we can't change. I also have a wig that I colour sometimes, and using wigs definitely gives me freedom to switch it up any time I want to."

Kayela’s Top Tip: "Deep conditioning your hair is very important, especially if you have type 3 or 4 hair. And if anyone has anything negative to say about your coloured hair, then please tell them to mind their business."

Our Top Tip: Always check that a colour is suitable for your hair, especially if you’ve lightened or coloured it before. In this instance, Shocking Pink works best on pre-lightened hair, whereas Tangerine Twist lightens and colours at the same time.

Kelsea
 
Kelsea coloured one of her face-framing streaks blue and the other mint, using Schwarzkopf LIVE Semi-Permanent Colour in Mint Pearl and Schwarzkopf LIVE Semi-Permanent Colour in Denim Steel. This look is perfect for beginners.

"Growing up with my mum being a hairdresser, changing my hairstyle and colour was always pretty easy. Lately, I seem to be going for more brave and daring colours like blues, greens and reds. Recently, I had my colour split down the middle – half black and half grey – which was pretty cool! My hair gives me so much confidence: if my hair is bold, why can’t my style be bold, too? With the current climate and restrictions, colouring my hair gives me something to look forward to. Since colouring my hair, I’ve felt so much more confident. In a strange way, knowing that it’s not everyone’s taste has also made me feel carefree – we all like different things and that’s okay! Even strangers from old to young compliment me, which has been lovely. Hopefully I can inspire people to be more creative with their hair now. My hair has been important to me my whole life. A good hair day makes you feel amazing and a bad hair day definitely affects my mood. Now, I can dress my hair up and I can dress it down. I would say it really reflects my bubbly, fun personality."

Kelsea’s Top Top: "Always wear gloves! You want to colour your hair, not your hands."

Our Top Tip: Have clips handy to help you easily section the hair.

Feeling inspired by these Schwarzkopf LIVE looks? There’s no time like the present, so go forth, be bright, be you – and be bold.

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