Opal Hair Colouring

Trends move pretty quickly in general and even more so in the world of style and fashion. One very popular style trend is opal hair colour, which actually combines two other very popular hair colour trends – grey hair and rainbow colouring.

Opal hair colour gets its name from the precious gemstone – opal, which has a beautiful pearly sheen that reflects iridescent hues of pinks, blues, purples and greens. The final hair colour has a washed out sand art finish and looks quite beautiful, without being over the top flashy. In other words, it is a much softer version of the rainbow hair colour.

To achieve this colour look, ash-coloured tones are used right before you go grey and that’s when you achieve the pearl hue. One of the main things your hair colourist needs to remember is to get the layering right while working on this hair colour. To prep the hair for an opal effect, the strands are first dyed to the lightest shade of pale blonde or platinum hair colour to achieve a pearly hue, which is just one shade short of absolute grey. The hair is then coated with a toner and additional colours are applied in layers to achieve the opal effect. The final hair color has subtle nuances of pinks and greens. The key to perfecting this hair colouring technique lies in layering — the hair layers should be coloured in such a way that the hues look different from every angle. You’ll probably see a pink from one angle while from another, you’ll see a blue from another.

If you’re the kind who loves experimenting with your hair, this trend is right up your alley. A fun hair colour not only induces an element of fun in your usual hairstyle but also transforms your personality. And if you’ve already braved a grey hair colour style, which is returning to its original shade, you can give it a hip refresh by going opal. Keep in mind that like rainbow or pastel hair colours, opal hair may not be suitable for everyone or for formal workplaces.

Opal hair colouring is an intricate technique best left to experts. Since it comprises multi-coloured strands sitting on top of one another, only a professional hair colourist can help you achieve a flawless, iridescent effect.

So, now that you know everything about opal hair, would you try this latest color trend?