The Colour Story

Two words define the hair colour trends for 2024 – subtle and sophisticated. Warm and deep; funky and playful; cool and bold – go all out with your choice of shades but keep it luxurious. Hair colour trends are embracing bold, vibrant hues and natural, understated tones alike. Kanishka Ramchandani takes you down the trend lane as she gets hair experts to divulge the biggest colour secrets of the season

Hair colour is a form of personal expression. It is a way for people to express their personality, creativity and individuality. It is also a means to boost their confidence and make them more trend-savvy and en vogue.

As a colourist, it is important for you be well-versed with runway trends and the latest techniques. In the hair industry, there are sessions stylists who are creating trends every single day – trends that are seen on models on the catwalk and on celebrities on the red carpets. These colour trends get translated into inspiration as stylists across different countries pick them up, use them to create breathtaking styles and finally filter down to the salon floor. While you read here about the what’s popular in colours and techniques, it is equally important for you to learn the right way to do it in order to create the best look for your client. Master the art of colour consultation and understand how and why certain colours and placements are perfect for a particular client.

One standout trend is ‘expensive brunette,’ a rich, multidimensional take on darker hair shades with subtle highlights, giving it a luxurious sheen. Pastels are also making a comeback, with soft pinks, lavenders and icy blues offering a playful, dreamy vibe. On the bolder side, fiery copper and deep auburn are capturing attention, adding warmth and intensity to hair. Platinum blonde continues to be a go-to for those seeking a striking, high-impact look, while ‘shadow roots’ and ‘lived-in blonde’ offer a more low-maintenance, effortlessly chic style. This year, personalisation is key, with many choosing shades that enhance their natural beauty and make a statement. Let’s look at what our experts have to say about colour trends.

PBHJ

BINA PUNJANI,

Founder and Creative Head, Bina Punjani Studio, Goa

What are the most popular hair colouration techniques for Indian brides?

Classic full head of highlights is best for various updos and curl styles. It can create a different look and feel with each style.

How do you customise colours for different skin tones and hair types?

There are three major colour groups – browns, blondes and reds in cool, warm, neutral and matte tones. Firstly, figure if the client looks best in warm gold or silver or both. Then the right group and tone has to be decided. The healthier the hair the options are many but if the hair is dry and frizzy don’t opt for very light colours or tones as it will highlight the damage in the hair.

What are the best methods for achieving subtle, natural-looking highlights?

Choose a mix of warm and matte tones and a mix of different textures and weaves for the highlights.

What are the top hair colour trends for Indian brides this season?

Placement colour highlights with subtle money piece, dual global with root melts and a classic full head of highlights.

Matte shades, ‘bronde’ combinations and cool blondes as well as violet reds are popular.

How are Indian brides incorporating bold or bright colours into their looks?

Brides are open to timeless classics and simple styling options that go with bold colours and enhance the look with coloured extensions, too.

What questions do you ask during a bridal hair colour consultation?

First and foremost, the colours of the outfits. Then the hairstyling and make-up for different functions and whether the functions are indoors or outdoors.

How do you guide brides in choosing the perfect colour for their wedding day?

Understanding the background of the bride and whether she has sported colour before.

There is nothing worse than making a client feel uncomfortable on her big day however good one’s technique or choice of colour. Then I would place some colours strand options close to her skin to choose a colour and tone that brightens the eyes and the skin. A wrong hair colour can make the skin look dull or too bright or too ashy.

Take them through the process and the treatments and homecare required to maintain healthy hair. Prepare their hair with strengthening treatments before the colour.

VIKAS MARWAH,

Founder, Vikas Marwah Salon

What are the most popular hair colouration techniques for Indian brides?

Indian brides love blending authenticity, vogue and personal style in their traditional attire such that it reflects their persona. It is critical to pick colouration techniques for Indian brides in tune with their complexion, wedding attire and entire look. The key is to make the look stand out amidst the crowd yet keep it grounded and graceful.

My favourite techniques are:

✥ Highlights and lowlights: Adds depth and dimension to the hair.

✥ Balayage: A freehand technique that creates a sun-kissed, natural look.

✥ Ombre and Sombre: Gradual blending of colours from dark roots to lighter ends.

✥ Babylights: Very fine highlights for a soft, natural effect.

✥ Glossing and toning: To enhance shine and refine colour for their special day.

How do you customise colouration for different skin tones and hair types?

✥ Skin tone

• Warm tones: Opt for caramel, honey or golden highlights.

• Cool tones: Choose ash blonde, silver or cool brown shades.

• Neutral tones: Versatile shades like beige blonde or warm brown work well.

✥ Hair type

• Fine hair: Soft highlights or balayage to avoid overpowering the natural colour.

• Thick hair: Bold highlights or a mix of balayage and ombre for added dimension.

What are the best methods for achieving subtle, natural-looking highlights?

✥ Balayage: Provides a seamless, sun-kissed effect.

✥ Baby lights: Very fine highlights that mimic natural hair lightening.

✥ Glosses: Adds shine and enhances the natural colour with a slight tone change.

What are the top hair colour trends for Indian brides this season?

✥ Soft pastels: Light pinks, lavenders and peaches

✥ Rich browns: Deep chocolate and espresso tones

✥ Warm caramels: Golden and honey hues

✥ Bold reds: Rich burgundies and copper tones

What questions do you ask during a bridal hair colour consultation?

✥ How do you envision your dream wedding hair look?

✥ What is your natural hair colour and current hair condition?

✥ What shades or colours are you considering, and why?

✥ Do you have any specific preferences for highlights or lowlights?

✥ Are there any colours you absolutely want to avoid?

✥ What is your overall wedding theme and attire colour?

✥ How do you feel about maintenance and touch-ups?

ZINGRANWON SHATSANG,

Co-Founder, Zido Salon

What are the most popular hair colouration techniques for Indian brides?

Balayage is still the favourite option for most brides. It’s effortless beautiful looking and looks great on long hair. There are many variations of balayage you can choose from depending on the features of the client. Highlight techniques are always more popular amongst brides as the highlights add a lot more dimension and oomph to the wedding hairstyles.

How do you customise colouration for different skin tones and hair types?

I look at undertones of skin to give the most complementary colour for the skin tone of the client. For example, if you are dark but when you blush you see undertones of redness on your face, I’ll go with shades like honey brown to make the skin more radiant. For me it’s always about making the skin look like it’s glowing after colour. Regarding the hair type, it’s more about understanding the shape of the haircut that helps decide the colour placement. A colour, which has been planned around your haircut is ‘customising’ in the true sense.

What are the best methods for achieving subtle, natural-looking highlights?

The two options that I play with for this - blending techniques and selecting the right colour. My favourite blending technique is babylights followed by toning; gives you the most seamless blend from roots to ends, making any colour combination look like you were born with it. Selecting the right colour is my go-to approach for natural looking highlights. Understanding the undertone and natural colour of the client helps in the selection.

Are there any specific colour shades or combinations that are popular?

Rich browns and red, beige blonde and chocolate browns, global tone with hints of vivid peekaboo highlights in shades of pink, purple and blue.

How do you guide brides in choosing the perfect colour for their wedding day?

Everything is based on the consultation. During the consultation, it is essential for the colourist to understand the client’s needs and personality in order to recommend the right colour option. To have a successful consultation, I recommend you to be vocal about what you definitely do not want. Personally, I like it when the hair colour suits the person regardless of styling, so I am always keeping their skin tone in mind while selecting the colour.

Are there any specific products or treatments you recommend for preor post-wedding hair care?

Pre-wedding is all about nourishing and pampering the hair keeping in mind it will benefit the colour and protect hair from heat damage from styling.

Post-wedding it’s all about damage control so mostly bond repair treatments and my current favourite is the demi-permanent treatment. Most important is getting a haircut post wedding. Let all the heat damaged hair go, get a fresh new look as you walk into the new chapter of your life.

BIJAL GADA,

Founder, Bijal Gada Makeovers

What are the top bridal make-up trends for the current season, especially for Indian brides?

For the current season, it’s all about dewy skin, and monochromatic make-up using similar tones across eyes, cheeks and lips, especially in pinks and browns.

What are the common mistakes that makeup artists do that can be easily avoided?

I really want to tell them to always do make-up according to the client’s choice and not your own choice. Because it is their wedding day. It’s all about the bride’s choice. Secondly, avoid using a heavy base. It is always better to go with 70 per cent coverage on the face not a 100 per cent. Thirdly, don’t go with the old styles because make-up is fashion, so always upgrade yourself and do new styles.

Are there any specific makeup techniques or products that are particularly popular for bridal make-up?

Yes, nowadays blush is the new love of all the brides. So, it is best to invest in good blush. Try to do long lasting make-up for the brides as they tend to sweat a lot on the wedding day.

What are the most popular eye shadow colors and combinations for bridal make-up?

Nowadays, brides really want to have a nice shimmery eye shadow. Gold, copper and maroon look nice with a red lehenga. Rose gold shimmer and the shades of pink look fabulous on pink lehengas. Shimmers are always the first choice of all the brides. So, invest in good shimmers.

How do you choose lip colors that complement the bride’s skin tone and wedding attire?

Choice of lip shades depends on the skin tone and undertone. I generally ask my bridal client for her preference in terms of nude, medium or bold shades. I prefer monochromatic shades, complementing the the lehenga and the eye make-up.

What is that one make-up tip that you want all bridal artists to remember?

Don’t copy others, create your own style and your own artistry.

Which are the most important questions to be asked during the consultation?

I generally ask my bridal clients what is their skin type, what is their major skin concern like open pores or pigmentation, whether they sweat a lot, what is their make-up preference, do they like heavy base or subtle base, They prefer shimmery or matte eyeshadow, they want to go with bold lipstick or nude lipstick? If you know the answers to these questions, then you can really create beautiful make-up for any face.

CELEBRITY MAKE-UP ARTIST NAMRATA SONI

What are the top bridal make-up trends for the current season, especially for Indian brides?

Minimal satin finish skin-like make-up is back, along with bold statement eyes, beautiful blurred lips that are definitely glossy.

What are the common mistakes that artists do that can be easily avoided?

The common mistake that artists make is following trends that are a little bit too out there. Remember, keep it classic, keep it beautiful, follow trends but make it into your own, make t something that will become a classic trend over the years, something that every bride of yours will want for you to replicate on them. Make sure that you don’t do lip colours that are a trend for that particular season. Instead do a lip colour that is going to be classic forever because these are pictures that the brides are going to see of themselves forever.

What are the most popular eye shadow colours and combinations for bridal make-up?

Some of the most popular eyeshadow colours are bronze, rose gold, soft gold, muted golds, blacks and intense browns. These colours work beautifully. Pinks, soft pinks, deep pinks, cranberry and cranberry pinks are gorgeous colours that complement the eyes of Indian brides. They look beautiful when combined with a touch of shimmery glitter on top. Again, glitters with a little bit of silver, gold and rose gold work like magic.

What is that one make-up tip that you want all bridal makeup artists to remember?

Less is more. Make your brides a more beautiful version of themselves. They will always appreciate it and call you back again and again and people who see them at their weddings will call you because what you see on Instagram and what you see with a million filters on is not how they actually look. Try and use as less filters as you can. Don’t clean up your pictures, don’t clean up your videos. Keep it raw, keep it real because at the end of the day when real people see the brides at their events, that is when they actually get to see how the bride looks.

Which are the most important questions to be asked during the consultation?

One of the most important questions that you can ask your bride is the kind of make-up they like. It’s very important to understand what they want. A lot of brides are very confused because of all the stuff that they see on social media. So, understand what their vibe is, whether they like it less, whether they want heavy eyes, lighter lips, a beautiful neutral make-up where the lips and eyes are balanced, whether they want a heavier lip, a lighter eye. Try and create a beautiful balance for them.

How do you predict bridal makeup trends will evolve in the next year?

Bridal make-up trends will keep evolving. It depends on the trends that are there at fashion week. I think as a bride, what you need to remember is keep it simple, keep it classic, keep it beautiful. If you want to play around with a little bit of colour, have that fun during your mehendi function because that’s the time you wear a little bit more colour and you can get away with that colour on your eyes or your lips. Keep it beautiful and classic for all your other functions.

Glitter is never going to go out of trend. People just love that glittery smoky eye or that glittery nude natural makeup with that little bit of dewiness on the skin.

PBHJ