The bridal dos and don'ts of hair colouring

Richard Ward, royal and celebrity hairdresser, details the dos and don'ts of hair colouring before the big day

Ensure your hair colour is looking its best on the big day with these tips from celebrity hairdresser Richard Ward, who counts the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex among his clientele. 

Do...

DO use a colour shampoo and conditioner

Keep your colour looking lustrous with a colour-specific shampoo and conditioner. They have special ingredients designed to help maintain and lock in your colour, extending its life and minimising any fade before the big day.

DO treat it

Your colour will only look as good as your hair condition. It’s never too early to start prepping - treat it to an intensive masque once a week for 15 minutes to help restore any lost moisture and shine.

DO add shine

Have an in-salon clear gloss a few days before the wedding to really refresh your colour and add serious shine.

DO have regular trims

Colour can dry out the hair, particularly on the ends. You don’t want dry, split hair on your big day, so regular trims are essential to keeping hair healthy and splits at bay.

Don't...

DON'T have any major colour appointments too close to the wedding

Have your last full appointment about 2/3 weeks in advance.

DON'T go for any drastic changes too close to the big day

If you’re thinking about changing your hair colour, do it in stages from at least six months before.

DON'T over-wash

Keep the number of times you wash your hair per week to a minimum to avoid colour fading more quickly – twice a week is ideal.

Colour trends:

• Feature pieces (where lighter ribbons of colour are placed around the face) are becoming very popular, as they brighten and soften the face without having to make any big changes.
• Balayage is also very popular in the lead up to a wedding; the colour is painted on free-hand rather than in foils and gives a beautiful, soft, seamless finish with high shine.

www.richardward.com