As our very own Josh said, ‘2021 is going to be a colourful year’. And what gets bigger, brighter, and bolder than blue?
Once reserved for the catwalk, this hue is fast becoming a strong contender for an expressive look in daily life too, with non-permanent hair colour options becoming more accessible and stylish than ever before.
Staying at home has been the ideal opportunity to experiment with hair colour; whilst pinks and reds are always a firm favourite, there’s a wealth of hues of blue to be explored too.
If you don’t want to wait to have your permanent blue done professionally - or aren’t ready for the commitment (we don’t blame you!) - why not try a wash-in-wash-out hair colour? TikTok is loving blue hair waxes, which work on all hair types and textures, including dark hair and afro textures, and don’t require hair to be pre-lightened.
And coming up to Spring, let’s not forget the more wearable pastel hair tones, memorably worn by Kylie Jenner last year.
Plenty of celebrities are looking to blue for that fun, eye-catching look to switch up their regular colour, or recreating past iconic hair looks, like Gwen Stefani.
Our Principle Colourist Issie points to Stefani as an example of the 'vivid, acid blue hair colour trend' which she describes as 'very 90s, but with a 20s spin'. She adds that, with this trend, 'we're seeing more of an impactful, instamatic filtered blue that is more suited to this generation of wannabe ravers - if only they were allowed right now!'.
Blue hair colours are particularly fun because of the range of possibilities for how they are worn; being such a striking colour makes the more subtle colour techniques stand strong.
This true blue ombre balayage hair from our salon is a great example of blue on dark hair, which we love:
There’s a version of a blue hair style for everyone - why not take it more jade or teal coloured, or work with some blue highlights?
For those wanting that rainbow look, combine pastel blue with purple for a gorgeous blended multi-colour style. In contrast, short cuts look great with block colours, for those feeling brave. We love these looks created by our Josh Wood Colour Atelier team:
Just because it’s not often you see strikingly blue hair, that doesn’t mean it’s not an important part of hair colour; as the direct opposite of orange, blue tones (when handled correctly!) are crucial for creating bespoke natural tones.
For example, to create a true icy blonde hair, our Icy Blonde Shade Shot and Shade Shot Gloss contain a little blue pigment to help neutralise unwanted brassiness - nothing that will look blue, but enough to help keep those cool blondes looking, well, cool.
It’s the same for our Smoky Brunette: for those wanting an ashy brunette, steering away from copper or red colours, this cool-toned Shade Shot and Shade Shot Gloss will use the magic of blue-like tones to achieve this.
Bright blue clearly isn’t a natural colour for hair, so will require some maintenance for upkeep, but it’s certainly a way to add some seriously eye-catching colour, and a shade that offers so many possibilities. It’s not often hairdressers get asked for blue - so we’ll be keeping some of these ideas in our back pocket in case we fancy something fun when the salon’s open.
So whether you’re looking to work with a bold, true blue hair colour, a gentle pastel blue hair colour, a one-time wonder or just a hint of a cool tone, blue hair is one to watch.
Issie Churcher is a Principle colourist at Josh Wood Colour. Issie's love of all things colour sees her creating bespoke looks, ranging from classic colour with a modern twist to bang on trend shades that will take you from one season to the next. She effortlessly mixes beautiful colour palettes with innovative techniques, resulting in stunning, wearable hair. Click here to book a virtual consultation with Issie, or come visit her in the salon.
