Temperature is not the only thing that changes with the seasons. As the season’s change, how we style our hair changes too.
At Luxy Hair, we understand how freeing and therapeutic it feels to switch up your hairstyle. A new hair look can help get you in the right mindset for a new time, whether you be headed into a new job, new year, or new season.
That said, certain styles and shades work better in specific seasons. Highlights and lighter shades, for example, reign during the summer. This winter, however, we’re seeing the increasing popularity of shadow roots.
Shadow roots refer to a hair coloring technique that maintains darker roots at the top of your hair and transitions into a different, usually lighter shade down to your ends. This provides the illusion of your roots casting a shadow on the rest of your hair.
Shadow roots may be the right hair coloring technique for you! That said, before trying your hand at shadow roots, here’s everything you need to know about the popular hair trend this winter.
What You Need to Know About Shadow Roots
Never make a big hair change without understanding everything involved in achieving and maintaining the style. This includes what goes into obtaining the style you’re going for (i.e. bleaching, dying, cutting), its popularity, the products needed to maintain the style, and how the style will change over time as your hair grows out.
This is why it's important to understand what shadow roots are, what you can expect from them, and their benefits.
What Are Shadow Roots?
Shadow roots are when the color of your roots visually creates a shadow on the rest of your lighter color locks.
This look is achieved by stretching dye naturally from under your roots to the tips of your hair. This creates a shadow-like effect. This provides a natural look that can be obtained with any color from dark brown to light brown, from a darker blonde to a lighter blond.
Stylists will often recommend that you keep the color of your roots as close to your natural color as possible to achieve shadow roots. That said, to achieve a unique shadow like a blue or purple, the roots will typically need to be colored. Even in this case, however, the coloring is still often a close match to the natural color of the individual’s roots.
Why Should You Try Shadow Roots
Hair Growth
Shadow roots are a great way to style your locks when you are growing out your hair or hair color. Shadow roots will make growing out your hair color far less awkward and will help you avoid the dead, damaged look that can come with growing out dyed hair over time.
If your hair is kind of at an awkward length, you can get the shadow roots effects with hair extensions from Luxy Hair that match the shade you’re going for. Just be sure to find the right color of hair extensions to match your coloring.
Volume
The shadow effect of this technique provides dimension to your hair, which makes it appear full and luscious. If you are looking to make your hair more voluminous, this is definitely a style you’ll want to try out.
Low Maintenance
Because shadow roots start with your natural hair, it actually provides you with the ability to grow out your hair as long as you want. You don’t need to re-dye your roots as often, which saves a lot of time, cost and effort. On average, shadow roots only require re-dying every three months.
Cost-Effective
Because shadow roots don’t require as much upkeep, you get to save cots on trips to a salon. Additionally, this technique helps you cut costs because its a look you can actually obtain at home, without the help of a stylist.
Healthier
Consistent dying is not good for your hair. The good news, however, is that shadow roots don’t require as much dying as other hair coloring techniques. This is a great way to keep your hair healthy while maintaining a trendy style.
Color Options
When it comes to shadow roots, the color options are endless. Halsey did rainbow shadow roots that provided a fun contrast to her dark locks, but you can really use any color, whether you want black roots to fade into a lighter color or even vice versa. The options are endless, making this style versatile and well suited to just about anyone.
Your guide to shadow roots
How to create shadow roots
You can get shadow roots done by a hairstylist who can help you identify the best coloring and techniques to obtain the trendy look. Most hairstylists will suggest that you stick with your original root color for your shadow roots.
How to create shadow roots at home
The beauty of shadow roots is that the look is easy to achieve at home. To do shadow roots at home, all you need is a bowl and brush, and the color of your choice.
If you are going to color your roots, it’s suggested that you keep the color as close to your natural roots as possible to ensure a natural look when your hair grows. The reality is that if you color your roots a different color, the look will be lost once your natural roots grow in.
For DIY shadow roots, all you need to do is get your brush, bowl, and hair dye together, and follow a few easy steps.
Step 1
Section your hair into four using the pointed part of your comb. Do this by parting your hair in the center first to create two sections, then make a straight line from the back of each ear and up to make four.
Step 2
Mix your dye into a mixing bowl as per the box’s instructions. Be sure to protect your clothing with a cape to ensure your dye doesn’t get all over (yikes)!
Step 3
Apply the dye to each section of hair, starting lightly at the top and applying more as you go down. This will help you to get that faded look and maintain your natural roots. To ensure a natural look, avoid perfect or even application. You want the dye to blend in from top to bottom.
Step 4
After your hair is covered in dye, put it up in a bag or towel to let it sit — this will speed up the process and ensure your hair absorbs all of the dye. Mix the toner in another bowl, and then apply it to your cloured hair. The toner will provide that glisten and shine to your hair to help it look natural and healthy.
Step 5
Lastly, shampoo, conditioner, then rinse your hair and voila!
How to maintain your shadow roots
One of the greatest benefits of shadow roots is they require minimal maintenance. They last longer than most colouring techniques and don’t require immediate treatment once your hair starts to grow out. All you need to do is touch up your roots when they grow too long for your liking.
U.K.-based colorist Josie Wright shared with Allure that "You can still have the lightness that everyone wants higher up but without the maintenance that faces you with a traditional highlight... The regrowth is natural and ultrasoft — no harsh lines.” Wright also suggested using a toner to maintain shine and gleam.
How to choose the right shadow roots for you
Consider your natural root color and the shades that it would pair well with. For example, dark brown fades well into dirty blond hair. This is because the two together provide a natural-looking tone that embraces both the darkness of one’s natural roots while brightening up the look with a lighter body and ends.
According to The Beauty Experience, it’s best to keep your root color as close to your natural color as possible. To be specific, the shade should not be more than three tones different.
If you are unsure what color roots will suit you well, you can always test the shades of Luxy Hair’s best clip in hair extensions to help you decide what works best for you.
Luxy Hair is committed to providing you with new unique ideas to elevate your hair look. From hair extensions to clip-in bangs to shadow roots, our products and hair resources are everything you need to keep yourself updated on hair trends and health.
