Go beyond ombre with five bold new hair colouring styles trending this spring

Go beyond ombre with five bold new hair colouring styles trending this spring

(Photo: Proudest Pony)

If there’s one salon treatment hotter than elaborate, bedazzled, intricate nails, it’s hair colour—and here, as is the case with manicures, things are getting bigger, bolder and more extravagant. We asked five of Toronto’s top stylists what type of colouring techniques to look out for (or try on) this spring, how they’re done and—most importantly—how much they’ll break the bank.

(Photo: Proudest Pony)
Ashley Brewsmith, Proudest Pony

New style: What Brewer calls “fantasy unicorn looks.”
What it looks like: It depends! “It could be that one strand starts off pink and ends up blue, while the strand next to it starts off green and ends up purple, creating a multi-dimensional galactic pallet,” Brewer says. “It could be a blend of emeralds, blues and turquoise for a deep-sea mermaid effect.  It could even a candy striping of pastels through creamy blonde locks. Unicorn hair is limited only by your own imagination.”
Time commitment: Between two and six hours.
Price: Between $45-$500. Proudest Pony offers free consultations for more accurate pricing.

(Photo: Blyss Salon)
Amanda Quarshie, Blyss Salon

New style: Flamboyage
What it looks like: According to Kernan, flamboyage “gives the effect of natural-looking sparkles through the hair.”
Time commitment: Around the same time as traditional highlights, so 90 minutes to two hours.
Price: $150-$280

(Photo: Fuss Hair Studio)
Kristin Rankin, Fuss Hair Studio

New style: Dip dye
What it looks like: “This is an Ombre inspired way of keeping the target colour at the bottom of your hair,” Rankin says. “Instead of the hair blending softly throughout from top to bottom … the focus is at the bottom or ends with a clear but not totally solid line of demarcation through the mid-shaft of the hair.”
How long does it take: Rankin says it depends on hair length and texture, but Fuss allots two and a half to four hours for the job.
Price: For creative colour processes like a dip dye, Fuss charges $75/hour.

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Timothy Meerman, The Loft Hair Lounge

New style: Sombre, or “soft ombre.”
What it looks like: A more subtle shift from root to ends than a traditional ombre.
How long does it take: Anywhere between two to five hours.
Price: On average, the process should cost between $150-$200, but thicker hair or hair that requires extra lightening will cost more.

(Photo: Raphael Azran)
Raphael Ness Azran, Colour Lab

New style: Strobing
What does it look like? Strobing involves creating “individualized highlights to enhance the client’s natural features,” meaning highlights and colour are put into the hair where the sun would normally hit it.
What it looks like: To quote Azran, “like you just glided off a beach in St. Tropez with perfectly placed highlights that compliment your overall colour.”
How long does it take: From 45 minutes to several hours, though the assistance of an infared machine helps to gently speed up the processing time.
Price: Glosses start at $10, roots at $75, and—depending on the services and time requirement—the overall cost can range as high as $1,200.