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Stacey Bradshaw
Updated on January 13, 2021

If you’ve been slightly bored recently, and your reflection in the mirror doesn’t please you like before, it’s time to change something in yourself – for example, the color of your hair. According to Instagram accounts of trendsetters, there’s been one unusual coloring technique very popular for several seasons in a row – metallic hair color. Bronze, silver, platinum, pink gold – now these can be not only jewelry items but also your strands!

What Is Metallic Hair?

The main benefit of the metallic hair coloring technique is a play of shades. The colors literally shine, changing in their undertones depending on the lighting. This makes the hair tones look like real precious metals – iridescent, bright and bewitching – and it’s impossible to look away!

It’s worth noting that the author of the original metallic hair color is the celebrity stylist Guy Tang, who has won great popularity in social networks. It’s he who began experimenting with cold shades of rose gold, silver, and platinum, and eventually got unusual color solutions and a glossy, almost metallic hair shine. How does the hair, dyed with such color look? Let’s see!

The hair stylist created a line of metallic hair dyes in collaboration with Kenra Professional. These innovative products give the effect of magnificent metallic shine, which can’t be achieved with conventional hair cosmetics.

If you want to try the metallic hair trend for yourself then consider that you’ll have to plan several coloring appointments, since the metallic dye works on light, platinum blonde hair only.

Metalic Haie Color

@guy_tang

The Greatest Shades of Metallic Hair

Famous hairstylists offer us a huge selection of ultra-trendy metallic shades – steel, graphite, blue, pink, lavender, smoky purple, pearl lilac, and others. The main thing is that the color should have the cool undertone and wonderful metallic glow.

1. Metallic Balayage

Metallic shades remain relevant for several seasons: they appear regularly in new collections of lipsticks, eyeshadows and nail polishes. But now the metallic obsession has reached its peak – colorists all over the world hear the requests of their clients who want metallic balayage. This is essentially a well-known balayage technique – a soft color stretching between two contrasting shades. However, in this case, the emphasis on some strands and ends is put not on the classic blonde or caramel tones, but on the entire spectrum of the rainbow colors. This technique is applied only to particular strands so that the color shine resembles the glow of a real metal. The fans of experiments will most certainly enjoy this hairstyle because with the help of metallic balayage you can create an incredibly beautiful holographic effect on the hair.

Metallic Balayage

@seangodard

2. Metallic Rose-Gold Hair

Almost every pink shade corresponds to a certain style that brought it popularity: for example, if pure and bright fuchsia color is associated with punk, then the color of pink powder means vintage elegance. The rose-gold color itself combines two luxurious colors into something unique, elegant and very stylish. It’s so elegant and classy that it managed to affect the style of interiors, gadget designs, accessories, make-up, and even hair. After all, there is no other such unobtrusive and at the same time fashionable shades like this one! Often, the rose gold color tends to attract warm shades, because pink is close to peach, and gold – to yellow. This especially suits tan-skinned women, but for women with pale skin, this hair shade will be quite a good choice as well.

Metallic Rose-Gold Hair

@kimwasabi

3. Metallic Lilac Hair

Jack Howard, an international hair colorist at Paul Edmonds and L’Oréal Professionnel UK color spokesperson encourages to not stop at rose-gold hair color but to use the whole variety of new metallic shades. Metallic purple color has a magnificent advantage. When it will wash out, on shiny hair, the color will acquire noble, silvery hues that can be deepened or corrected by subsequent dyeing.

Metallic Lilac Hair

@rossmichaelssalon

4. Metallic Gray Hair Color

Today, anyone who has Instagram or follows fashion trends can’t help but notice the big trend for the silver metallic hair. The coolness of cold shades, which is turning into a metallic shine, does look amazing! Gray is a shade that requires special attention. Try to be creative in choosing clothes, makeup, and accessories that will emphasize your new hair color. Metallic silver color goes well with red, black, cold blue and pink shades.

Metallic Gray Hair Color

@lakenrosehair

5. Bronze Metallic Hair

Metallic bronze hair shade will make any girl stand out in a crowd, not to mention the fact that this color is very versatile. Bronze hair color will look especially eye-catching and attractively on fair-skinned girls with green, hazel and gray eyes. The main thing is to find your own undertone, which can range from golden-red to deep bronze. Bronze shade will give your hair shine and will make it look more alive and interesting.

Bronze Metallic Hair

@brandiehayeshair

6. Metallic Pink Hair

Pink is the new blonde. At least, that’s what colorists claim. Much of the credit for such popularity is due to the boom in coloring hair in different creative shades, which isn’t totally over yet. Therefore, now pink strands no longer surprise or shock – on the contrary, they add freshness and juiciness to the ordinary hair tones. This style will make you look as if you’re an elven diva, as it really has some mysterious and fairytale character. Metallic pink can have different tones: pink quartz, strawberry, etc. This interesting color suits equally well any hair length, but it looks especially chic on the haircuts such as long bob and pixie. With tan skin, muted pink tones will look better, but light-skinned girls can choose a brighter color.

Metallic Pink Hair

@rossmichaelssalon

7. Ghosted Hair Technique

Among the hairstylists, a new trend has been gaining popularity – ghosted hair. This is hair toning, which is done with several shades: cold silver, oyster and rainbow quartz. This technique allows to create the illusion of glare on the hair and to structure strands. With the even lighting, the ghosted coloring looks like the familiar platinum blonde, where the texture of the locks can be seen, but with the bright lighting, you can see the complex glowing of the shades. Due to the fact that the rainbow coloring “hides” depending on the lighting, it was called “ghosted”. The first person who suggested this trend was hairstylist Jason Hogan from the London salon Josh Wood Atelier. “We’re beginning to see a huge increase in guests asking for metallic-inspired color in the salon,” Jason told Refinery29. “I think that this is partly due to the transition of the trend from glossy finishes to metallic on the catwalk.”

Ghosted Hair Technique

@tracilaster

How to Dye Metallic Hair

Linsay Wolf, Portland-based hairstylist wrote in one of her Instagram posts: “You wanna know what the most high maintenance hair in the world is? This. Metallic, pastel hair takes all the effort, all the care, all the time and all the money. However, it’s also the most beautiful thing in the whole world so it balances itself out!”

Half Up Metallic Hairstyle

@studio_wolf

Don’t try to achieve this glowing effect at home – you’ll still need to correct the consequences of your creativity with the help of an expert. No matter if you want to get a solid hair color or a play of shades – the main thing is that the coloring should be performed in a salon by a professional colorist, who can choose the right dye shades according to your skin tone. Otherwise, you won’t achieve the desired pure and trendy metallic color.

In general, any coloring session in a salon includes such basic steps to get the ideal metallic tone:

  • pre-lightening;
  • pre-toning;
  • application of the chosen formula.

“I always stress the process of pre-toning because it’s just so important,“ Cassie Siskovic, Kenra Professional Educator says. “It’s all about seeing your canvas, and adjusting accordingly!”

Metallic Braided Downdo

@cassiskovic

However, Ambrosia Carey, Portland hairstylist, educator, and @trussprofessional brand specialist managed to achieve an amazing metallic effect without any special pre-lightening step – she worked with client’s old highlights, and the result was not less spectacular!

Metallic Blue Diagonal Dutch Braid

@ambrosiacarey

Senior colorist at Hari’s King Road salon, Melanie Halacoglu, for example, prefers to use the balayage technique on blonde hair and applies a special golden honey shade that immediately adds brilliance to dull locks and warms up pale skin.

And for those, who aren’t ready to make such radical changes in their style yet, L’Oreal Professionnel, one of the leading beauty brands, created a special in-salon service – Metals by Majirel. This treatment gives the metallic glow to any hair type and texture. If the permanent silver tone seems to be too bold, the Majirel Metals, in fact, can be used as a glaze to make the existing color shinier. This effect only lasts four to six weeks, so this is a great solution if you don’t want to wear metallic hair permanently.

Straight Metallic Silver Hair

@whatsarahdoes

There are so many gorgeous options for coloring your hair metallic – just consult your colorist about which shade better suits your seasonal color type, and let’s make some bright changes!

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