Caramel brunettes and deep brown shades have quietly dominated the catwalks this season, the hair colour alluding to strength and beauty.

For fashion inspiration, look to vintage finds to channel your inner Audrey. Be inspired by the hair colour at home with nice’n easy permanent Colour Crème in Natural Dark Caramel Brown (shade 120B). Or for a demi-permanent option, try a favourite of Clairol’s Colour Ambassador, Joanne Kelly - nice’n easy No Ammonia (up to 24 washes) in Light Golden Brown (shade 75), a gorgeously rich warm brown, which Joanne describes as a real supermodel inspired shade.

Tips From The Top On Going Brunette:

This week, Clairol Colour Ambassador Joanne Kelly spoke to Her.ie exclusively about going brunette.

“You should follow the instructions carefully and this includes doing an allergy alert test each and every time you colour your hair and 48 hours before you colour to ensure you have no sensitivity to the product" Joanne said.

"You should also do a strand test every time you colour to determine optimal timing and colour results.  Perms, relaxers, previous colour and the sun can all affect your timing and colour results.

“The good news about the darker shades of the hair colour spectrum is that they best reflect light, so a brunette shade can leave hair healthier looking as it adds shine. When choosing a new hair colour, you need to consider your skin tone and eye colour. Most important though is your natural colour. I would also recommend you stay within 2-3 shades of your natural shade when colouring your hair at home."

Colour Ambassador Joanne Kelly shares her tips from the top. 

Tips From The Top On How To Do It:

Clairol Colour Ambassador Joanne Kelly says; “Home hair colour application is very simple and easy to follow but I think regular users have a tendency to slip into bad habits with their application technique. Always remember, the smaller the section the better coverage you will get and be generous with the product. If your hair is longer than shoulder length, use two boxes of colour to ensure full coverage. When it comes to wash off the colour spend a few minutes emulsifying the product by adding a little water and massage the colour into the hair ensuring complete coverage”

“Have a packet of baby wipes handy to wipe away any patches of colour when you have finished applying the colour. Check around the hairline and the tops of the ears so you aren’t left with any rogue stains.

Pic: Bottega Veneta courtesy of Max Factor

“The summer months in Ireland, as few as they are, can really play havoc with your colour, as do those two weeks abroad in the sun. Think about sun protection for your hair as well as your skin and wear a wide brimmed hat while enjoying the sun or apply a suitable leave in spray or conditioner to help protect against colour fade.

“Colour fade is one of the biggest problems with porous hair, which is why generally the ends are the parts that fade first, due to being coloured the most, so regular visits to the salon for a trim is essential to the general condition of coloured hair. Excessive blow drying/styling may also make your colour look faded.

Looking after the condition of our hair will help maintain colour vibrancy, so use colour care haircare products and make sure to use the in box conditioner that nice’n easy includes - Colour Seal Gloss Conditioner. This conditioner is fantastic to help seal in colour and maximise shine and is also available to buy separately for blonde, red and brunette. coloured hair.

“With darker and richer brunette shades you may need to rethink your make up. Add warmth to your complexion with bronzer and try a rich black in mascara. For your eyes, you can also now dabble with some stronger colour - jewel tones on the eyes were another big trend from the SS13 catwalk shows and worth experimenting to complete your new colour look.”

Why not try?

nice’n easy permanent is available in 54 shades €7.69 RRP*

nice’n easy No Ammonia (up to 24 washes) is available in 20 shades €5.09 RRP*

nice’n easy Colour Seal Gloss Conditioner €1.29 RRP* 

*Retail pricing at the sole discretion of the retailer.

(Top image, Moschino courtesy of Pantene)