Trending: 'Lived-In' Hair Color
By: Lori Barsamian

Ombre’s were fun for a while, and bright hues of color made last summer pop - but what’s next in the color world you ask? The “Lived in Hair Color” Trend will rule the world this next year - which means.. Balayage is BACK baby!

Undone messy hair has already proved to be a front runner in the beauty world, and its not just because its easy - it actually isn’t, it takes hours to make that hair look perfectly messy (don’t worry we have you covered - check out the tutorial for the perfect beachy chic messy look here).

We’re sure you've seen it gracing the pages of your latest issue of ELLE and wondered how to recreate the look? It will take more than a product and a curling wand. That hairstyle is accentuated by the placement of color in the model's hair and the texturizing of her cut, which means… you’ll be needing to schedule that appointment with your stylist ASAP.

Updating your current coif with a fresh cut and “lived-in” color will ensure you can create that Instagram worthy style you see all over the streets. A few tips for you next salon appointment:

1. Bring Photos - Stylists are visual artists and speak a different dialect than “non stylists”. The easiest way to ensure proper communication is through visual references. Be sure to look for examples of photos with similar skin tone or hair base color to your own. Prior to cutting and coloring - also discuss what type of style you are aiming for, so they can ensure they cut your hair to create this.

2. Book the proper type of appointment - if you are going to a big change; schedule a consultation appointment first so that when you do take the plunge, your stylist will have ample time and the proper supplies.

3. Be Reasonable, and PATIENT -  Although there have been major improvements in the technology of hair color treatments to protect your strands during coloring, (ie, colorpHlex, Continuum, Virgin), don't expect to be blonde at the bat of an eye. Depending on your starting point and desired outcome, more than one visit may be necessary.

4. Learn how to Style your Hair - Ask your stylist to show you quick tricks that you can take home with you to get the look you desire. No one knows your hair better than the stylist who has been elbow deep in it all day.  Based on your cut, and specific texturizing techniques your stylist is able to ensure you will leave the salon with manageable messy hair!

Guy Tang posted a great little video on Instagram about fading fashion colors due to incorrect use of a flat iron. Turn down the heat settings. 400 degrees will remove fashion colors in a little as 5 seconds.

No, this photo is not a new pixelated color pattern. The picture at the right is from Guy’s video showing the results from a too hot flat iron.

Watch the video on Instagram (click here).

Scientists at Oxford Biolabs have developed a product which they claim can control hair ageing and better manage and slow down the processes that turn hair grey.

The Melaniq Food Supplement for Hair Pigmentation formula was specifically designed to support normal pigment production in the hair follicles, by supplying the important nutrients required for melanin biosynthesis and necessary for hair health.

The supplement is the first of Oxford Biolabs’ products to address hair pigmentation, which has recently debuted on the global market, after the company says it recognised a demand from the market, given that premature ageing, particularly from greying hair, is a big concern for many people.

Maintain pigmentation
The active ingredients in the formula can help maintain natural hair pigmentation, according to Oxford Biolabs; and the product is aimed at both men and women who are experiencing premature greying or greying in general “With age, hair follicles can lose the ability to produce pigmented hair, leading to the incidence of grey hair,” explains Dr Thomas Whitfield, CEO & Scientific Lead. “In the knowledge that copper plays a major role in normal hair pigmentation, Oxford Biolabs scientists have combined it with other natural, active ingredients to develop Melaniq, a highly innovative food supplement.”

A grey area…
The process of greying is determined by various factors, including genetics, environment, stress, poor diet, gender, ethnicity and geographical origin.

Most people go significantly grey between the ages of 45 and 65, though it can affect some much younger, and Oxford Biolabs says it is the desire to maintain natural colour, removing the need for repeated hair colouring, which influenced its new development, which contributes to the maintenance of natural hair pigmentation.

The supplements market has seen many pills that look to tackle grey hair , and even beauty giant L’Oréal wade into the market a few years by committing research to a fruit extract pill to prevent hair ageing.