As the warmer months dwindle away, most of us are left dealing with the aftermath of the heat. Having long hair in the summer means having hair that’s dried out from the humidity, dealing with chlorine crusted locks from being in the pool too much, or just managing plain old dead ends from neglecting to keep up with maintenance. So what does that mean for the winter months? It’s time to get back in touch with that stylish diva inside and give your hair some genuine TLC!

Even if your hair hasn’t been damaged by the summer elements, winter is the perfect opportunity to give your look a makeover. When winter strikes, many of us are left with a bad case of the winter blues. Many experts suggest that the best way to shake this feeling is to help make yourself feel good again, and the easiest way to do so is to revamp your style! So let’s start with the hair. While there are many ways you can accomplish this, the favorite trend has always seemed to be giving your hair a makeover through color. The new season means new clothing lines and new color palettes. Why not adjust the color palette of your most useful accessory as well?!

So let’s start with the most important question of all: which hair color works best in the winter? While there is no uniform answer (because everyone looks best in something different), there is a general consensus of which direction to go. Summer is the best for lighter colors because the sun naturally lightens most hair and gives it a warm glow. In the winter, darker shades appear to be the best bet. During these months, fabrics tend to be richer, darker colors. If your hair is light, these fabrics could end up clashing with your look.

Now, I know what you’re thinking; won’t the darker hair make my skin appear even more washed out than it already is? Actually, no! This major myth has been wiggling its way around for years now, and its about time we squashed it. When the suns rays are no longer out, we all begin to lose our wonderfully bronzed hue (unless we seek out the tanning salons). We start to look washed out from the paleness, and our terribly dark clothes aren’t doing anything to help the situation. Many women think that adding dark hair into the mix will just enhance the washed out effect instead of fixing it. However, darkening your hair will actually help balance out the dark colors from your clothes. If everything on your body is a light, pale shade, and you throw some dark sweaters on top, you are undoubtedly going to wind up looking like a brightly shining q-tip with clothes on. However, darkening up your locks even the slightest bit will help combat this phenomenon!

One tip to keep in mind, however, is to try not to get too crazy with the dye! If you are a bleach blonde at the moment, I’m not sure going midnight black would be your best bet. The main rule to live by is to stay in harmony with your natural skin tone, and only add as much color as this will allow. Usually gaining one to two levels of richness is an appropriate measure, and for best results, I suggest you seek out a professional salon to help you gain your desired look. If you’re anywhere near Allegheny county, I recommend you go to Verve 360, the best downtown Pittsburgh salon. They will help you discover which shade is the perfect one for your skin tone, and will also help you effortlessly achieve this desired shade. If you’re brave and want to try it out yourself, this is also a feasible option. However, keep a salon like Verve 360 on speed dial, just in case anything happens to go wrong! Best of luck with your new do, beauties!