Weekly Trend: Dimensional Hair Color that Flatters

Bella Bethesda Expert: Boy Sharp

A look that is tailored to flatter your unique features is one that never goes out of style. Bella Bethesda color expert Boy Sharp says that dimensional hair color is a secret weapon for enhancing your natural beauty. While many people consider face shape and skin tone when deciding on a haircut and color, they do not realize the dramatic effect the use of dimensional hair color and placement can have on their appearance. This technique is achieved by using lighter, brighter, warmer or bolder hair colors in certain areas as accents, and darker, deeper or cooler hair colors to contour face shapes and features. A flattering color can also be enhanced with the use of highlights, lowlights and glosses, which create subtle variations in color.

Boy recommends these general guidelines to find your ideal look:

Narrow and long facial features and face shapes: Place contour hair colors on the top of the hairline near forehead, and accent hair colors on the sides near eye and upper cheek. The latter will accent eyes and help remove the appearance of a longer face.

Round or fuller features and face shapes: Use accent hair color near the crown of the head and forehead and keep the contour colors just below the cheek, jaw line and nape areas.

Triangle features and face shapes: Use accent hair colors at and below the cheek areas to widen or straighten the jawline. Avoid placing accent colors right in the forehead hairline.

Pear shape or inverted triangle face shape: Keep accent hair colors to the areas around the top of the cheekbones, forehead, hairline and crown area, and use contour hair colors below cheekbones and around the jaw line.

Square face shape and features: Use contour hair colors from below the cheekbone to the jaw line to soften a stronger jaw, and also along the sides of the forehead area. Use accent colors at the center top of the hairline, and sometimes right above the cheekbone areas.