How to Achieve a Sunset Hair Color

As hair color enthusiasts and admirers know, there seems to be a hair color trend inspired by just about everything we love, from candy to mermaids to unicorns to red wine. And who doesn’t love a beautiful sunset? The answer: Nobody. It’s no surprise, then, that picturesque sherbet-colored sunsets have inspired their own hair color trend. Aptly named sunset hair, this sky-inspired hair color trend takes the brightest, most vivid shades of the sunset and applies them to your tresses. Read on for our best tips on how to get a sunset hair color and how to maintain it with the proper hair care routine.

What Is Sunset Hair?

As the name implies, sunset hair is inspired by good ol’ Mother Nature. A sunset hair color typically features a deep blue or purple base color with lengths and ends the fade from orange to pink to yellow or red. This romantic look features a gradient of different colors, making for an end result that’s a vivid kaleidoscope of color.

How to Get Sunset Hair

Since this look obviously has a lot of different colors and blending going on, and also likely requires bleaching your hair, visiting a salon is probably your best bet. If you’re still dying to test out the look at home, we suggest giving it a try with temporary formulas, such as the L'Oréal Paris Colorist 1-Day Spray. That way, you won’t be making a major commitment. Start with a dark shade of blue or purple at your roots, then gradually transition through pink, red, and orange, before finishing with yellow on your ends. For an even brighter and more dimensional semi-permanent hue, accent select strands with a hair makeup, such as the L'Oréal Paris Colorista Hair Makeup 1-Day Color. Both of the above options will wash out after one shampoo, so you can play with different shades and gradients until you find the look you’re after.

If you do decide to DIY and can’t resist an option that will last a little longer, semi-permanent hair color is your best bet. This type of dye will last for four to ten shampoos, fading a little more each time you wash your mane. Unless you already have super light strands, before you can use the semi-permanent colors you’ll need to bleach your hair. Use an overall bleach, like the L'Oréal Paris Colorista Bleach, to prep your hair for your sunset shades. Once your hair is as blonde as can be, reach for select shades of the L'Oréal Paris Colorista Semi-Permanent Hair Color. Start by coloring your roots a dark blue or purple, such as Midnight Blue (if you’re brunette) or Indigo (for blondes). Then move through the sunset color spectrum in the same order as above. Here’s a good example of cascading hue order using shades from the line: Red to Hot Pink to Pink.

Again, as you can see, this hair color trend requires quite a bit of work to apply all your sunset colors properly, so it may be best left to an experts’ hands. If you do decide to visit a salon, it’s always a good (and fun!) idea to browse Pinterest or Instagram for inspiration pictures to bring with you as a reference. This is true for all hair color trends but it’s especially true for sunset hair, because just like there’s a lot of color variation between different sunsets, there’s a multitude of ways sunset hair can look.

HOW TO CARE FOR SUNSET HAIR

Whenever you color your hair, it’s prudent to switch to using products that are safe for color-treated hair. Reach for a color-protecting shampoo and conditioner, such as the L'Oréal Paris EverPure Repair & Defend Shampoo and L'Oréal Paris EverPure Repair & Defend Conditioner, to help maintain your new hues. Once or twice a week, swap out your conditioner for a pampering hair mask, like the L'Oréal Paris EverPure Repair Remedy Balm.

To help preserve your color even further, ideally, you also want to avoid using heat tools as much as possible. Embrace your natural hair texture and let your locks air dry. Use a few spritzes of a heat-free styling product, like the L'Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle AIR DRY IT Wave Swept Spray, on damp strands and then let your locks dry on their own. When you do heat style your hair, be sure to apply the L'Oréal Paris Advanced Hairstyle SLEEK IT Iron Straight Heatspray for protection. Spritz it onto damp hair, then you’re free to reach for your blow dryer or straightener.

Want more vibrant hair color ideas? Check out our list of 9 Super-Stylish Rainbow Hair Color Ideas for Fall 2018.