The Weekend Read✨Hair: What Does Yours Say About You?

Hello!

This week, The Weekend Read explores all things hair. Hair sits right in the middle of your communication zone, meaning it's one of the first things people notice about you, whether you’ve styled it, coloured it, curled it, straightened it, or just pulled it into a ponytail.

Whether you like it or not, your hair and the colour, cut and style defines us as individuals and informs everyone more about us than perhaps we realise. It's an element of your identity that you need to acknowledge as it can jeopardise your entire look if you don't. You wouldn't see the Princess of Wales rocking just-got-out-of-bed hair, so nor should you!

So beyond the daily styling ritual, your hair colour — natural or chosen — has a remarkable impact on how your skin looks, how your eyes pop, and how vibrant you appear. In fact, it can either support your seasonal palette or completely sabotage it.

So let’s start at the root, shall we? What determines our natural hair colour? And how can we use this knowledge to make more harmonious choices if we're thinking about colouring our hair?

The Science Bit: What Determines Hair Colour?

Our natural hair colour is dictated by genetics, specifically by the type and amount of melanin in the hair shaft. There are two main types of melanin:

• Eumelanin: responsible for black and brown tones

• Pheomelanin: responsible for red, auburn, and golden tones

The ratio and concentration of these two types determines whether your hair is jet black, chestnut brown, strawberry blonde or anything in between.

As we age, the melanin production in the follicles slows down and eventually stops, giving rise to grey or white hair. But even before the greys come in, the tone of your natural hair colour, be it warm or cool, is just as important as the shade.

This is where understanding your skin's natural undertones becomes invaluable.

Hair Colour in the World of Seasonal Colour Analysis

At House of Colour, we don't pigeonhole people. We know that not all redheads are Springs or Autumns, not all blondes are Summers and not all brunettes are Winters. You’ll find every hair colour across all four seasonal palettes, because what matters isn’t the shade, it’s the undertone.

Cool vs Warm Hair Tones

A cool brunette might have ashy or slatey tones, whereas a warm brunette veers towards golden, chestnut or chocolate brown. Platinum, ash, or silvery beige are usually found on cool blondes. If you're a warm blonde then you lean into honey, caramel, or golden hues. A cool redhead has auburn or burgundy tones whilst a warm redhead shines in copper, cinnamon, or strawberry blonde.

These variations exist naturally, but here’s what you need to know: when you apply a colour to your hair that fights against your natural skin undertones, you can end up looking…well, just a bit off.

The Consequences of a Colour Clash

Have you ever had your hair coloured and felt like something wasn’t quite right?Your skin looks duller, your eyes have lost their sparkle, or you just felt like you need more make-up? That’s your body telling you the undertones are clashing.

Just like wearing the wrong colour clothing can make you look tired or washed out, hair colour that contradicts your season can have the same effect. It creates disharmony, it muddles the communication zone and it detracts from your natural radiance.

Every Hair Colour For Every Season

You can be a blonde in all four seasonal palettes, the difference is whether that blonde is cool and icy, soft and silvery, or warm and golden. The same goes for brunettes and redheads. It’s all about the undertone, not the hue.

Let’s say you’re a Summer with natural ash blonde hair, and one day you fancy warming things up with some honey or copper highlights. It may sound lovely, but on your cool skin tone those warm tones can bring out redness, dull your eyes, and make your overall look feel unbalanced, which is not ideal.

Likewise, an Autumn who adds silvery ash tones might find herself looking pale or grey around the gills. And that’s before you’ve even applied your foundation.

What If You’re Going Grey?

The good news is that grey can absolutely work within your seasonal palette when it’s handled thoughtfully.

Cool-toned people often transition to elegant silvers and steel greys with ease. Think icy brilliance for Winters or soft grey for Summers.

Those of you that are warm-toned however, may find that cool grey drains your face. That’s where clever blending comes in: warm lowlights, soft caramel glosses, or warm-toned highlights can soften the transition and keep things harmonious.

Thinking of Colouring Your Hair? Here’s What to Know First

Before you sit in that salon chair with a stack of Pinterest screenshots, remind yourself of your seasonal colours and whether you are warm or cool toned. If you are not sure, it would be a good idea to consider investing in a colour analysis or colour refresh to really know. Once you know your seasonal colour palette, everything else becomes easier, including what to say to your hair colourist.

Here’s what to tell your hairdresser:

“I know my skin undertones are warm/cool so can we keep my hair colour in that range? Most professional colourists will understand this, but you may have to clarify that you're not just talking about light or dark, but about warm vs cool tones.

“Please avoid tones that are too ashy/golden for my complexion.” Ashy shades are cool, golden shades are warm. They may offer you swatches or strands to hold up near your face - this is a great time to whip out your colour fan if you have one!

“Can we add lowlights/highlights that complement rather than clash?” Adding dimension is great but contrast matters. Cool-toned highlights on a warm base, or vice versa, can cause visual noise that draws attention away from your face.

“My colour palette is (e.g., Autumn). Do you have swatches or reference points that match these tones?” If they don't, bring your own. Your seasonal fan can be a brilliant conversation starter and ensures you're both on the same page.

Why Knowing Your Colour Season is So Empowering

When you know your colour palette, you don’t just avoid fashion disasters, you sidestep hair disasters too. You won’t be talked into 'just try something warmer' if it doesn’t work for you. You’ll understand why that icy platinum looks stunning on your friend but harsh on you. And you’ll be able to embrace your natural colour with confidence or enhance it in a way that looks effortless, rather than artificial.

Click Here For Your Personal Hair Colour Cheat Sheet

Now we have explored the science of hair colour, undertones, and how your seasonal palette can guide you to the most flattering shades, lets move on to styling your hair.

As any good hairdresser will tell you, colour is only half the story. The cut and style are what shape the whole look and they can either complement your unique personality or fight against it. This is where House of Colour's Clothing Personalities come in.

We all have a visual clothing personality, an energy and essence that informs the best types of fabrics, necklines, jewellery, and haircuts for us. A Dramatic personality's sharp crop will never look quite right on a softly feminine Romantic personality, and a tousled Natural bob will feel too undone for a sleek Classic. Have you ever had a haircut that you absolutely hated? This might be why.

Your hair is not only the final accessory in your overall look but the first thing people notice and sometimes define you by - I'm the lady with the curly red hair!

Your Style Personality: What Should Your Hair Say About You?

At House of Colour, we work with six main clothing personalities when it comes to personal styling. Clients are often a blend of these to determine the types of haircuts and styles that help you look most at ease, aligned and more importantly, yourself.

Dramatics: Bold, Striking, and Confident

Dramatics wear strong design lines effortlessly, so the same applies to hair. Think high-impact shapes with clean edges. Angular bobs, sharp undercuts, sleek ponytails, and ultra-long, super-straight styles feel right at home.

Colour-wise, you can carry contrast beautifully. Bold blocks of jet black, icy platinum, or even fashion tones like cherry red or silver-blue work if they sit within your seasonal palette.

Hair cue: Think statement. No-nonsense shapes, architectural lines and blunt cuts, a bit of edge and undercuts. The world is your runway.

Classics: Elegant, Polished, and Refined

Neatness, order and timelessness are the hallmarks of a Classic personality. Hair should mirror that same smoothness and control seen in your clothing. Go for polished bobs, sleek shoulder-length layers, smooth chignons or well-cut shorter styles. Unruly and unkempt hair is a no-no!.

The cut is everything here, so it needs to be precise and groomed. Colour should be balanced, sophisticated and clean. Avoid high-contrast roots or overly trendy ombré styles. Shine, depth and subtle dimension are key.

Hair cue: Think well-put-together. If it looks like a hair commercial in the 90s, your probably winning.

Naturals: Relaxed, Understated, and Effortless

Low-maintenance meets movement here. Naturals shine in tousled layers, soft waves, shoulder-skimming shags and long, beachy locks. Nothing should feel too stiff, too sprayed or too fussy. If you have curls or waves, embrace them.

Natural highlights (especially for Springs and Autumns) or gentle balayage work well here, as long as they reflect the skin’s warmth or coolness. Avoid overly processed colours that create stark lines.

Hair cue: Think unforced beauty. The 'I woke up like this' look actually suits you, just give it a zhuzh first!

Gamines: Playful, Chic, and Edgy

Gamines bring energy and fun to their look. Hair is often short, cropped, or cut into playful shapes like pixie cuts, asymmetric fringes and sharp angles. Styles are often youthful and animated.

Gamines can get away with bold colour choices more easily, especially Winters or Springs. A flash of colour, a contrast panel, or graphic fringe can energise your whole look.

Hair cue: Think edge and mischief. Gamine hair looks like it could start a conversation on its own.

Ingenues: Delicate, Feminine, and Youthful

Softness, prettiness and detail define Ingenue hair. Picture softly curled bobs, gentle waves, romantic fringes, or half-up styles. Think baby doll meets elegance. Hair should feel light and whimsical, never heavy or flat.

Soft highlights, gentle colour glazes, and light pastels (for those in the cooler seasons) bring harmony here. Ashy or golden blondes, when chosen within the palette, work beautifully.

Hair cue: Think fairytale charm. A little bit of classic heroine, but not too grown up.

Romantics: Glamorous, Curvy, and Alluring

Romantics shine in luxurious, softly styled hair. Big blowouts, side-swept curls, glossy waves, or lush, touchable layers suit you best. You wear softness, volume and richness beautifully.

Your colour should be sumptuous, so got for warm chocolates, deep auburns, rose golds or velvety ash, depending on your season. Avoid overly stark contrast unless your palette supports it (like Autumn or Winter).

Hair cue: Think 1940s and 1950s movie star - hair that looks like it belongs under a chandelier.

Hair Trouble? Let’s Talk Real-World Styling Challenges

With colour and cuts nailed, we are almost there with our crowning glory hair advice. However, some of us suffer from hair challenges like curls, thinning hair or the effects of menopause on the hair. Here, we are going to explore some simple tips and tricks to help with hair that throws us those daily curveballs.

Curly or Wavy Hair

Curly hair is characterful and fabulous if you know how to work with it. Your curls can become your signature. The key is to let the curls be themselves, try not to flatten or straighten them into submission.

Choose curl-enhancing products that reflect your palette. Cool season clients should steer clear of golden shimmer serums, warm-season clients might want to avoid cool-toned glosses.

Thinning Hair

It’s more common than you think, especially with age and hormonal shifts including pregnancy, postnatal, peri and post menopause. The goal is to create volume and dimension without damaging your hair.

Soft fringes, layers around the crown, and clever colour placement can all help. Cooler tones can add visual weight for Winters and Summers, while warm glazes or caramel lowlights add lift for Springs and Autumns.

Speak to your hairdresser about volumising cuts and light-reflective colours. Always consider how light and shadow play near your face.

Menopausal Hair

Ah, the changing texture, the sudden wiriness and the 'why is it dry there?' phase. Menopause can bring dryness, thinning, coarseness or all three.

So what's the answer? Hydration, strength, and shape. You may need to revisit your favourite hair styles. Softer layers, shorter cuts, and colour glazes can all restore vitality. Your seasonal palette helps here - going too light or cool when your skin warms up during this time can highlight redness or sallowness in your face.

Don’t fear going grey, but don’t rush it either. Transition gradually if you want to keep warmth and brightness.

Final Thoughts: You’re Worth the Harmony

So much of feeling put together starts with your hair. It’s the backdrop for your make-up, the anchor for your outfit, and the first thing people see when you enter a room.

At House of Colour, we’re not here to tell you who to be, we’re here to help you express you, beautifully and effortlessly. And that includes the right hair tone, cut and style to match your season and your unique personality.

So go ahead, book the cut, try the toner, style your fringe. Just let your hair speak the same language as your colours and watch how everything else clicks into place.

Enjoy your weekend! Next week's The Weekend Read is all about lipstick: from the history and wartime influence to the psychology of colour, rituals and beliefs. We aim to tell the story of your humble handbag hero.

Best wishes,

Jenny & Judi x

The Weekend Read Inspirational Catalogues

Jenny Goldsmith

Celebrator of Individuality

Curator of Confidence

Tel: 07986 062460

e: jenny.goldsmith@houseofcolour.co.uk

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