Bluesy cool

Katy Perry

Dying your hair in vivid colours is a quick way to completely transform your look, as was the case with writer-director Kiran Rao, who recently traded in her silver mane for a blue-green mop. Blue has been a popular colour in the beauty community for a while now, with many including pop star Katy Perry opting for various shades of blue over the years. However, switching to vivid blues like she did requires a fair bit of preparation and aftercare to keep your hair in top order, shares Neha Rajadhyaksha, a blogger and entrepreneur, who sports a bright blue bob. "Without the right products and aftercare, your colour can quickly fade, leaving behind rough and damaged hair strands in its wake," she says.

Kiran Rao. Pics/Instagram

Going blue
Unlike black, browns and even certain types of red, blue hair colour will only show once you've bleached your strands. The darker the hair, the longer and more complex the process will be. Rajadhyaksha, for instance, had to bleach her hair twice to arrive at a light enough base colour. "Always get your hair bleached at a professional stylist as any accidents can go terribly wrong and result in lasting damage to your hair," she warns. Next, pick a blue that flatters your skin tone. While very light skin tones can work with teal or light blue, medium skin tones look best in cobalt blue or black hair with vivid blue highlights. Deep skin tones can rock midnight blue and denim hair, with the latter including hints of purple to resemble a worn-out pair of blue jeans.

Masha Arabi

Caring for your colour
Regardless of how vibrant your hair is after your dye job or how meticulous your aftercare is, expect the blue to fade into a more subtle hue with every wash. "Colour-depositing shampoos can help you to go longer between touch-ups. I also prefer to coat my hair with a cheap conditioner before shampooing my hair; this way, the shampoo doesn't directly affect the coloured hair," advises Rajadhyaksha. Arabi uses shampoo only at the roots. "I dilute the shampoo with a lot of water before applying it to my hair. I wash my hair only twice a week at most," she reveals. "If you aren't sure about how blue will look on you, or have never dyed your hair, you can opt to colour only the tips," suggests marketing professional Masha Arabi. Both she and Rajadhyaksha advise treating your hair with conditioning hair spas and Olaplex treatments to keep your hair strands smooth and lustrous.

Neha Rajadhyaksha

The blue checklist
>> Use a sulphate and paraben-free shampoo and conditioner designed for coloured hair.
>> Avoid heat styling as well as chlorinated and salt water.
>> Cover up with a hat or a scarf when outdoors to minimise sun exposure.