My Latest Telemundo Segment — From Bright Shades To Soft Pastels, Rainbow-Colored Hair Is Here To Stay!

 Yesterday, in the wee hours of the morning, I visited Telemundo’s studios to film a live segment on a now ubiquitous beauty trend: rainbow-colored hair! Sure, many of us remember Cyndi Lauper’s canary yellow and tangerine tresses from the 1980s or, for that matter, Gwen Stefani’s flirtation with fuchsia hair in the early No Doubt days, but the notion of dyeing one’s hair in an audacious and bold hue has never been as popular as it is now. No one flinches when Demi Lovato dyes her hair magenta or teal (she’s now wearing her hair in a jet black hue with dip-dyed teal ends)  but, instead,they’re likely to debate which bright color they prefer to see on the star. Similarly, Nicole Richie pulled off a lavender ‘do with aplomb and is now sporting cobalt strands. Katy Perry went from Kermit-approved green strands to a new fiery red shade. From Kelly Osborne to Ke$ha, Kylie Jenner, Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Rita Ora, Rihanna, Lily Allen, and Selena Gomez, it seems like every trend-minded star has toyed with Crayola-colored hair — whether they dyed their whole mains one shade, colored sections to resemble highlights, or achieved an ombré effect by coloring only their ends. For Fall 2014, the trend is still going strong — and here’s the best news for those of you adventurous gals who want to experiment with the look: you can do so at home, using a temporary hair color that wont’ damage your strands and which will wash out completely after just a few washes.

On yesterday’s “Primera Edición” segment, I chatted about the colored hair trend but, moreover, I showcased the many products women can use to emulate their favorite star’s ‘do or create their own unique look.  All of the temporary hair colors featured are formulated with water-based inks, which don’t penetrate the hair cuticle and therefore don’t cause any damage (it’s also the reason why they wash off with just a few shampoos) and they typically contain polymers that create a thin coating over each strand, allowing the color to adhere properly. So what exactly are the temporary hair color options on the market? Read on!

L’Oréal Professionnel Hairchalk

When it launched in March of this year, L’Oréal Professionnel Haircalk became one of the first temporary hair colors available to the masses. Prior to its launch, women wanting to experiment with vibrant hair colors or pretty pastels had to visit a salon that offered such a service and make a long-term commitment to the unorthodox shade of their choice. With Hairchalk, however, women could experiment with one of five flashy shades — Coral Sunset (a fiery poppy red), Garden Party (a kelly green hue), Sweet Sixteen Pink (a hot pink), First Date Violet (a blue-toned purple), and Blue Ocean Cruise (a deep cobalt) — without the long-term commitment.

Available for $24 each  at select salons (visit LPSalons.com for locations), each L’Oréal Professionnel Hairchalk temporary color polish is formulated with water-based ink and a micro-fiber formula that creates a fine film that clings to hair, delivering a natural look and preventing color from transferring onto sheets or clothes. The Hairchalk comes with eight applicators that resemble tiny, thick, square paper towels.

When applying the temporary hair color, women should wear disposable gloves and place a dark towel over their shoulders to protect their clothing. Next, they should squeeze 3 to 4 drops onto one applicator, folding it in a pinching motion so that the color spreads throughout its surface. Separating their dry mane into sections, women should then use the applicator to clasp each section and slide it downward, depositing any color where desired — whether from roots to tips or from mid-lengths to ends. They can repeat the process on each section of hair. The hair color should dry within 1 minute and, once dry, women can blow dry or flat iron the newly colored sections of hair.

The Hairchalk color polish lasts  2-10 shampoos depending on the amount of product used.

Rita Hazan Pop Color

Inspired by aerosol art, colorist to the stars Rita Hazan developed the Pop Color line of temporary color sprays. Available in Blue, Pink, and Purple, each Rita Hazan Pop Color ($18 at Sephora.com, Ulta.com, and RitaHazan.com) features an aerosol spray technology so women can tap into their inner graffiti artist, misting the color of their choice over their strands to create vivid highlights, streaks, punchy tips, or an all-over  effect.

Formulated without ammonias, peroxides, bleaches, or permanent dyes, the Rita Hazan Pop Color temporary color sprays work on all hair colors — from platinum blondes to women with raven tresses — and doesn’t alter your hair’s texture.

To use, cover clothing with a towel or robe, make sure your strands are completely dry, and hold the aerosol can 12 inches from your hair, spraying where desired. Within 5 minutes, the color will be dry and you’ll be good to go!

Each temporary hair color lasts 1-2 shampoos, making this an excellent choice for women who are a bit trepidatious about any long-term hair color commitments. Also, if you work in an office in which hot pink hair would be a flagrant violation of existent dress codes, this product allows you to have some fun over the weekend and then return to your natural hair color before your Monday morning meetings!

Redken Color Rebel

Redken just launched its new Redken Color Rebel hair makeup range, designed to allow women to turn their hair into the ultimate statement-making accessory. These temporary colors are described as “hair makeup” because they incorporate water-based inks that remain on the surface of strands rather than penetrating the cuticle or cortex ,and they utilize direct color pigments for maximum impact, along with pearlescent pigments that yield iridescent color effects for a multi-dimensional, nuanced effect. Each Color Rebel product also relies on a polymer duo that helps to create a micro-coating of color around each strand, thereby enveloping the hair in high-impact color without there being any unseemly clumping, and on clay that allows the aforementioned polymer duo to disperse in water for a more fluid application.

Redken’s Color Rebel is rather unique in that the micro-coating it creates is hydrophobic in nature, protecting your high-wattage hair color from water and any steam or heat emitted by styling tools like blow driers and flat irons. If it rains, then, you don’t need to run for the hills to protect your bright pink ‘do!

Each Redken Color Rebel shade retails for $24 (visit Redken.com for salons) and is available in five oh-so-fly shades: Red-y to Rock, a classic red; Rebel Without a Coral, a punch-y coral red; Punked Up Pink, a bold fuchsia; Purple Riot, a chic purple; and Gilty as Charged, a shimmery gold.

Each Color Rebel shade comes with an easy-to-use sponge applicator that you can place on the tip of each can — just pull off the bottle cap, remove the tiny plug tip, and place the sponge applicator atop the plastic tube, making sure to push the sponge tip all the way in. To apply the product, you’ll want to shake the bottle and twist the cap in the direction demarcated by the arrows until the sponge tip is fully saturated with color. Next, pulling sections of clean and dry hair taut, apply the hair color using smooth sweeping motions, repeating on as many sections as desired. Next, either blow dry strands or let them air dry.

Once ready to remove, you can wash the color out with two shampoos. To remove the color instantly (yes, Redken made this an option!), you can apply a drop of Redken’s Diamond Oil Shatterproof Shine or its All Soft Argan-6 Multicare Oil to the desired area, rubbing the hair in between your finger until the pigment dissolves completely.

Garnier Color Styler

If you’re looking for the most affordable temporary hair color, your best bet is Garnier’s new Color Styler ($7.99 each at drugstores and mass market retailers). Each temporary hair color lasts 2-3 shampoos and is remarkably easy to use — you can simply pull on the disposable gloves in the box, squeeze the liquid color onto the palm of your hand, rub the color in between your fingers, then pull each section of hair taut and apply the color using your fingers, combing the product through once done for a more even effect. It’s like finger painting for the ultra chic!

Available in five shades — Red Temptation, Pink Pop, Pirple Mania, Bronze Attitude, and Blue Burst — Garnier’s Color Styler relies on a clay-based pigmented formula that coats the surface of the hair fiber, so that it doesn’t affect your hair’s integrity. And it works on brunettes, blondes, and redheads alike, as well as on women with previously color-treated hair.

Urban Decay Electric Pressed Pigment Palette

Yes, the Urban Decay Electric Pressed Pigment Palette ($49 at Sephora.com) is an eyeshadow palette above all else. But it contains pure pigments that, as it turns out, can be used to color hair. To apply any of the 10 shades to strands, start by applying a touch of Urban Decay’s Eyeshadow Primer Potion to the section you wish to color and then, using an eyeshadow brush, sweep the color onto the primed area (the primer will help lock the color in place). Once you’re ready to remove the color, simply hop in the shower and shampoo that mane! Want inspiration? Check out Urban Decay’s Instagram account for tons of photos showing these Electric Palette pigments brushed onto sections of braided hair, along center parts, and more!

Choose between shades like Chaos, an electric blue that was re-introduced for this palette; Gonzo, a new matte turquoise with floating tonal pearls;  Savage, a matte hot pink hue; Urban, a bright metallic purple; and Thrash, a tropical lime green with floating gold pearls.

Colored Hair Therapy!

While these temporary hair colors won’t dehydrate or damage strands, if you wind up loving one of these colors so much that you choose to make the change permanent, visit a salon with proven experience in the technicolor range. Next, make sure to invest in hair care products that will keep your strands healthy. I suggest the Dove Pure Care Dry Oil Shampoo and Conditioner ($4.99 each at drugstores), since they contain African macadamia oil extract, coconut oil, and sweet almond oil to hydrate, soften, strengthen, and nourish strands. I also love the Nexxus Color Assure range of products, which is specifically formulated to maximize color vibrancy.