As we start seeing the sun slowly appear again, we realize we have been snuggled indoors all winter with our dry and pasty pale skin, it brings thoughts of "it's definitely time to brighten up my hair"! Your clients want to make a change - maybe a new shape and style... and with that new shape it's an opportunity to enhance those layers and movement with some subtle dimensional highlights!

Tone on tone is a wonderful option to get the spring time color started. You want your first highlights for spring to be gradual and dimensional.

For my dark brown hair color clients, who are at the darkest and medium browns, I start with the lightest brown highlights. If she enjoys warmth, amber or deep caramel tones are always a favorite. Those deeper tones are soft contrast and grow out smoothly, and also offer a great back drop to begin my summer highlights on when time comes.

For my lighter browns and blonde clients, I try to use tone on tone. This can get tricky if you have clients that want NO warmth - you have to get creative with cool darker blondes. The key is not to get your dimension looking drab and murky.

You want richness and dimension. I have a tendency to still throw a little beige blonde in with my neutral blonde, just so it brings the back drop that my lighter blonde is going to pop with.

With my clients that love warmth, I do nice soft dark golden blondes or maybe even strawberry tones with my blonde highlights.

I vary the size of my highlights making the darker tones wider panels or pieces for my lighter highlights to sit on, as it gives a back drop that my highlight will pop off of, rather than blend in or sit side by side.

Be sure you are starting to talk to your clients about spring/summer color and highlight options. They want to hear about it even if they aren't ready yet!

Give them ideas and things to ponder! Let them know you have seasonal trend ideas and your available when she's ready!