5 office-friendly hair colour ideas & inspo for your next salon trip

We’re deep into September and almost readying ourselves for the final lap of the year. Self-care is a topic that’s looming large globally as we feel a wave of lethargy after almost two full years of a pandemic. So, if you’ve been thinking of switching up your hairstyle, be assured you’re not alone.

Which hair colours and styles are trending right now in 2021? Are any of these hair colour and dye trends suitable for the office? We did the research, scrolled through numerous hairstyle hashtags, hair salons and stylists’ social media accounts and here are five hair colour ideas ranging from the safe to the adventurous amongst us.

Platinum grey balayage

We love this platinum grey balayage look that gives a beautiful contrast with black hair. You can easily adjust the amount of colour to your adventure quotient or risk appetite (or maybe your HR’s).

You can opt to go with a fuller balayage look (pictured left) with more colour or a more muted look with lesser colour lower down the ends of your hair tips – which can also be easily concealed in a braid.

Hidden colours

If you have a pretty conservative HR or office culture, you might just want to hop on the hidden colours bandwagon.

When your hair is let down and brushed straight, no one in the office should see your dye job. However, once you step out of the office, bring your hair up in a half up-do to show your true colours.

Dark blues & purples

If you prefer a darker colour but are bored of the usual browns, give dark blues and dark purples a try. Blue hair has been touted to be universally-flattering for most skin tones. However, it’s also known to be difficult to maintain (some online users have said that their blue hair turned black after two weeks).

To go for this look, you may want to ask your hairstylist or hair colourist of choice for maintenance tips and recommended coloured shampoo or toners.

ALSO READ: 30 coloured hair looks that won't break the office dress code

Blonde dipped ends

Fancy a lighter hair colour that comes with a tinge of colour but not too outlandish (a platinum Kim Kardashian blonde might just be too much)?

Try lavender grey balayage or ashy grey blonde for a softer, muted version to the blonde hair category. If this is your first time going blonde or you’re simply not too sure, try confining the colour to dipped ends (pictured right).

Pro tip – cheap bleaching agents may melt or fry your hair, damaging it for good for years until you get professional help for healthy hair regrowth. When it comes to bleaching your hair colour, you always want to spend the few hundreds on a reputable salon for proper bleaching care and processes (it may easily take up to four or seven hours). Remember, fast and cheap bleach is more damaging than you can bear.

Strawberry grey blonde

Looking for a hair colour change that’s more dramatic (but not too eye-catching or jarring so it’s office-friendly)? If none of the above hair colour ideas rocked your boat, you might just be looking for an all-out blonde look, although in a softer, quieter, and subtler ashy grey lavender or strawberry blonde.

Again, since this is a blonde look, you should visit a reputable salon in Singapore with specialised hair colourists to bleach your hair. Do not scrimp on the toner shampoos and conditioner, only that will help you with the longevity of your hair colour!

ALSO READ: Healthy hair hacks: How to get beautiful, luscious locks on a budget

This article was first published in The Singapore Women's Weekly.