How to Hair Contour: Tips, Guidelines and Ideas

It’s no secret that trends in both the hair and makeup industries tend to harmonize with each other. Some makeup artists even swear by certain products, techniques or specific makeup looks based on hair color alone. This makes sense considering the industries’ shared regions of concentration on the body. Makeup styling usually aims at brightening, lifting and contouring the face in order to flatter any certain face shape and help certain features stand out. This can also be done by strategic hair color shade selection and placement. It’s called hair contouring, and here’s how to nail the look.

What Is Hair Contouring?

Contouring the hair is similar to how makeup artists use different shades of cream and powder makeup products to define, enhance and sculpt the face. Hair contour involves shades that accent, highlight and define the length and shape of the hair. These shades also work together to flatter and define the cheekbones and jawline.

Stylists should use different shades of professional hair color to create a cohesive, contoured look. While hair contour shades can be applied to virtually any shade of hair, light brown and blonde shades show the most noticeable results. For this reason, some clients may require a pre-color session where their stylist applies a high-quality salon developer to the hair to lighten and prep it for color application. 

Hair contour can be seen in a few different areas of the hair shaft. When adding contour to the roots and around the crown of the head, it’s common to see a darker shade of hair color or the growth of the client’s natural hair color that is a few shades darker when compared to the rest of the hair. This look is also known as “shadow roots.” The contour in the middle and end regions of the hair usually involves the color getting lighter or darker as it moves down to the ends. This idea of strategic color placement is highly customizable and has popularized a number of different color application techniques.

Choosing Contour Shades

Stylists should take both their clients’ specific hair needs and color history into account before moving forward with the hair contour process. They should ask each client about recent hair color application (if any), their natural hair color (for root growth reasons) and any other information about their hair that might be useful to know before applying color. After this consultation, the next step is to choose specific contour shades. The best way to decide is by utilizing a professional hair color swatch book to compare specific shades and give clients a visual representation of what each color will look like.

Be sure to choose hair color shades that reflect the client’s desired results and flatter their skin tone. Since contouring is about sculpting and definition, use these as inspiration for color placement. Ombre hair is a popular technique that contours the hair via color that moves downward from light to dark. Balayage, another popular color technique, does just the opposite and shows color that moves from dark to light from roots to ends. These techniques and others are customized through hair color shade selection.

Contouring for Success

Since there are many ways to contour the hair, stylists should choose the option that best fits their skill set and the client’s vision. Techniques that utilize hand painting produce particularly natural-looking, seamless results. Like any type of color application, hair contour is best preserved by following a maintenance routine, including professional shampoo and conditioner, heat protecting products and touch-up appointments at the salon as needed.