How to Achieve a Picture-Perfect Root-Shadowed Balayage

A Chic Gray Bob 

Go for the classic style by asking for this exact cut at the salon. This shape makes everyone looks amazing and is probably one of the most versatile gray bobs that can inspire your next trip to the salon. To maintain it, you'll want to protect your hair with a scarf at night. During the day, make sure you use a heat protectant before curling it with one of your flat irons.

This blunt hairstyle looks SO good with glasses, too! Pair it with a statement lipstick, and you're really making some stylish moves!

A Gray Lob

Bobs can be as short or long as you want as evidenced by this longer 'lob.' This is for the person who doesn't want to have hair like Rapunzel, but still wants to maintain some of their length. If you ever want to go for a shorter look with this style, all you have to do is pin curl the ends of your hair.

I love how this cut cascades with naturally curly or wavy hair!

I mean, look how flattering this is!

Plus, this slightly shorter length can really add some body to the ends!

A Bob With Bangs

Listen, a bob and bangs are a match made in heaven. I don't make the rules — it just works beautifully! If you're looking to really frame your face, this is a really great option! And look at how it makes your gorgeous features stand out even more!

A Perfectly Curled Under Gray Bob 

Then again, you can keep it short and simple with this perfectly curled gray bob. Whether you consider yourself bold or not for rocking this style, it's one of those looks that'll stand out if you add a beautiful balayage to it.

Did we just give you an idea? We think so!

And with the round glasses to boot? Yeah, this woman screams, "I look good, and I cannot be stopped!"

This look can also add a lot of softness to your aura, too. Really love how it hugs her face here!

A Shorter Gray Bob With Side Bangs

The best thing about shorter hairstyles are their ability to highlight someone's features. If you have an oval face with high cheekbones, this style will amplify them. Not only that, but you'll have fun parting your hair to create side bangs.

Tip: Use a small flat iron to create depth without over-curling your hair.

Look at how this cut angles perfectly with her face! So sleek!

A Stacked Or Graduated Bob 

Another chic bob to wear is a stacked or graduated bob. Similar to the stylish woman in the picture, we imagine this hairstyle is for the woman who loves letting her personality shine through whatever she's wearing. We're jumping the gun, but this is one of those hairstyles you'll have fun planning outfits around.

I just love how this frames and elongates her face! The hairstyle makes her look refreshed and young, giving features like her eyes a chance to really shine!

A Gray Wavy Bob

This is the perfect length and shape to make your natural curls or waves shine. You won't even have to worry about curling your hair with this style because it doesn't require you to. If you're not sure what to use on your hair, we recommend using products from Sienna Naturals to help with the overall health of it.

This hairstyle adds so much movement to your look!

You don't have to have such exaggerated waves, either. Some subtle waviness to your gray bob hairstyle is just enough to add that beautiful movement!

A Fully Curly Bob

Curly hair don't care? A gray bob hairstyle is PERFECT for you. This look says you're fun, fabulous, and ready to have a good time. Plus, it's yet another look that goes oh-so well with your statement glasses — the perfect chic look, if I do say so myself!

1. Chestnut Brown

This rich brown color is always going to be a staple no matter which season we're in. Kim Kimble feels like this is the time where colors like this will "complement the season's cozy feel." She personally feels the shade "Bold & Bright 40 Brown Sugar [by Clairol]" is "a soft, natural brown that will "bring incredible warmth to any look."

Whether you're getting a silk press or new hair color, a consultation is often recommended by stylists. Keith Shore says the reason is that "the consultation is a vital part of the color service." This gives him the chance to "assess the current condition of the hair" instead of diving straight into the process. Kimble also says, "The stylist will ask what you are looking for and if you have any color in your hair already or if it's virgin, etc. They may also do a patch or strand test to check how the hair will react to color being applied.

Once it's determined that your hair is healthy enough for the service, an appointment is usually scheduled for the big day! There are things you need to avoid doing, however. Kimble says the worst things clients can do is "irritate their scalp, scratch it aggressively, or apply really hard manipulation to it" before their color service. Keep this in mind if you're interested in trying one of the popular winter hair colors!

2. Teddy Bear Brown

Kimble also swears by Clairol's Teddy Bear Brown for a a softer shade if you're afraid of going too dark. Once your color service appointment is complete, it's important to maintain your new style.

Maintaining your hair's health after receiving a color service is crucial because of the process it often goes through. Shore says, "My essential maintenance tip is hydration, which is crucial after a color treatment. I love It’s a 10 Leave-In Conditioner; it sprays in easily, prepares the hair for styling, and is perfect for clients short on time. I also recommend K18 for blondes wanting to maintain their brightness."

Kimble and Ibarra both recommend that you use sulfate-free shampoos. "You want to reach for very light, mild hydrating shampoos and conditioners. Those are important to maintain the hair color. Also, a great conditioning mask as well," says Kimble." She doesn't want you to use alcohol-based products though.

Ibarra personally recommends that you use "leave-in conditioners with UV protection to guard against sun damage, which can dull the color." He doesn't want you to skip deep-conditioning "once a week" because it "keeps the hair hydrated and shiny." And if you have a "cool-toned" color in your hair? Ibarra says, "I suggest a purple shampoo to maintain brightness and neutralize brassiness."

P.S. Kimble suggests scheduling an appointment every 2-3 months to help maintain your hair's health and color!

3. Caramel Balayage

If you're thinking about getting a color service but are afraid to take the leap, Shore and Ibarra have the best words of encouragement for you! One thing they all agree on is taking baby steps. Shore says, "The best advice I can offer is to start small — consider adding pops of color with balayage or lowlights. This is a great way to test the waters without making a drastic change to your look."

Caramel balayage is always my go-to shade when I want a little change during this time because it's captures the essence of fall and winter beautifully. It also seems to add an extra glow because of how the the balayage is layered.

"I often suggest a gloss treatment or subtle highlights as a way to ease into change — it adds dimension without being too drastic. You can also try Overtones Color Depositing Treatment Masks or clip-in extensions to experiment with different shades," suggests Ibarra. Mainly, he doesn't want you to overthink it. "The most important thing is to have fun with it! Hair color isn’t permanent, and it’s such a great way to express yourself and explore new sides of your style."

4. Cashmere Blonde

What about blonde you ask? It's not impossible! "Interestingly enough, there are some blonde tones that work well on brown skin as well but it depends on which tone of blonde. I recommend tones that are warmer and not too brassy. Think neutral tones," Kimble expounds.

You can also try the blonde hair color Gigi wore during Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. Shore, "This time we went with a cashmere blonde for Gigi Hadid, which combines lowlights and glosses with strategically placed pops of color to enhance and highlight her natural tones," he says.

Based on his experience, he's noticed a trend among the other VS models. He says, "Alongside cashmere blonde, I’m noticing a shift towards more natural, tone-on-tone colors across all shades. Many of the Victoria’s Secret models are opting for less contrasting, more muted yet dimensional colors."

5. Gorgeous Copper

Celebrity hairstylist David Stanwell has managed to capture copper hair in all of its glory. Like Ibarra said earlier, this is one of those winter hair colors that the sun will love bouncing off of.

Both Ibarra and Kimble like to take a collaborative approach when servicing clients which makes appointments more enjoyable IMO. "It’s really a co-creation process. I start by understanding the client’s lifestyle, personality, and desired maintenance level — because hair color should enhance their life, not complicate it," says Ibarra.

Kimble says something similar in that she feels "choosing the right shade is all about enhancing natural beauty." She takes into consideration a client's skin tone and eye color to help figure out the perfect color that will "bring out those unique features." Without hesitating, she gave the perfect illustration. "For example, a subtle honey blonde like Nice 'n' Easy 8G Medium Golden Blonde can really brighten up warmer skin tones!"

Ibarra has a similar process in that he likes to look at clients' "skin undertones and natural hair color to identify shades that complement them." He also says, "I always encourage clients to bring inspiration photos, which helps us align on a vision. My goal is to help them leave feeling confident and like the best version of themselves."

6. Black

Like red lipstick or an acne-friendly foundation, winter hair colors aren't going to look the same on everyone. This is especially true if you have brown skin. Kimble says, "Black, chocolate browns, wine tone colors in the burgundy family and auburn all look great on brown skin."

IMO, you can never go wrong with this color because it looks amazing on everyone. Look at how well it complements Keke Palmer's gorgeous brown skin!

7. Silver Tones

Kimble says that you can always try silver if you're not afraid and even offered shed light on the different dye processes that can used to achieve it. "Non-permanent is temporary because you wash it and it fades quicker. However, semi-permanent has a little bit of peroxide in it so delivers a deeper color deposit," she says. But, there's something you should know about semi-permanent. Kimble says "You can only deposit color" with it, but "you cannot lift."

If you want something that has an even lower chance of fading, you'll want to consider a permanent color. Kimble says, "...the color stays — reds and blondes fade, but they won't come off — and you can lift with them."

1. Color Can Work In Your Favor

The colors you wear and use in your home are energetically connected to you and your own personal qi, or what is defined as your lifeforce energy. Black, navy and charcoal with a mix of whites and grays were particularly good colors for my zodiac animal (the rat), which is funny because my home is predominantly those colors.

While every zodiac animal has favorable colors, Cho and Morris discovered a combo of two colors to be the best colors for everyone in the Year of the Snake. "We think a vermillion persimmon color, a really fiery color that's connected to the wood snake, will be the best color for everyone for the Year of the Snake," says Cho. I happen to love this Persimmon Birds wallpaper by Nathan Turner and both Cho and Morris encouraged me to bring in this complementary color to all my blues and neutrals.

Of course, this doesn't mean you have to paint your space an orange or fiery red or buy a pricey sofa in that color. Maybe you always use a pen or notebook in that color or wear something in the vermillion persimmon family and start to notice how it makes you feel this year.

2. Crystals Can Impact Your Goals

Apparently, I have a lot of water in my Chinese zodiac, which can mean I’m very creative and intuitive. The crystal that's connected to all that water is labradorite, which has a bluish, watery quality to it. It’s also said to be supportive of wisdom and intellect. "Water is considered an element with a lot of depth," says Cho. "When you think about the ocean, there's so much life happening underneath. Water is really a connector, a communicator, and with a lot of depth of wisdom." That's the kind of energy I'm cultivating? I'll take it!

3. Know Your Bagua

Bagua in feng shui is like a grid or a mandala that you can overlay on your home. It can reveal obstacles and patterns in your home that you might want to unlock or rearrange. You place this grid over your bed or starting at your entry and it shows things like Abundance, Wisdom, Growth, etc. Morris and Cho overlayed the bagua over my bed and shared where I can place the labradorite to activate my career, communication and connection this year.

Mindful Living offers five floor plans to teach you how to read your mandala's home layout.

4. Plants Can Enhance Your Qi

Plant choice and placement can impact your home's qi too. For example, jade succulents are best placed in your Wisdom bagua area while the snake plant, which cuts through negative energy and signifies strength, is best placed in your Alignment area.

5. Timing Is Everything

There are auspicious hours/days/months and more challenging hours/days/months in the lunar new year. My best months are January, April, and August, while my challenging months are June and July. My best hours are 7AM to 9:00 AM to 3PM to 5:00 PM and 1AM to 3:00 AM, as well as a slew of days where I can make sure to align with important meetings, or plan an event, or even talk to someone about a difficult topic. I can be strategic with this time.

"My most challenging months are always the months that I overwork and I'm totally burnt out," says Cho. "So I look ahead and I definitely say no to the things that aren't the most important in those months."

Turns out, January 8th is a really great day for zodiac rats, so I'll be putting my labradorite stone underneath my bed then with the intention that I'm bringing in more wisdom, more resources, more support for my career and for my communication and connecting to others.

This is where your zodiac animal plays a part too. “Snakes have this magnetism and this charm and there's an attractive quality about them, but they're also really wise and thoughtful and clever, and that's actually a good thing for the rat,” says Morris. Those born in the year of the Tiger and Pig may find the 2025 lunar year more challenging, but that doesn't mean it's going to be a terrible year. (My challenging year is coming up in 2026, the Year of the Horse).

"It's not the year to push yourself," adds Cho. "It's the year to take care of yourself. It's the year to say no when you're going to be stretched thin. And it also reminds us you can't have your left side of your body without your right side of your body. There's a natural shift to things, and it reminds us there's times to be quieter. There's times to be more internal, and there's times where we'll have more challenges, but with the greatest challenge also comes the greatest rewards."

Mindful Living: A Guide to the Everyday Magic of Feng Shui

Learn more about your monthly forecast for 2025 and mindful rituals to get you through the year in peace and harmony in Mindful Living: A Guide to the Everyday Magic of Feng Shui!