Although the opportunities to change hair color have never been greater, safer, or given such authentic effects it seems many women still have largely unrealistic expectations when it comes to transforming their hair shade. Too much enterprise, however, especially if you are using a home product, can often end in disaster.

There are no problems with today's over the counter colorants they are all safe and well formulated. Mistakes lie in the hands of the user. People shouldn't fight their natural pigmentation, as you can't expect to go ash blonde successfuly if you're very dark, say with typical Mediterranean coloring. Whatever your coloring, you should only go two or three shades lighter than your natural color and never attempt to go darker. This is why no reputable hairdresser today likes to bleach hair as it's an extreme process and gives a flat, uniform 'dead' look that's unnatural and looks obviously 'dyed'.

Tinting comprises as much as 50 per cent of all hair treatments carried out, but today's effects are so subtle and natural that it's virtually impossible to tell if a woman has had her hair tinted or at any rate that's the ultimate goal of any good colorist! More and more popular are tints that change the tone rather than the shade of the hair. Most effective are the honey gold and hazel blondes, the rich russety red browns and chestnut shades, and the warm deep sherry and burgundy browns that add sparkle and dimension to brunette hair. Nor need color changes be drastically irreversible or involve a three act drama. Nowadays there is a wide range of very different products to choose from, most of which have been perfected to take the terror out of tinting.

Water rinses

These are the most superficial and temporary of treatments, designed merely to add color to the outer cuticle of the hair and wash out with your next shampoo. These can be used to tone in the odd patch of grey or white hair, or to coot brassy blonde tones. Dark shades, however, may come off on clothes and bed linen.

Semi permanent tints

These have a toning, not a lightening, effect, although the minute molecules of color do penetrate the inner cuticle temporarily, gradually fading out after three or four weeks. These are excellent for first time home tinters and anyone not used to coloring. They add particular richness to brown, red and chestnut tones and liven up dull, mousy brown shades. Semipermanents are also extremely effective for refreshing the basic color of hair that's dry and porous, since they enhance the quality and add extra sheen.

Permanent tints

These are mixed with hydrogen peroxide which activates their small color molecules, allowing them to penetrate right into the hair cuticle and there react with the hydrogen peroxide expanding and becoming locked into the body of the hair. These are the most versatile of all tints, since they can darken or lift natural color and tone it at the same time. Over the counter permanents are effective if you choose a product which will lighten your hair one or two shades no more.

Highlighting

Increasingly popular in recent years, it offers the most natural looking effect that can be achieved with coloring. Highlighting emphasises the multiplicity and nuances of shade that we all have whatever the basic color of our hair often between two and six tones on one head of hair. Any natural hair color can be improved by using one or more different types of high or low lights, scattering them as densely or as sparsely as you wish. Streaks can be merely tinted especially on mousy or brown shades lowlighted with a mild bleach, or highlighted with a stronger bleach. These can also be concentrated on just one section of hair, say the fringe, or just the tips of the hair. The great bonus is that there's no need for the prompt retouching necessary when you use an overall tint, since highlights generally only need 'filling in' after three to four months' regrowth, depending on the style of your hair. The main drawback? Highlighting is a complex, refined and expensive procedure, and can only be carried out by an expert hair colorist at a salon. Never attempt to put highlights in yourself at home, unless you want to end up with hair tones that match the subtlety of a zebra skin