But First, What Is Cowboy Copper Hair?

“Cowboy Copper is inspired by Western culture, most specifically leather in the Western culture,” says Patterson. “So, the key to getting the Cowboy Copper hair trend right is to have some element of brown to it for a grounding and depth. That's what differentiates it from just good old-fashioned copper.”

Will Cowboy Copper Color Look Good On Me?

Put simply, all signs point to yes. According to Patterson, it’s a universally flattering shade that looks beautiful on all hair types and textures as well as a variety of skin tones. “And it’s easy to play with, so you can decide how intense you want the color to be,” he shares. The key is choosing the right shade.

How Do I Choose The Right Cowboy Copper Shade?

This depends mainly on your starting hair color. Here are Patterson’s rules of thumb for transforming different shades of virgin hair to Cowboy Copper. (Note that we said virgin hair; we’ll talk about previously colored hair in a bit.)

Patterson recommends using bondbar™ Bonding Permanent Hair Color, our newest line of at-home hair dye. It has built-in bond repair to strengthen, condition and help prevent damage.

• If Your Hair Is Black, Darkest Brown, Dark Brown or Medium Brown (or Levels 1-4)

  “Shades 4RC Medium Copper Brown and 4G Medium Golden Brown will give you enough depth and brown to get you into the trend,” recommends Patterson. “I would encourage a 30v developer to bring more energy to the color formulation as you lift a few levels lighter. It will also give you gray coverage if you need it.”

• If Your Hair Is Light Brown, Dark Blonde, Medium Blonde (or Levels 5-7)

  Patterson suggests a particular formulation for these shades and measuring your color in a beaker.

  “Fill it up with a 20v developer to the 2 oz. marker line,” he recommends. “Then squeeze in 5RC Light Copper Brown directly on top of the developer already in the beaker until it raises to the 3 oz. marker line. Next, squeeze in 5N Light Brown until the mixture raises to the 4 oz marker line.” Then, add the mixture to a color bowl, mix and apply.

  As for the developer, “I like 20v because it supports the warmth you are introducing at that level. And if you need gray coverage, 20v will be perfect.” Learn more about developers here.

• If Your Hair Is Blonde, Light Blonde or Lightest Blonde (or Levels 8-10)

  “This can be a little tricky," says Patterson, “because yellow is the main contributing pigment at these levels. I recommend 8RC Light Copper Blonde and 7N Medium Blonde with a 10v developer, unless you need gray coverage,” he shares. “If you need gray coverage, you would need a 20v developer. We’re using 10v here because we’re just looking to deposit copper tones into the hair rather than lifting and shifting any of the underlying pigment.”

What If My Hair Is Color-Treated?

“Color doesn’t lift color," says Patterson. “So, if you have existing dye on your hair, you're going to need to remove it."

You could use a Color Remover, though Patterson cautions using this as a last resort, or if you have multiple layers of color that you need to break through.

An alternative to a color remover would be a bleach wash, notes Patterson. “A bleach wash doesn't require you to go for the full maximum bleach out. But, it’s enough to start to bump out some of that artificial pigment.”

What’s A Bleach Wash?

A bleach wash is a mix of bleach (or lightener), developer and shampoo, says Patterson. “You mix it together in a color bowl, then massage it through your damp or wet hair to break up the existing color.” He recommends this 1:2:2 formula: 1 scoop lightener, 2 oz. developer, 2 oz. shampoo.

Will Cowboy Copper Color Damage My Hair?

“Technically speaking, any time you raise your hair’s cuticle you can cause damage because it chemically alters the structure of your strands,” says Patterson. “But this is where bondbar’s magic comes in — it can help protect your hair during the coloring process through its built-in bonding technology.”

“bondbar’s Bonding Booster is going to be your best friend,” says Patterson. Added to a color formula, it helps reduce breakage. He suggests using it “in every single color formulation, whether you are bleaching, lightening or using bondbar hair color. Add 1 pump for every 2 ounces of color, every time.”

What About Hair Care To Keep My Color-Treated Hair Healthy?

Patterson recommends using Bonding Recovery immediately after you color. Simply leave it on for 5 minutes after you fully wash out your hair color to help prevent damage.

Patterson also recommends bondbar’s Bonding Hydration Mask to “repair, protect and hydrate hair.”

How Can I Keep My Color From Fading?

An interesting thing about red: It’s the largest of the dye molecules, making it more of a surface-sitting, staining pigment. So, while it’s one of the most challenging colors to remove from your hair, it’s also one of the fastest fading.

Patterson suggests using the bondbar™ Color Treated Hair Repair System to maintain vibrant, color-treated hair. It comes complete with hair care products that take you from shampoo to styling. And it includes essentials like a heat protectant and intensive treatment to help keep your hair looking and feeling healthy. Healthier hair = better-looking color.

What If I Still Have Hair Color Questions?

We get it... coloring your hair at home can feel daunting, especially if you are new to it or are trying something totally different. Our Licensed Colorists OnDemand are always here for fast and free virtual hair color consultations in English and Spanish. They provide professional hair color advice to help you find your best at-home hair color. They can also answer questions about mixing and applying color or even offer tips to help correct color — just in case.

Happy Coloring!