Her beau’s famous coif may have been named one of the “most influential cuts of 2011,” but Selena Gomez is enjoying a little time in the spotlight with her colorful new look. Right before she went on her South African tour, the pop star stopped by Nine Zero One Salon in West Hollywood, CA, to have some multicolored extensions added to her ‘do. “The color selection for Selena was based on her wardrobe for her tour,” says Nikki Lee, the salon’s co-owner. “She wanted to do something fun and different without damaging her hair. The Great Lengths extensions we added in were perfect for this!” When it comes to selecting color for a look like this, Nikki says there are a couple rules to consider. “Don’t choose colors based on your client’s existing shade of hair,” she says. “Instead, make sure to choose colors that will complement her skin tone and go well with her wardrobe.” Also, select shades from the same color family. “Selena decided on all jewel tone colors. If you do too many colors that don’t go with each other, your trendy new hair is no longer trendy—it’s tacky! I wouldn’t recommend adding in more than three colors,” Nikki says. Watch the highlights from the Great Lengths Challenge Stylist Contest!

Recently on the BTC Facebook page, one of our BFFs requested we offer some tips and how-to information for color smashing and chalking; a technique Eward Tricomi, celebrity stylist and co-owner of Warren-Tricomi salons is quite familiar with. What is color smashing, you ask? It’s just that: grab a handful of color, grab a handful of hair, and smash the tint into the strands, producing a concentrated burst of color. Chalking, on the other hand, borrows materials from the kids’ crafts box; take pastel chalk, wet it and swipe the color onto random strands. The color sets with a quick spritz of hairspray until the client shampoos it out. Although there are no hard and fast rules for smashing and chalking, Edward suggests you choose colors that stand out against the existing haircolor. “I prefer dominant colors because they pop,” he shares. He suggests using blues and blacks on lighter hair, and oranges, reds and greens on darker strands. Get 3 more tips on color smashing and chalking!