If you're anything like me, whether you're searching for the right shade to color your hair at home or to request of your hairstylist at the salon, seeking the perfect hair color is a priority. (There was this one time when my hair wound up a weird shade of red....) But it goes beyond finding the right color by simply saying, "I like this shade of red." According to Patrick McIvor, expert hair colorist and Artistic and TechniCultural Director for Goldwell/KMS California, to find the perfect color, three factors must always be considered. 1. How often do you want to color hair? 2. How much money do you want to spend on your hair? 3. How much time do you want to spend coloring your hair? How often do you want to color hair? Want blonde on blonde like Christians Aguilera? That requires touch-ups every 2-4 weeks to look good. If there’s no time for that, other alternatives include a glaze to cool down or warm up tone, which usually lasts 6-8 weeks, sometimes even 12. A full head of highlights needs maintenance every 6 weeks, but subtle highlights can go as long as 8-12 weeks. It’s important to pick a color that fits with lifestyle – if there’s not enough time to get to the salon for touch-ups, it won’t look good, so don’t even bother. How much money do you want to spend on your hair? Saving money to get the perfect color once will be a let down. Color needs to be maintained, so it’s important to look at the finances of color before committing to a style. Glazes and one-process colors tend to cost less. A full head of highlights is more expensive (especially on longer hair) than accent highlights. So do the math first. How much time do you want to spend coloring your hair? Think about it – if sitting for 2 hours at a time for highlights to be foiled and processed is not an option, go for a demi permanent glaze to kick brass or add cool tones, it takes a mere 20 minutes. On the other hand, maybe sitting for 2 hours at the salon is the best way to slow down and be pampered – it’s all about lifestyle. Consider these things before you get your hair colored again and I promise you will be happier with your hair color. If you found these tips helpful, please be sure to Like it, Pin it and Share with friends! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Shannon on G+ Photo credit: Goldwell