Wondering whether you should take the plunge and colour your hair? Or are you the more seasoned kind, and are merely pondering what colour your tresses should take on next?

Well, you have company. Hair colouring has been an obsession with much of mankind for many centuries. Ingredients that were popular then, like walnut shells and henna, are used in present day hair dyes and colours as well.

• Part II: Colouring your hair? Take precautions

Here are some do's and don'ts to make sure you are on the right track and don't face any hair colouring dilemmas.

What's in

We are going back in time to all that was hip and cool.

~ Gothic, big, loud hair is back, but the shiny, glossy look is now slowly fading to be replaced by a more matt, unkempt look.

~ Hair colours like deep/ intense purple and pink are the colours of the season.

~ Khaki and shades of biscuit work well with the matt look.  

~ "Auburn, red and copper tones are really in right now," says model-turned-actress Aditi Gowitrikar.

Two hot techniques

Global colouring (colouring all your hair) is no longer the rage.

Highlights are still good, but there's something even hotter -- both the marbling and Balliage technique rule the roost today.

What's marbling?

~ Marbling involves using contrasting or complementing shades that merge into each other -- bright red and brown, for example.

"Marbling is good example of hair colour placement that is very hot right now," says Natasha Sara, a popular stylist at Hakim's Aalim, a popular hair salon in Mumbai.

And Balliage?

~ Balliage is another colour placement technique that involves colouring different parts or patches of hair to enhance your hair style. 

You can opt for a variety of colours if you opt for the Balliage technique.

"The Balliage technique is a good change from highlights and the process is quicker; highlighting can sometimes take upto four hours," explains Nitasha Shukur, creative director, Juice, another popular Mumbai hair salon.

Money talk

The cost of colouring your hair starts at Rs 1,500. Depending on the length and thickness of your hair, it can cost up to Rs 7,000 or more.

Hair colour for men

~ The loud, matt look stands strong for men too. Silver and shades of tobacco are in among the guys.

~ Aakil, a post graduation student, opted for the marbling effect. "My hair colour is a combination of blond and brown and it's cool."

~ If you're the adventurous and courageous kind, and like to stand out, give stencilling a try. It involves shaving down the hair length and colouring it in a chosen pattern. 

Hair stencilling is a common sight during big sporting events like the World Cup, as guys parade with the World Cup trophy or the map of India stencilled on the back of their heads. Be warned, though, stencilling is a high maintenance option.

~ Older men have always been and still are conservative about hair colour. They normally opt to dye their hair when they start going grey. The only difference is, instead of the dark, natural hair colours they chose earlier, they prefer lighter shades now.

~ Model Rohit Sagar says, "I think colouring is great. I've just coloured my eye brows."

Part II: Colouring your hair? Take precautions