I Tried Hygge Hair & I've Been Transformed Into A Smoldering Sexpot

Hygge hair has taken the beauty world by storm and is coming in hot as the hair color trend for winter 2018. Being the beauty Nancy Drew that I am, I tried hygge hair (with the help of a professional stylist, of course), and I have the full scoop. Spoiler alert: the hygge hair trend is built to last, because the results are smoldering and cozy AF. I seriously can't stop staring at myself. SOS.

It's the beginning of 2018 and we all need a mood boost, d*mmit. To cleanse myself of the garbage year that was 2017, I was convinced I needed a makeover to fully rise up from the ashes like the phoenix that I am. Ya know, "new year, new me," and all that jazz. My hair was a faded shade of Wella Semi-Permanent blue-black dye that I'd been unprofessionally applying to my hair bimonthly from the comforts of my own tiny bathroom.

I'd dyed my hair myself for more than two years since I moved away from Los Angeles and my best friend/personal hairdresser who did my hair for me. The jet black color lent Morticia Addams vibes against my super pale skin, which I dug, and was easy enough to maintain myself. However, after two years of the same old color, I was ready to let it go. I was feeling stuck and uninspired, so I decided it was time for a drastic hair change.

I loved having my hair as black as my soul, but it did make my makeup life difficult. Because the contrast between my skin and my hair was so high, the tiniest bit of makeup looked ridiculously dramatic on me. I had to pay close attention to balancing my looks and not going overboard, which was annoying AF. I knew lightening my hair would open the door to deep, sexy smoky eyes and black cherry lips, so I was all for it.

I cried about my hair woes to my editor extraordinaire, Alana, who recommended that I pay a visit to celeb colorist Stephanie Brown at the Nunzio Saviano salon in NYC's Upper East Side. Brown specializes in laid-back, low-maintenance hair color and caters to celebrity clientele like blogger Something Navy, Melissa Villasenor, Natalia Dyer, and Kate McKinnon. TBH, if the supreme goddess of life Kate McKinnon approves, then I knew I was in for the best hair color of my life.

Brown also unknowingly helped to pioneer the hygge hair trend. Hygge hair is characterized by warm, buttery hues that evoke cozy and comforting feelings. Hygge doesn't refer to one specific color, but rather, an overall vibe.

If I was going to try out the hygge hair trend, then of course I had to pay a visit to one of its unintentional pioneers.

When I arrived at the gorgeous, cozy brownstone that is the Nunzio Saviano salon, I was given a fancy, embroidered cape to change into and offered various coffees, teas, and sodas. To be completely transparent, I was a little intimidated to have my hair done by someone so masterful, but once I met Brown, all my nervousness dissipated. Brown is so chill and cool, we immediately started chatting as if I had known her forever.

Here's a quick word of advice kids: black hair dye is a commitment, especially if you're coloring your hair at home. Brown knew what she was getting in to with my tricky, thin, and semi-damaged hair, but like any master, she was up for the challenge.

She started by adjusting the color of my roots. My natural hair is a light brown, almost blonde hue and the color was visibly different from the dyed parts of my hair strands.

She sectioned my hair and applied a technique know as "foilyage," which is somewhere between foiling and balayage. From what I gathered (as a hair-challenged makeup artist), Brown teased each tiny section of my hair and applied the bleach so each section would have more of an ombre effect, darker at the root and lighter toward the tip.

After I sat under the Black Mirror-esque, futuristic halo hairdryer for a bit, Brown rinsed out the bleach and applied the toner. Though my hair was stubborn and wouldn't lighten as quickly as one would like (thanks to literal years of black dye build-up), she did count it as a win that my hair didn't turn pink (which can happen when you bleach dyed black hair).

After stylist Maria Ashley, queen of haircuts and blowouts at the salon, started drying my hair, Brown noticed that the bottom of my hair was still quite dark in comparison to the less-dyed roots and mid-shaft of the hair strands. She asked if I'd mind her putting in a couple more foils, and I couldn't have been happier. Clearly, Brown wanted to make sure my hair was absolutely perfect and hygge-some, which just showed how much she cares about her clients' end results.

Before she even put in the extra foils, I felt like a contestant on The Bachelor in the best possible way. My hair had never been so perfect. It had so much dimension and shine. It seriously looked like I was waltzing around in permanent candlelight.

The finished result was absolutely dreamy. The dozens of tiny highlights were so warm and sparkly; they mimicked the flames of a cozy fireplaces.

Mere pictures won't even do it justice. The biggest accidental win was how much thicker my hair looked afterward.

I've always struggled with thinning hair thanks to anemia, and all my friends remarked online and in person about how much fuller my hair seemed just by embracing the hygge hair trend.

Call me a convert, but I'm a hygge hair believer. Ironically, Brown insists that you should dye your hair because you want to, not because it's trendy.

Luckily for me, this trend is more than just a fad. It's a gorgeous way to warm up your hair and embrace a whole new, softer you.