We’ve already discussed our favorite illustrated friends’ illustrious hairstyle issues, now let’s address cartoon color. We caught up with our favorite colorists to comment on cartoons’ color concerns ranging from Bam Bam’s premature grayness to Jem’s not-found-in-nature pink locks. If only these technicolor tragedies could simply be ameliorated by the salon! 

Written and reported by Amber Katz.

On the oft-used Beavis and Butthead scale of “cool” to “sucks,” this hue is squarely on the side of the latter. No doubt Beavis would characterize a trip to the salon as something best left to your garden-variety butt-munch, but the MTV music video enthusiast’s follicular situation is dire. John Frieda colorist Harry Josh addressed Beavis’ less-than-stellar sandy hair color. “Yellow! Never chic,” says Harry. “If you’re blonde it’s SO important to remain natural-looking. Yellow blonde always looks cheap and is completely unflattering.” 

Coloring Tips: “Why is it yellow? What kind of color are you using? Blondes can be tricky – the colorist should evaluate the natural base first. When a brunette uses sun-in, her hair turns orange. It’s important to use the correct lightening agents – and if you’re naturally dark, don’t try this at home! Go to the salon.”

At-Home Care: “Blonde involves lightening hair and stripping or bleaching color. Therefore, your hair can get dry. Look for a deep conditioning mask to condition your tresses at least once a week. Also, get regular trims – the bottom of your hair is most porous and will have had the most exposure to color treatments. If you’re a natural blonde but your roots get dark, look for a shampoo, conditioner, or even a lightening spray with natural lighteners like citrus.” Harry recommends John Frieda Sheer Blonde Go Blonder Shampoo, Conditioner, and Lightening Spray. “It can help gently lighten you between color visits.” 

Maybe she’s been so busy “making big trouble for moose and squirrel” that she hasn’t had the time to sit through a double process at the salon. Says Marie Robinson, Clairol Color Director, “She could definitely use some dimension. It looks like a wig! Real hair doesn't have one color. It has many colors to make or sparkle. Natasha could use some Nice ‘n Easy on her as it has all the tones and sparkle to make it look natural. Another reason to make sure Natasha’s hair should have some dimension as her face is on the narrow side and makes her face look slimmer.” 

Coloring Tips: “For Natasha, I’d say the best course of action is natural-looking, lighter brown highlights towards the mid length and ends and natural black at roots. She also should have color that's more on neutral and chestnut tones - no reds.” 

At-Home Care: “She should also avoid excessive sun and chlorine this summer as it can make her dark sultry hair look dry. She should use hair care that is meant for color treated locks to prevent fading. She should always use styling spray meant for heat when she uses her curling iron.” 

Though Lois Griffin’s copper mane once attracted the eye of Bill Clinton, we think she could hue better. “Call me crazy, but Meg is a brunette, and Chris is a blonde, so how did Peter and Lois the redhead create those children? She blew her own cover,” explains Dana Ionato, Sally Hershberger Colorist. “Brassy sometimes looks classy when done right. Fading is the biggest issue for redheads; you want the warmth. If the red hue compliments your skin tone it won't look brassy; it should look rich and have depth. But she seems to lack depth in her color. If she added some brown in her root formula, she could still be a redhead, but it wouldn't look so "cartoon character.” 

Coloring Tips: “Discuss with your colorist what you’re looking for. Reference iconic women (Jessica Chastain, Debra Messing) and bring images if you’re adamant about a certain shade. I always look at my clients skin tone first. If your veins on your wrist are blue, you have cool undertones, and if you have green veins, your complexion is warm. This will determine the tone of the red. Then when you look at light to dark complexions, this will determine the level. If you are covering grey, make sure your colorist adds brown into the root; otherwise it can come out pinky and lighter. Lois may have some grays with Stewie driving her nuts constantly.” 

At-Home Care: “Keep red locks from oxidizing by using color treated, pigment-infusing shampoo and conditioner. It isn't actually color; it just helps keep the richness of the red and prevents fading. After you shampoo, squeeze out water, comb through conditioner, and leave for 5 minutes. For more orange red, use Davines Alchemic Copper, and for red hair use the Alchemic Red. This shampoo and conditioner by Davines has pure color pigments with moisturizing and protective ingredients that help intensify color while strengthening and protecting hair.” 

First of all, who knew that moniker was lugging so many consonants? Bamm-Bamm is a toddler with a singular stress--having to wait millennia for the advent of electricity. Why does this dude have gray hair before his 4th birthday? What’s that about? It’s a yabba dabba don’t. 

Coloring Tips: He needs to take a club to that shade. “His hair is prematurely grey. Men usually don't want to change their hair color too much, so I'd just mute it out so it's not so bright,” says Rita Hazan. 

At-Home Care: “He could use my Rita Hazan Foaming Color Gloss - Enhancing Gold Tones. It would give him a beachy, surfer look like Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High.” Sounds like a look ravishing redhead Pebbles Flintstone will appreciate. 

Perhaps the sultriest character ever to be sketched, Jessica’s not bad - she’s just drawn that way. But her hair color is. Says Harry, “Obviously this is an unnatural red, though I think redheads do have a little more wiggle room to play around with shades. I would tell Jessica that she already has the va-va-voom thing going on. If she’s going all-out with her outfit, she can tone down the hair color a bit.” 

Coloring Tips: “I’d tell her to look at some redheads that she admires – and they don’t have to be natural redheads – like Emma Stone or Amy Adams. Next, her colorist should look at her skin tone and decide if she wants to go more auburn or strawberry.” 

At-Home Care: “Red is the hair color most likely to fade, so color maintenance is key. I’d recommend color-protecting shampoos (like John Frieda Radiant Red Shampoo & Conditioner) to protect and maintain color in between regular visits to the salon. If you’re going out in the sun, wear a hat – the sun will definitely alter your color.” 

Jem is excitement; Jem is adventure. Jem is afflicted with a hair hue that needs improvement. “I like the pastel pink everywhere for Jem but when she wasn't a rock star, I would say maybe just dip the ends a pale pink,” advises Marie. “Just having the mid-length and ends a pastel color keeps it more manageable and if she has a more conservative event and is not performing live, she could tie her hair back and still have some natural color.” 

Coloring Tips: “Instead of lightening all of the hair and applying pale pink, just lighten the mid length and ends. This color is also easy to do on yourself at home. Apply Clairol's Highlighting Kit to mid length and ends and wrap sections of ends in plastic wrap or tin foil around the lightened sections. Follow processing directions or until the hair is a creamy, NOT white, blonde. Put any direct pigment such as pastel pink onto ends, process rinse and condition.” 

At-Home Care: “It's important you use color treated shampoos and conditioner, as well as masques, once a week to keep those lightened ends in good condition. Also the paleness of the tone of pink, pastel blue or green is hard to keep in the hair and washes out easily. So if you love the tone, keep a spare bottle or two of that pastel color to refresh ends once a week.” 

Peppermint Patty’s father refers to her as a rare gem. That she is, but her hair color is patently standard-issue. “This color is muddy, and really doesn't do much for anyone's skin tone," said Dana. "Depending on the texture of Patty's hair, it probably looks mousy, but has a lot of red underlying pigment, which mean highlights can be tricky. You have to call it, brunette or blonde. If someone is pointing at you from across the room, what do they want to refer to you as? That brunette, or that blonde, not the girl with the mud on her head... or is it sand?” 

Coloring Tips: “She should ask her colorist which suits her, and why. If Patty wants to be more of a brunette, she shouldn’t go too dark. The further you stray from your root color the more upkeep. Use a semi-permanent color also known as a fade-out color for shine. It will fade out all over as you wash it. Opt for a more neutral brown, maybe adding a few face framing highlights for dimension. The highlights will break up any uneven deposit, and make her feel sassy, yielding dimension. Something Patty doesn't have now, but can have with a darker hue.” 

At-Home Care: “When you have dishwater hair without any color, you’re not used to coloring your hair. So you probably have volumizing shampoo in the shower. THROW IT OUT. Now that you spent all this time, dough and effort in the salon, maintain it. Get a good color-treated hair shampoo like Sally Hershberger Hyper Hydration Super Keratin Shampoo and Conditioner for instant smoothing and repair. A luxurious shampoo treats even the most dry, damaged and color-treated hair. It smells great, and will help maintain your hair.” 

TV’s original housewife could use a color consultation. She’s been rocking that blue mile-high beehive for over two decades. “Blue hair makes her look older,” notes Rita. 

Coloring Tips: “Marge can switch it up and take her hair back to her roots. Her sisters Patty and Selma Bouvier have purple hair, so I'd take her down to light brown and send her home with a few cans of Pop Color, to get playful with color at home.” 

At-Home Care: For a wash-out pop of color (should Homer be rendered less than impressed with her new ‘do), Marge can spray on Rita Hazan Pop Color Temporary Color Spray per Rita’s suggestion. And if she wants to simply kick up her blue hue? Well, it comes in an aqua and a baby pink as well.