The top (free) hairstyling apps you need to download

Ever walked out of the hair salon feeling less than impressed with your new hairstyle? Of course you have. If only there was a way to test out a new hair colour and style without actually cutting or colouring your hair.

Well, thanks to the digital revolution, this is actually a thing.

If you’re tossing up between getting that new pixie cut, layered locks, or a chin-grazing bob, a hair styler app will give you an idea of how the cut will complement your face shape. Similarly, a hair colour change app will help you see if blonde, black or red hair will *actually* suit your skin tone.

Finding the right cut and colour is important because no matter how much you like a hair trend or want to copy a celebrity look, the best haircut is always going to be the one that is tailored to your face shape and skin tone. 

The top free hairstyling apps

Thinking about switching up your hair game? Check out some of our favourite smartphone hairstyling apps to help you discover the hairstyle and hair colour you should *actually* get.

1/ ModiFace Hair Color App

Best for: Testing out a bold new hair colour

Thinking about highlights? Want to go a shade lighter? One of the most popular digital hair makeover apps is ModiFace Hair Color App, which provides a live video hair colouration experience (yep – it features 3D colour simulation). It’s free to download and allows you to try a selection of brand new hues in seconds. All you have to do is take a photo or video, select a colour (there are over 50 different shades) and it will overlay a digital image of the selected hair colour.

2 / Try On Celebrity Hairstyles

Best for: Finding your celebrity hair muse

While most of us would usually head to Pinterest or Instagram for celebrity hair inspo, this app goes a step further, making it possible for you to virtually try on different celebrity hairstyles. Trawl through a selection of some of the best celebrity hair looks, and try different styles on yourself to see if the switch really suits. It’s free to download, but you can purchase additional celebrity hairstyle packs for $1.49.

3 / Hair Color Changer

Best for: Fine-tuning a custom hair colour

Hair Color Changer is another great tool for trying on a new hair colour. You can choose from a huge range of hues by using the colour palette feature, adjusting the opacity level to create different colour strengths, streaks or ombre colour combinations. Need a second opinion? Once your hair makeover is complete, you can save it or share it online via Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

 4 / Hairstyle Try On

Best for: Experimenting with new hairstyles

If you’re not sure if you suit long, medium or short hair? Curly, straight or tousled hair? Hairstyle Try On offers 15 different free hairstyles and cuts for both men and women to test out. You can also buy additional virtual hairstyle packages with more than 800 hairstyles in total (these upgrade packages range from $1.49 to $2.99).

If you’re looking to embrace your natural hair instead, see our editor Carli’s trick for accentuating her curls. 

Have you tried any of these hairstyling apps? Let us know in the comment section below.

Main image credit: Getty