Happy birthday to us! This February, Directions turned 45, so join us as we take a look back at what’s changed since our last major milestone…
The world was a much different place in 1981.
MTV had just launched, ready to change the way we experienced music forever. Indiana Jones embarked on his first adventure in Raiders of the Lost Ark. Prince Charles & Lady Diana’s wedding captured a global audience of 750 million people.
And at Directions, we were setting out on our journey to become the name for vibrant, statement-making hair colour. 45 years later, and we’d like to think we’ve achieved that goal.
Not many brands reach such a massive milestone, and it’s only been possible due to the love and loyalty that you, our customers, have shown us since we opened our doors. So thank you so much for your unwavering support – we wouldn’t be here today without you.
Now a lot has happened since our 40th anniversary post, so let’s take a moment to reflect on the highlights of the past 5 years:
Our biggest shift in the last 5 years was unquestionably a glow-up for our packaging across the board.
In early 2025, we launched our revamped Directions colour pots and packaging, covered from head to toe in our unmistakable Directions Blue. Bigger and bolder than ever before, this reinvention of our look was years in the making, giving our pots a presence that matched the vibrant, statement-making colour inside.
This was followed by a similar refresh for our colour care range, with new eye-catching 350ml bottles for our colour-enhancing shampoos and conditioners. 100ml larger than our old squeeze tubes, our customers can now protect, moisturise and amplify their shades for even longer between applications.
Between our colour pots and colour care bottles, this represented a brave new look for a brand new era of Directions.
After so many years perfecting our craft with vivid, unique tones, Rich Naturals marked our evolution into the world of natural, contemporary hair colour.
Since we launched, our goal has been to build a space where everyone who loves colour – in all its forms – feels seen, inspired and empowered to make it their own.
Rich Naturals was created for those looking for a more conventional shade, enhanced by the vibrancy and nourishing formulas that Directions is known for.
Deep blacks. Rich browns. Warm coppers. Whether it’s refreshing colour between salon visits, enhancing natural tones or all-over colour corrections, Rich Naturals has helped us meet the needs of a whole new wave of customers.
5 years ago, the article you’re reading right now would have looked a lot different. That’s because in 2025 we launched our current website, making it easier than ever for customers to discover and shop their favourite shades.
With cleaner product listings, colour kit builders and space to leave reviews on your purchases, our website is now perfectly set up to support both our retail and wholesale audiences.
Plus, as it’s now translated into 8 distinct languages, we took a huge step to better support our ever-growing number of international customers.
Between these monumental changes, we continued to find creative and inventive ways to showcase our colours to their fullest and connect with our amazing Directions community.
From numerous short films and shoots that present the possibilities of our iconic shades in stunning style, to multiple show-stealing appearances at Salon International. We’ve only increased our efforts to stand out as the years have gone by.
While plenty has changed or evolved in the last 5 years, what has stayed the same is our tireless commitment to ethical, high-quality manufacturing right here in the UK.
Since we started in 1981, our manufacturing facilities and master mixologists have been based in the UK. That heritage will never change, nor will our promise to produce vegan-friendly, cruelty-free formulas across our entire range of products.
These principles are the foundation of where we are today, and the key to why our hair colours, colour care, hair lightening kits and beyond are loved by people worldwide.
We will never deviate from those, so that whatever changes, the quality of our products remains as exceptional as it ever was.
Once again, we are so grateful to everyone who has helped us reach our 45th birthday, be it our wonderful employees both past and present, our fantastic community of colour ambassadors and wholesalers, and to you, our cherished customers.
Until then, thank you for choosing us for 45 years, and we hope you continue to do so for many, many more years to come.
The journey to the big 5-0 starts here, and who knows what we’ll be reflecting on in 2031? Make sure you stay tuned to find out…
Want to share your memories of Directions with us? Tag us @directionshair to let us know your own experiences of using Directions through the years.
Say hello to our all-new contemporary hair colour range – 8 more exciting reasons for you to choose Directions.
New look. Bigger size. Longer shine. Introducing our larger, sleeker shampoo and conditioner bottles in our colour care collection.
2025 isn’t just a refresh. It’s a reinvention. We’re making bold moves – from new and improved products, to completely new colour ranges. Let’s make it bold. Let’s make it bright.
