Color Tones for a Whole New Beginning

So many of us are ready for change.

I have had many discussions with clients about short, sculpted cuts and long, layered “undone” looks to bring needed excitement to your return to more normal times. Some have asked how an updated take on color can turn up the volume on a new or long-favorite cut. Here are some thoughts on how color tones can bring a new vitality and presence to your spring and summer cut.

First, I want to explore what “highlights” can mean, since there is an array of techniques used to apply color tones to achieve different effects.

Our own Colorist/Stylist, Steven Nguyen, describes some of the main ones and their unique characteristics:

• Babylights ~ These delicate highlights are created using a very fine color technique and foils to mimic that blonde hue achieved if your hair is naturally lightened in the sun.

• Balayage ~ This highlighting technique doesn’t use foils. Instead, your hair colorist will hand-paint color directly onto your hair, creating a more natural, blended, sun-kissed look.

• Ombre ~ This process involves the blending of one color hue into another, usually moving tints and shades to graduate from light to dark. 

• Sombre ~ A “soft ombre,” sombre creates a subtler, more natural-looking version of ombre highlights.

• Chunky ~ Swaths of color applied to large sections of the hair provide stark and defined contrast with your overall hair shade. 

• “Money Pieces” ~ These face-framing highlights feature hues 2 – 3 shades lighter than your natural color to bring rich contrast and dimension.

• Peek-a-boo ~ These highlights in natural to vibrant shades are applied to hair layers concealed beneath the surface color and offer a “surprise” moment when revealed.

This is a great time to consider these approaches to brighten your color as the weather gets warmer and seasonal tans deepen skin tones.

As always, you should consult with your salon colorist to determine which processes would work best for you and your fashion goals.

Meanwhile, I reached out to Colorists here and at some other great Salons to learn some of their favorite ways to help you get your sun-kissed looks.

Buddy
Co-Owner, Charles David Salon and Spa,
Hanover and Plymouth, Massachusetts.

“Let’s talk about balayage, a French word that means to sweep or paint color. Balayage has been a staple in Europe for the last 40 years and was brought to this country about 25 years ago through “L’Oreal Professionelle” Nancy Braun. Balayage is a great way to get soft mega shots of blondes, reds and lighter browns as subtle or as bold as you want. It’s fabulous for any color of hair from your brightest reds to your deepest brunettes with powerful shots of caramel to the palest blondes. And it grows out very naturally with minimal upkeep.”

(Buddy has decades of color experience and a true gift for talking with clients to interpret and deliver the perfect kind of highlight.)

Sarah
Colorist/Stylist, MG Salon,
Medway, Massachusetts.

“Now that the warm weather is here, it’s a great time to brighten up your color! Personally, I love the “lived-in hair” look, which can be really bold or completely subtle. Traditionally, this is the Balayage look. The reason I choose this technique is because it grows out so naturally.”

(Sarah has a super unique technique to her balayage. Instead of a traditional color brush, she uses a 3-inch painter’s brush to apply color in dynamic swaths.)

Nathaly
Color/Stylist, K/WSalons,
Newton, Massachusetts.

“When doing color, I always assess the client. What’s your lifestyle like? Are you more low maintenance or someone that keeps up with maintenance? I then assess the color and tones of your skin and eyes and from there the blueprint is created. If you are more low maintenance, I would recommend balayage for a subtle or bold impact. Babylights, a foil highlighting technique, can also be done in a natural way but with a little more maintenance, which works well for those who don’t mind the upkeep.”

(Nathaly is one of the most focused colorists I have seen. She literally doesn’t speak when applying color as she concentrates on the perfect placement.)

I would like to thank my fellow professionals for adding their insights to our discussion on today’s color tones. And, as always, I am most grateful for your continued enthusiasm for HairLine. Please keep sending me your ideas and suggestions for future topics.

Regards,

Kenny