If you've never coloured your hair, the prospect of doing so can be a nerve-wracking one. Celebrity colourist Carolyn Newman from L'Oréal Professionnelpromises to make the experience easier with her handy checklist of colouring commandments.
"Get good advice"
Don't scrimp. "Save up and go and see someone who can recommend good products," she says. Rather than just walking into a salon one day and asking to have your hair coloured, start with consultations. "Go see the salon, meet the person who'll be colouring your hair," says Newman, "You should feel comfortable with your colourist."
Don't scrimp. "Save up and go and see someone who can recommend good products," she says. Rather than just walking into a salon one day and asking to have your hair coloured, start with consultations. "Go see the salon, meet the person who'll be colouring your hair," says Newman, "You should feel comfortable with your colourist."
"Take a picture along"
Things get lost in translation very often, and while you may think you're being very clear explaining what you want to your colourist, he or she may have a different idea. Newman suggests, you take pictures along of hair colours or colouring styles you like because it's always easier to get your precise point across with a visual reference.
Things get lost in translation very often, and while you may think you're being very clear explaining what you want to your colourist, he or she may have a different idea. Newman suggests, you take pictures along of hair colours or colouring styles you like because it's always easier to get your precise point across with a visual reference.
"Be safety conscious"
Newman assures that while with advanced technology “colouring is safer and better than ever”, you should insist on skin tests and be safety conscious. She adds, "If any product is mixed correctly and used properly by the hairdresser, it will not harm."
Newman assures that while with advanced technology “colouring is safer and better than ever”, you should insist on skin tests and be safety conscious. She adds, "If any product is mixed correctly and used properly by the hairdresser, it will not harm."
"Be honest"
Let the colourist know if you've ever done any treatments to your hair, if you've coloured it before even in a minimal way or if you're really worried about the process. "It's easier for the colourist to know if their client is worried about something," says Newman, encouraging first-timers to ask a lot of questions about everything -- look, cost, maintenance, effects, etc.
Let the colourist know if you've ever done any treatments to your hair, if you've coloured it before even in a minimal way or if you're really worried about the process. "It's easier for the colourist to know if their client is worried about something," says Newman, encouraging first-timers to ask a lot of questions about everything -- look, cost, maintenance, effects, etc.
“Less is more”
"I define colour clients as whisper, talk, and scream," says Newman, and first-timers are usually in the 'whisper' category. Because they've never experienced colour before, going all out with a bold colour will not work. The colourist also needs to know exactly what their client is looking for -- shine, coverage, light and shade, and maintenance," she continues, "For the Indian client, I would put lighter pieces underneath the top layers so its easy to maintain. It's easier to add on but much harder to take away." To be completely sure, start with coloured hair extensions.
"I define colour clients as whisper, talk, and scream," says Newman, and first-timers are usually in the 'whisper' category. Because they've never experienced colour before, going all out with a bold colour will not work. The colourist also needs to know exactly what their client is looking for -- shine, coverage, light and shade, and maintenance," she continues, "For the Indian client, I would put lighter pieces underneath the top layers so its easy to maintain. It's easier to add on but much harder to take away." To be completely sure, start with coloured hair extensions.
"Your hair cut is very important"
Try fine highlights on curly hair and you won't be able to see them. Blocks of colour on straight hair can look disastrous. Your colouring technique needs to work with your haircut. Newman's trick, "Look at the focal point of the haircut. What do we all see? In a short crop, the fringe is more prominent so colour that. In long hair, the mid-lengths and ends are more visible so add highlights there."
Try fine highlights on curly hair and you won't be able to see them. Blocks of colour on straight hair can look disastrous. Your colouring technique needs to work with your haircut. Newman's trick, "Look at the focal point of the haircut. What do we all see? In a short crop, the fringe is more prominent so colour that. In long hair, the mid-lengths and ends are more visible so add highlights there."
"Figure out if you're warm or cool"
Cool has a blue undertone in the skin, warm means you have yellow undertones. Newman does an analysis with a colour fan but here's her trick to figuring out your undertone at home. "Get a bright orange scarf or a bright pink scarf, stand in front of the mirror without your make-up on and pop them underneath your chin. The right colour will make your eyes look bright, the wrong one will make you looked drained. And that means the difference between a warm brown like chestnut, and a cool brown like chocolate."
Cool has a blue undertone in the skin, warm means you have yellow undertones. Newman does an analysis with a colour fan but here's her trick to figuring out your undertone at home. "Get a bright orange scarf or a bright pink scarf, stand in front of the mirror without your make-up on and pop them underneath your chin. The right colour will make your eyes look bright, the wrong one will make you looked drained. And that means the difference between a warm brown like chestnut, and a cool brown like chocolate."
"It’s all about condition"
Your hair has to be in good condition before your colour it. Newman is strict about this rule. "If someone’s hair is really damaged, I won’t colour it until I get it in better condition. I’ll get them to use masks, and treatments to fix it. Otherwise, it’s like trying to write well on a crinkled piece of paper." Avoid layering chemical treatments: "If you straighten your hair, don't colour it too much and vice versa."
Your hair has to be in good condition before your colour it. Newman is strict about this rule. "If someone’s hair is really damaged, I won’t colour it until I get it in better condition. I’ll get them to use masks, and treatments to fix it. Otherwise, it’s like trying to write well on a crinkled piece of paper." Avoid layering chemical treatments: "If you straighten your hair, don't colour it too much and vice versa."
"Invest in products to maintain it"
It's logical really, says Newman, "If you invest in colour, you have to invest in products to maintain it." The surest way to get your colour to last the longest is to care for it with a good shampoo and conditioner designed for coloured hair. "Using oils like L'Oreal's Mythic Oil also help in protecting the hair and maintaining the colour because they're light and almost work like serums," she adds. With traditional oils like coconut or almond, she says, "I haven’t seen results where coconut or almond oil has stripped the colour, it’s washing it out that can actually do it. If you want to keep your colour, you might have to do it less."
It's logical really, says Newman, "If you invest in colour, you have to invest in products to maintain it." The surest way to get your colour to last the longest is to care for it with a good shampoo and conditioner designed for coloured hair. "Using oils like L'Oreal's Mythic Oil also help in protecting the hair and maintaining the colour because they're light and almost work like serums," she adds. With traditional oils like coconut or almond, she says, "I haven’t seen results where coconut or almond oil has stripped the colour, it’s washing it out that can actually do it. If you want to keep your colour, you might have to do it less."