Tips to find the right hair colour

Are you thinking of brightening up your locks with highlights for summer? Or, maybe you are contemplating a more radical change and going for a completely new hair colour?

Before you head to the colourist, there are three things you need to take into consideration when choosing a new hue: your skin tone, the colour of your eyes and the shade of your natural hair.

“Choose a shade of colour within two shades lighter than your hair’s original hue,” says Liz Edmonds, colour director at the renowned Daniel Galvin salon.  “The hair you were born with complements your colouring, so it’s a good idea to stick within the same colour spectrum to enhance your hair, but not to go against your natural look.”

Christy Blake, HOB Salons’ senior colour director says that they also assess what fashion tribe a client would belong to as there are many different variations of colours that can be suited to the individual image.

If you are picking colour from swatches of nylon hair in the salon, the technician may have to combine tones to achieve the shade you have chosen. If your hair is already dyed, the colourist has to take this into consideration. Best to take in a picture so you both know what you are talking about. Chocolate can mean different things to different people. You are thinking dark chocolate, but the colourist could be thinking milk chocolate.

For a rule of thumb, those with olive skin should avoid red shades or blue-based colours as these can make you look harder. Stick to semi-cool colours, chocolate browns, golden browns or beige gold.

For those with fair skin, choose warm colours such as neutral beige. If you have a ruddy complexion, ashy shades will help to tone it down. For neutral skin tones go for a flat base.

“If home-colouring, do not take the colour to the ends of the hair,” advises Liz. “They are more porous, which means they accept the colour more readily, so it will make them much darker than the rest of the hair.”

Liz Edmonds, colour director at the renowned Daniel Galvin salon

Before you undertake any colouring process, ensure you know the upkeep entailed. “Red shades will fade the fastest and you may need to keep having vegetable colours in between having your roots done,” says Liz. She also points out that highlights on top of tint will ultimately go brassy.

Scared of undergoing a major change? Try framing your face with some lighter pieces to soften your look. “Ensuring that your hairline is lighter than the rest of your hair will prevent it from appearing as if you have a dark ring around your face,” says Liz.

You could also try experimenting with a colour that washes out after six to eight washes. A word of caution: if you already have colour on your hair don’t put anything on before talking to a colourist as semi-permanents can react with what is already there turning it into a commitment rather than an experiment. Before having any colouring process you should always do a skin test.

“Remember that using any type of colour is likely to affect the condition of your hair,” says Liz. 

By Daralyn Danns

Destination Bollinger, Aÿ, Champagne

The sound of the cork popping, the bubbles dancing spontaneously in the flute and the way it slowly tantalises your taste buds with rich, fruity flavours. There is no doubt about it, champagne seduces you like no other drink. It’s magic meets decadence.

To go to Bollinger, producers of some the finest champagnes [and my personal favourite], was like being taken to heaven.

And, it doesn’t get more glamorous than being invited to the house where the revered Madame Bollinger lived, being wined and dined by the eponymous champagne house.  

After drinking exquisite wines, including La Grande Année Rosé 2004, a superb pink bubbly made with the renowned red wine, Côte aux Enfants, and R.D.1995, a well-structured aged champagne, Jérôme Philipon, Bollinger’s president challenged us to a blind tasting.

“Force de punch,” I exclaimed after savouring the fine, delicately bubbled golden-amber champagne. “I like your comment!” he replied. I was extremely flattered as I am no wine critic.  But, I know what I like and this silky-smooth liquid gold was like nothing I had ever tasted before. It was Bolllinger’s legendary cuvée, Vieilles Vins Françaises which is regarded by many wine connoisseurs as a jewel in the crown of the champagne world.

Approximately, 3,000 bottles are made in exceptional vintage years of which only a coveted few reach the UK. At £550 a bottle, this 1997 vintage is a fizz my taste buds won’t be getting used to, unless, of course, I win the lottery.

At Aÿ, the home of Bollinger’s headquarters, history oozes from the village’s buildings as if enveloping you in a champagne haze. Fragmented, well-manicured vineyards carpet the surrounding hills, and millionaires rub shoulders with farmers. I half expected to see Tante Lily, as Madame Bollinger is affectionately known, come tearing down the road on her bicycle on her way to inspect the vineyards – a common sight during the German Occupation of the Champagne region.

The next morning, I got up early to take a stroll along Epernay’s fabled Avenue de Champagne punctuated with 19^th-century mansions housing the headquarters of the likes of Moët et Chandon and Mercier. Bathed in a rosy glow from the rising sun only made them more alluring.

Batteries recharged, I was ready for the science bit. Bollinger has been around since 1829 and is still family-owned. A tour around the cellars is jaw-stopping. Blending, fermenting and ageing, so much goes into a bottle. Even Bollinger Special Cuvée, the house’s non-vintage champagne, is brimming with reserve wines fermented in barrels – not a common practice in Champagne. I was gobsmacked to discover that around 300 wines go into making this.

The end of our visit ended with the tasting of the Vin Clairs, wines from the last harvest. Some of these were so high in acidity, they almost set my tongue on fire – and that was with swirling them around my mouth and spitting them out. To think the wine maker has to decide which ones to use.

Afterwards, we were treated to lunch where, of course, there were more magnificent champagnes to taste. Such hard work!

As the last bubbles in my champagne flute floated away, so our visit ended. As Madame Bollinger said: “I drink it when I’m happy and when I’m sad…” I understand why!

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

Eurostar offers return fares to Reims, the heart of the Champagne region, with one connection in Paris from £89. Connecting fares from UK stations available. For more information or to book, visit eurostar.com or call 08432 186 186

Rail Europe Fares to Epernay, from London to Epernay start at £110 return per person call 0844 848 4070 or visit www.raileurope.co.uk or call into the Rail Europe Travel Centre at 193 Piccadilly, London W1J 9EU

I stayed at La Villa Eugène, www.villa-eugene.com

Visit Champagne Mercier (www.champagnemercier.fr ) to board a laser-guided train on tour around the cellars

Bollinger tours can only be booked through Arblaster & Clarke (www.winetours.co.uk)

Back to Daniel Galvin

Great result

“Your hair hasn’t faded on the ends and it has kept its tone,” said Liz Edmonds, colour director at Daniel Galvin, as she cast her beady eyes over my hair. “The overall colour could do with being a bit cooler and there are certain areas that need being blended through with some tint, which we will do after the roots have been touched up.” 

Before

It was nearly five weeks since I last visited Liz. There were no signs of orange, thank goodness, and there definitely wasn’t any yellow peering through – the two problems that she had to deal with on my first visit. 

I was pleased with how well it had lasted, but felt it was a touch too warm, But, as Liz had already picked up on it, I felt quietly confident that we could be on to a winner this time, even though Liz had warned me that it will take a few visits to get it perfect.

“Fading occurs naturally through wear and tear. The longer the hair, the more porous it is as it has been subject to more abuse from the sun, styling etc,” says Liz. “The colour shouldn’t be taken through to the ends too often.

“Your problem with too much orange was due to the fact that the base colour got lighter and the highlights on top faded and gradually went warmer so the hair ended up looking brassy.”

After all the hassle I have been through, I don’t think anybody could tempt me to put lights back into my hair.

My roots were done first. After being shampooed, Liz massaged a gloss through the ends to cool down the overall shade and cover the areas that had become a bit too translucent.

After

As I watched Megan, my highly-competent stylist (it looked amazing for days) blow-dry my hair into soft waves, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing: a lovely, natural light golden brown. I really was blown-away with the result. When I got home even the concierge at my apartment block remarked how great it looked.

This has to be one of the best hues I had for a long time. In fact, it looks so good people think it is natural!

By Daralyn Danns

Daniel Galvin (www.danielgalvin.com)

Destination Geneva

Geneva, where French style – well, it is on the French border – meets Swiss efficiency, is far from stuffy and has a lot more to offer than cheese and chocolate.  

Courtesy of  Geneva Tourism

For starters there was the view: the glistening, blue waters of Lake Geneva set against a backdrop of the distant Alps with the snow-clad peak of Mont Blanc towering above.

I was mesmerised by two swans as they darted in and out of the waves performing what looked like a dance routine. The sounds of the Jet d’eau, Geneva’s renowned fountain, propelling water 140 metres into the air, jolted me back to reality. Within minutes I felt completely chilled out. It was as if all the stress I had brought with me from London had been washed away. At last, a beauty treatment that really works!

Jet d’eau

The guidebooks are full of sightseeing tips and recommendations for museums and art galleries to visit,. But, spend all your days wandering round them and you will miss the real attraction of Geneva which is the city itself.

I whiled away several hours walking along the Lac Léman, as the locals call Lake Geneva, and sauntering round the flowered-carpeted parks, before heading to the rue du Rhône, which is studded with exquisite jewellery shops and designer boutiques.

Getting round is easy as most of the sights are in walking distance of the hotels. Taxis are incredibly expensive so take advantage of the Geneva Transport Card, which entitles tourists to free use of buses, trains and boats while in the city.

Geneva can thank John Calvin, the prominent French theologian of the Protestant reformation, for its watch industry. In the middle of the 16th century, the wearing of jewellery was banned so jewellers were forced to take up a new trade. As people were allowed to wear watches they turned their hand to making them instead. Not to be missed is the Patek Philippe Museum, which has a splendid collection of timepieces from the 16th to the 19th century.

The Flower Clock

However, the city’s most impressive clock is actually in the Jardin Anglais (English Garden) on the left bank. The Flower Clock, which has been one of Geneva’s most beloved symbols since 1955, is a combination of technology and more than 6,500 flowers that vary in colour according to the season.

Another of Geneva’s gems is the Old Town (on the left bank) brimming with austere Calvinistic architecture and quaint cobbled streets and cafés. At its heart is the oldest square in the city, place du Bourg-de-Four with an 18th-century flower fountain. The Old Arsenal, which looms over, not only has five cannons appearing to protect it, but three impressive mosaic frescos depicting events in Geneva’s history.

St Peter's Cathedral

Near the square is St Peter's Cathedral, (Cathédrale St-Pierre) where Calvin, preached during the mid-16th century. The main attraction is the archaeological site dating back to the Roman Empire. Also take a look at the imposing five-metres (16ft) high statues of the leaders of the Reformation movement at the centre of the Reformation Wall, in the Parc des Bastions.

For a change of pace I headed to the laid-back area of Carouge where artists’ workshops rub shoulders with antique shops and edgy boutiques along its atmospheric streets and behind gates intimate gardens lay waiting to be discovered.

Watching the Alps disappear into the dark sky as the golden-orange sun set over Lac Léman, I enjoyed a gourmet dinner at The Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Chat Botté, at the Beau-Rivage. This elegant and discreet hotel, which has played host to the likes of Empress Elizabeth of Austria and Sarah Bernhardt, is as much a part of Geneva’s past as it is its present. And just like the city itself, it seduces you with its luxury and beauty.

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

Beau-Rivage (www.beau-rivage.ch)
easyJet (www.easyJet.com)
Geneva Tourism (www.geneva-tourism.ch)

Josh Wood Atelier

Nestled in a quiet cobblestone mews in Holland Park, is where you will find the hair heaven that is the Atelier. Josh Wood, the industry’s colour supremo has created a salon like no other.

After going through the living-room styled reception you enter a dark, mirrored passage way which leads into a light-filled styling room. Gone are the usual rows of mirrors and work stations that make you feel as if you are in on a conveyor belt in a biscuit factory. Instead you are seated at a long glass table. Neither are there the ubiquitous lines of basins. It’s more like being in a modern art gallery than in the hairdressers.

My stylist was Jack Haley-Buckley. “Hair should have movement. It’s not about volume now,” he said. This sounded promising as I hate big hair. So many stylists puff it out so much that all you want to do is run to the nearest ladies room and flatten it before anybody sees your helmet hair.

Jack believes that hair should look effortless and not like you have just spent hours in a salon. His take is that everybody is an individual. “The trends should work with you, your hair texture and lifestyle.”

After rough-drying my hair, using his fingers to lift the roots, he took a round bristle brush to smooth it out. Jack’s blow-dry was one of the best I had in ages. Glamorous, done but not done.

By Daralyn Danns

Josh Wood Atelier, 6 Lansdowne Mews, London W11 3AN. Tel: 020 3393 0977.

A blow-dry starts from £30.

A visit to Daniel Galvin

Before

Daniel Galvin has been colouring hair for years, so when he took one look at my tresses and said “too dull and brassy”, I took notice.  “There is too much orange in places and in others too much yellow,” he said. He also noticed that I had some – dare I mention – some patches of grey hair showing through. “We need to tone this down immediately. This is not working with your skin tone.” he added. 

Daniel advises against having highlights on tinted hair as they, eventually, make your hair look brassy. “The warmth will come through from your own natural shade,” he told me. “Your hair needs to be just tinted in a flat level 7, a dark blonde [the end result is light brown] that is neither warm or cool. The colour needs to be slightly lighter around the face, so it doesn’t look harsh and make you appear washed out. Leave it to us.”

How many times have I heard those words over the years? So, yes, I felt a little nervous. But, I soon found myself in the capable and reassuring hands of Liz Edmonds, colour director & colour floor director, who together with Daniel concocted the remedy to transform my poor tresses. Liz, too, has worked with colour for several years, most recently in New York.

Beautiful hair

My roots were sorted first and then it was over to the basin where Liz worked her magic on my hair. “You can wear any colour, it’s all about getting the tone right,” she said. As I well know, too light can be just as draining as too dark. One of the things that I was worried about was that my hair was going to be one solid colour, but Liz reassured me that this wasn’t going to be the case.

The result: a rich, glossy, light hazelnut brown with hints of gold. It looks incredibly natural and matches the colour of my eyes, which is what the right hair colour should do. What more can a girl ask for?  

By Daralyn Danns

Daniel Galvin (www.danielgalvin.com)

Destination Western Cape, South Africa

Cederberg Mountains

The wild and rugged beauty of the Cederberg Mountains, north of Cape Town, is the perfect escape from city life. The amazing rock formations and the varieties of vegetation – predominantly fynbos (fine bush) – make this area special. The jewel in the crown is the rock art, created by the Bushmen who once inhabited these mountains. Many of the works are thousands of years old.

Rock art

It is also an area where wine is cultivated. I visited the Cederberg Private Cellar which claims to have the “highest altitude vineyards in the Cape.” The wines are delicious and fruity. We tasted a great sauvignon blanc and chenin blanc. You can buy Cederberg Waitrose Foundation Chenin Blanc 2010 South Africa (£7.59) from waitrosewine.com. It’s delicious.

After two action-packed days in the Cederberg, I left Clanwilliam, one of the country’s oldest towns and my base in the Cederberg, for Franschhoek in the Cape Winelands. 

Franschhoek

With its Cape Dutch-style buildings, surrounded by mountains covered in lush green vineyards, the Franschhoek valley is a striking setting. The Huguenots escaping religious persecution in France came to Franschhoek (French Corner) in the late 1680s and began making wine here.

Being the gourmet capital of South Africa, Franschhoek is bursting with award-winning restaurants including Reuben’s and Monneaux Restaurant, at the Franschhoek Country House & Villas where I stayed.

Franschhoek’s village is tiny. Everything can be found on the main street which is awash with boutiques, antique shops and art galleries. At the end is the Huguenot Memorial Museum. Skip the museum, but take a look at the impressive Huguenot Monument.

Huguenot Memorial Museum

On the journey back to Cape Town, I stopped at the Waterford Estate in the Blaauwklippen Valley, Stellenbosch for a chocolate and wine pairing. Set against a backdrop of mountains, vineyards and citrus groves, this was a most enjoyable way to unwind and recharge the batteries. 

Waterford Estate

By Daralyn Danns

Getting there

South African Airways (www.flysaa.com)
Clanwilliam Lodge (www.clanwilliamlodge.co.za)

Franschhoek Country House & Villas (www.fch.co.za)

South African Tourism (www.southafrica.net)