Walking out of the salon with beautifully coloured hair is
one thing, keeping it looking great can be another.
My greatest discovery
has been Wella. Since
I stated using its colourants my hair has not turned the dreaded orange
or yellow and has never been in better condition.
So when I visited Clara Ingesson at the legendary Windle
& Moodie in London’s Covent Garden, who is also a brunette, I was pleased
to find a fellow convert. She has worked with other market leaders and also
finds that Wella can work better for those that want a cool-toned brunette. The
company offers more tones in its ranges to neutralise warmth.
I began by asking Clara why do so many colourists have a
problem working with brunettes?
“Dark hair naturally shoots out warmth,” she replied. “A lot
of women don’t like red or gold in their hair so you have to be careful when
applying a colourant. Even going one shade lighter can cause problems as the
hair will pull on the red and yellow in the colourant. Blondes are easier to
lift.”
It depends on your colouring as to whether you whether you
should go warm or cool. Clara says she first looks at her client’s skin tone, then
the eyes, to decide which hue would be most flattering to their
complexion.
As hair frames your face and reflects light on to the skin,
the wrong shade can wash you out or even enhance a ruddy complexion so getting
it right is paramount. Olive skin has green undertones so you tend to look
better with some red in the hair. You do not want your hair to blend in with
your skin.
“Blondes with a lot of pink in their complexion usually look
better with ashier tones while those with yellow or olive tend to look better
with rich, buttery shades,” says Clara. “However, highlights always throw up
warmth so what you do not want to have is too much yellow in the hair competing
with a sallow complexion so it may work to add some cooler bits.”
If you do not like a lot of warmth in your hair Clara’s tip
is not to have the highlights touching the root area. “Go for Balayage. Colour
is painted on to the surface of the hair and an expert will be able to place it
where it will be most flattering for you. It is less damaging to the hair than
traditional highlights and easier to maintain.”
If you are neutral girl, like I am, it boils down to
personal preference. A good colourist will see what will suit you better.
Whenever you go to get your hair coloured, whether you are seeing the colourist
for the first time or 20th, you need to have a consultation. When
you want to change your hue, take in pictures. Your idea of the colour chocolate and your
colourist’s may be different.
When you are trying a new product or going to a salon for
the first time, you should have a skin test. This is something that Windle
& Moodie are hot on and I applaud them for this stance.
Clara loved the shade and tone that I had but decided to use
Wella Color Touch for the mid-lengths to ends to make my locks look glossy. It
has no ammonia and is kinder to the hair than using a permanent colour.
As my stylist, Valentina dried my hair, it looked lovely and
shiny. I left the salon with a skip
in my step feeling good. Valentina gave me one of the best blow-dries I had had
for ages. There was not too much volume in my hair. It looked done but not
done. She would put many hairdressers to shame.
“Your hair looks amazing,” exclaimed my next door neighbour
when I bumped into her on my way home.
It did and more to the point it stayed that way for days.
By Daralyn Danns
