I’m a hairstylist and ‘classic’ blonde will leave you looking middle-aged – the colours to choose instead
THERE'S the famous quote from Coco Chanel: "A woman who changes her hair is about to change her life", and perhaps it's time for a refresh this autumn.
Perhaps you've always been blonde, or you're someone who constantly changes their mind - and colour of their hair.
But have you ever thought about what your dye decision could reveal about you?
Here, hair stylist Kristian Beckham, who owns the salon NN14 Bespoke Hair in Northamptonshire, told Fabulous what each colour means.
Here, hair stylist Kristian Beckham, who owns , Northamptonshire, shares his insights.
He says: "While a hair colourist will never want to disappoint a client, it’s their duty to be realistic and give the best possible advice.
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"Consultation is everything when it comes to colour techniques.
"When someone comes into my salon and asks for my advice on what colour to have, I always ask them how much time they have and how much budget they have to spend on their hair, as this will dictate what is right for them.
"After all, there is no point having a colour job which is going to
take a lot of time to maintain and requires lot of products to do so, if that is not realistic for the individual."
Classic blonde
Kristian says: "Think less Marilyn Monroe and more middle-aged, older lady for this classic look.
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"As you get older and your skin tone fades, they say to go lighter with your hair.
"Nowadays, it’s a very classic, farmer’s wife, stay-at-home mum, non-working, housewife colour choice.
"This colour can be very hard to master in order to look classy and natural, particularly if the client’s natural hair colour is dark.
"It can be a challenge not to look brassy and the maintenance of this ‘Blondie’ look is quite intense.
"It will require trips back to the salon every six to eight weeks, although some will find they need to go back after as little as three to five.
"A common mistake clients can make is not considering their skin tone before opting for a hair dye.
"Most people either suit warm tones or skin-colour tones.
"A good test to find out which is the right tone for you is to use cool tones, i.e. violet, blue and green, holding a cloth, towel or pillowcase up to your face, and seeing if it brings out the colours in your face or if it detracts from them.
"If you are a warm tone person, i.e. copper, reds, caramels and honey colours suit you more, hold these colours up to your face to see if they bring out the colour in your complexion and if it’s the right tone for you."
Balayage
Kristian says: "This relatively new style is most popular with younger people who follow social media.
"It’s very much a trend on trend for people who see themselves as followers of fashion, who like to keep up with what’s new.
"The chances are they will be back in a few months to ask for something completely different, as that style fades and another comes into favour.
"This has become a growing trend in salons and there are countless online tutorials showing hair stylists and colourists how to master the technique.
"Choose your colourist wisely.
"This is an expensive and complicated colour technique only to be undertaken by an experienced professional.
"In terms of maintenance, it’s almost like an outgrown colour, so the upkeep on balayage is very low."
Bright colours
Kristian says: "Although not exclusively, this colour technique is sometimes popular with someone who has insecurities.
"They may want to detract from the rest of their body, and the focus to be on their hair.
"Don’t get me wrong; they can look fabulous too!
"Candy pink, red and blues are popular, and can also be associated with quite an extreme hair style too.
"Upkeep on bright colours that is very intense as you are bleaching your natural hair to become a neutral canvas before the colour is applied.
"You need to be aware that your desired colour is going to fade progressively too, as the hair has become quite porous, so you will need to keep on top of it to maintain your colour.
"This means many people will turn to the cheaper box dyes to keep their look."
Box dyes
Kristian says: "Several customers come into my salon who have traditionally used a box dye to colour their hair and want to try a professional colour - something which is completely their prerogative.
"Box dyes are often favoured by people who take pride in their appearance but don’t have the budget to go to a salon every six to eight weeks.
"It can go one of two ways; either they are stubborn and don’t see the difference and return to their box dyes or they can see how
glossy and conditioned a professional colour can be and never go back!"
Highlights and lowlights
Kristian says: "These remain the most popular of all colour techniques hairdressers are asked for.
";They are really popular with savvy people in the know – the salon connoisseurs - who want blonde hair or to hide grey and don’t want the six-weekly maintenance that comes with a solid line of recolour.
Foil highlights and lowlights are probably still the most asked-for method of colouring."
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Kristian adds: "In the past, I have advised people against certain colour jobs because, not only do I want them to be delighted and feel great about themselves, but clients are like walking billboards for a colourist.
"You are going to walk around the town where you live and tell people who did your hair so it’s in your colourist’s interest to
give you the best possible advice and do the best possible job."
