color melting | Beauty and the Brain

To me “trends” don’t really exist. Basically what happens every year is the following:

Summer= Brighter Lighter Fall=Richer Warmer

Winter= Darker Cooler Spring= Soft & Subtle Lighter

As a colorist what is most entertaining to me is the trending terminology behind color services. For instance “Babylights” has been a hot term over the past year or so. Babylights is simply another word for a very fine weave of hair done in a foil. This technique is super basic, adds shimmer, and is beautiful on everyone.

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With all the confusion with what I would call “Fancy words” for hair color treatments, your best bet is leaving it up to the pro. They will always guide you in the right direction for the season and your hair type. That is if you have a great one like myself 😉 By the way it’s pronounced BA-LAY-AGE not Biolage, which is a brand of haircare products. You’re welcome.

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On the left Color Melting On the right Dimensional Balayage

Personally, I like to keep booking options simple for my clients. I simply offer “All Over Color” or “Dimensional Color”. For those getting one single color all over, it’s simple to add a few hand painted pieces during the processing time if need be. For Highlights and beyond, Dimensional color is a great description for the unlimited possibilities.

SO WHAT SHOULD YOU ASK YOUR COLORIST FOR?

Since those hot-trending words will always be around, here’s what to ask for in the chair this season.

COLOR MELTING: Will give you a similar result to an “Ombre” but the depth of the color doesn’t go as far down the strand as the original look. I recommend keeping a connection of light around the face so the color placement melts out in a diagonal back fashion as opposed to a harsh horizontal line.

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ROOT SMUDGING: A great way for bright blondes to add a little bit of depth while still maintaining their beloved bright hue. Smudging the root creates a soft grow out and gives you that Victoria’s Secret feel.

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DIMENSIONAL BALAYAGE: Not only will your stylist paint bright ribbons of color, but will also melt darker lowlights in between the light. This is my favorite. It’s vibrant rich and has great potential for a high contrast look that is still very natural.

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Transitioning to Fall is simple. Replenish what Summer zapped from your hair. Have your stylist create a healthy, shiny, rich, hydrated, and seamless hair color that flatters your paler skin-tone and works great with your Fall wardrobe!

*If you’re in St Louis and need a new colorist, I would love to take care of you. I am ALWAYS accepting new clients. People reschedule, cancel, move to a different state, etc so there’s always a chance for you to get in at some point. To book with me click here 🙂

Ever feel confused when booking a service at the salon? These days there are so many different names for the same techniques. Babylights, balayage, highlights, lowlights, color melting, all over color, and the list can go on and on.

Let’s simplify this for you. You have two choices when it comes to color. You either want dimension or you don’t. All over color is one solid color all over the head and Dimensional color means just that, adding dimension throughout the entire look. I highly recommend booking a consultation before booking a color appointment, especially if it’s your first time with the colorist. Most colorists offer complimentary consultations. This allows them time to look through your hair and see if there needs to be any corrections made before creating the color of your dreams. I feel safe saying about 80% of new clients who come in for color and show me their “balayage pinterest board”, need a corrective service before their color dream is even possible. Haircolor is complicated people! You can’t just slap something on and expect it to not only look exactly how you envisioned, but also magically styled in long flowing waves when in reality your hair is shoulder length and you can wrap a hair band around your ponytail 20 times.So please. I beg you. Book a complimentary consultation 🙂 Your colorist will help you find the most flattering placement for you and your hair type.

Now let’s talk about the different levels of dimension. It basically ranges from subtle/ low contrast to bold/ high contrast. Leave the actual technique up to your stylist to achieve the look your going for. Just because you think you want balayage doesn’t mean that’s actually what it takes to get there.

Here are a few pictures of my clients to help you understand the difference..

Low/ Subtle Dimension this was a mixture of balayage, base color, and foiling with a glaze aka toner

Low/ subtle dimension this was a balayage application on virgin hair (hair that hasn’t been colored before)

High Contrast Dimension this was highlights and lowlights in foils followed by a glaze/toner

High Contrast Dimension this color took two sessions to achieve. 1st session was an all over balayage with glaze aka toner. 2nd session was a mixture of foils and balayage application over the same pieces we did previously followed by a glaze/toner.

Do you feel like you have a better understanding now? Leave your questions in the comments below! I would be more than happy to answer any questions for you 🙂 If you are in the St. Louis area and want to book with me visit my website http://www.KristenLinares.com