Air Painting Might Be Your Next Obsession

If you’re a fan of hair painting, but looking for something other than balayage and sun-kissed highlights, this surface-only “air painting” technique from L'Oréal Professionnel artist Brooke Evans (@brookieney) might be your new favorite. “A surface-only paint is a beautiful way to paint hair without going for a balayage or sun-kissed look. Because you’re only painting the surface, what you are going to get is a light reflection,” says Evans. Watch as Evans demonstrates how to use the technique for this season’s favorite wine-inspired color, plus a new marigold color using L'Oréal Professionnel #ColorfulHair. 
 

Get the Look: 

Wine Look 

Formulas: 

Base Color: L'Oréal Professionnel 20 Volume Maji Crème Developer + Majirel 4.20.

Air paint: L'Oréal Professionnel Multi-Techniques Lightening Powder + 30 Volume Blond Studio Nutri-Developer + Smart Bond.

Wine Gloss: first layer: 1/2 L'Oréal Professionnel Dia Richesse 9.11 + 1/2 Dia Richesse 4.20 + 20 Volume Diactivateur Developer. Second layer: #ColorfulHair equal parts Clear + Hypnotic Magenta + Caribbean Blue + Navy Blue. 

1. Working off the base color, use the natural part and whirl to decide the best place to add lightness. 
2. If working off a side part, take a diagonal section at the parietal ridge and section off. 
3. Working back-to-front, air paint by taking large sections and holding them taught. Paint from the mid-shaft focusing on creating heavy saturation through the top diffusing with any new growth. Make sure to only paint the surface and leave the ends unsaturated.
4. Cover previous sections with plastic wrap as you work.
5. For the top, pull the hair slightly over-directed backwards to give more surface on the interior of the hair.  
6. Let down the clipped section at the fringe and paint on the inside of the hair.
7. Lift the hair to a level six to seven an underlying pigment of orange.
8. Finish by doing a double-dip purple gloss. 

Marigold Look 

Formulas: 

Base Color: Fixed a previous color band with L'Oréal Professionnel 20 Volume Maji Crème Developer + 1/2 Majirel 5.3 + 1/2 Majirel 6.46 + Smart Bond. Follow with Sunkissed Lightening Oil and retouch new growth with Majirel 6.46 with 1/2 Majirel 5.3 to soften.

Air Paint: L'Oréal Professionnel Multi-Techniques Lightening Powder + 30 Volume Blond Studio Nutri-Developer + Smart Bond step one.

Marigold Gloss: L'Oréal Professionnel #ColorfulHair in Yellow Sun.

1. Working off the base color, begin air painting. If working off a soft center part, come off the center and use triangle shaped sections in-between if needed. Cover with plastic wrap as you work. 
2. For face-framing sections, over direct face-framing sections back. 
3. Process for 20 minutes and follow with Smart Bond step two.
4. Applying marigold color and process for five minutes.