Kim Vo on the Go

I've always been a big fan of coordinating haircolor with the change of seasons. Lighter shades seem to sparkle in the summer sunshine, while deeper, richer shades beautifully reflect the onset of fall. If my clients embrace this same belief, it's always a treat to give them a fresh, updated look when a new season rolls around. In Hollywood, especially, where staying on the edge of trends is a way of life, it's easy—and fun—to find clients eager to try something different.

Kim Vo
Kim Vo

I recently took Katherine Heigl from blonde to brunette in time for the premiere of her newest film, The Ugly Truth. Now that her blonde character on Grey's Anatomy is no longer sporting a full head of hair, it was the perfect time for the actress to make a significant change in her haircolor. The result is sexy, sultry and positively sublime. Her particular color is a unique blend, of course, but it's pretty simple to customize your own version for your clients. Here's how it's done.

Mix a light chocolate shade with an amber or cinnamon twist. The color should have auburn hues, but still be in the brunette family, without too much red. You have the option of taking this basic formula to the cool side or the warm side, depending on your client's skin tone. Essentially, you can tailor the formula to suit whomever happens to be sitting in your chair, getting a different and specialized result every time.

There's no denying it—you can achieve an unparalleled exotic look with brunette shades, which look especially ravishing when the weather starts to cool down. All it takes is a quick look through the style magazines to see that many trendsetters are jumping on the brunette bandwagon—celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, Fergie, Victoria Beckham, and Sarah Jessica Parker. Surely, there are a few in your future, too. —E-mail Kim Vo at [email protected] .

The newest Kim Vo Salon opens at 11 Tillman Place, third floor, in San Francisco on October 1. Stop by!

 

Prolonged Perfection

 

Hush Salon Philadelphia may have been open for only one year, but they've already got the city talking. The salon was recently named the city's Best Cut and Color by a local magazine. Co-owner and colorist Adrienne Rogers attributes the honor to the salon's individualized service and laid-back atmosphere.


 

"We're not about high maintenance, especially in today's economy," says Rogers, who is also Product Club's national technical training director. "We don't want to breed a salon addict who needs a touch-up every three weeks."

To keep color fresh, Rogers uses techniques that create a softer grow-out. "We often do a deeper base with lighter ends," she says, "and we use Redken Shades EQ to slow down the root effect, which prolongs the need for a touch-up."

Rogers says her "do what's best for the customer" philosophy not only benefits clientele, but the salon as well. Says Rogers, "We do what the customer needs and our bottom line does beautifully because of that." —A.F.

 

Mellow Yellow

 

EUGENE PERMA PARIS' new Blush Care radiance-enhancing brightening mousse gently removes yellowing, revitalizes hair and contains a unique formula that makes styling easier. Caused by a lack of melanin pigments, yellow tones are most prevalent in bleached, highlighted and gray hair. The leave-in treatment contains UV filters to protect hair from UVB rays, which often cause pigment discoloration; vitamin B6, which regulates the moisture level; and film-forming resins, which add body and create volume while eliminating frizz. eugeneperma.com —A.F.


 

 

Coffee Fix

 

Affinage Infiniti recently added Cafe Noir to its spectrum of warm, rich colors in its Coffee Shop range of permanent haircolor. A dark brown shade with subtle golden and red hues, Cafe Noir offers the deepest brown color in the range, perfect for the fall. This haircolor is formulated to lift and then deposit the right balance of intermediate colors deep into the hair cortex, and it contains UV filters designed to protect hair from the sun's harmful rays and keep the color looking vibrant longer. affinage.com —N.P.