Mad About Hue

One thing we can all admit to about the beauty business is that it's constantly evolving. When it comes to haircolor, we've seen highlights in bold stripes that range in width from fettuccine to lasagna and scores of color combinations that are obviously not the real deal. As the days grow shorter, we're moving in a direction that's positively natural. I call it "glazification," a process that mimics virgin hair, which is made up of several different shades, with individual strands blending together to create a multitonal look.

 Kim Vo
Kim Vo

With traditional haircoloring, the conventional two-step process is to apply the base color to the roots, then add a glaze to the rest of the hair, avoiding the roots. The process I've developed breaks that rule. When doing glazification, the base color is applied as usual, and it must go on first. The glaze is then added all over the head—from roots to ends. By putting glaze on the roots, the base color is slightly diluted and diffused, enhancing the blend of colors. The result is a feathering effect that imparts a brilliant translucency, mimicking natural hair. This process works equally well for covering gray, because permanent color has been applied to the roots.

Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba

If you're itching for the formulas to create celebrity-inspired looks, I'm happy to share. All of the base colors are Majirel by L'Oréal Professionnel, and the listed formulas are blended with 20-volume peroxide. The glazes are Redken Shades EQ (at least 2 ounces) plus developer. For Jessica Alba's caramel color (this works best if your client is a level 5 or under), mix ¾ tube of GN, tube of 6.13 and tube of 6.3 for the base. For the glaze, use Shades EQ 7GB. For a sunlit blonde like Britney Spears, use ½ tube of 9N and ½ tube of 9.13 for the base color. For the glaze, mix ½ Shades EQ Clear with ½ 9GB. Finally, for a Kate Walsh-inspired radiant red, use ½ tube of GN, ¼ tube of 6.46 and ¼ tube of 7.44 as the base, then glaze it with Shades EQ 7C. Different doesn't have to mean radical. What's unique about glazification is that it creates a look that says, "This is perfectly natural and perfectly beautiful." Who wouldn't want that? " —E-mail Kim Vo at [email protected] .

Britney Spears
Britney Spears

 

Kate Walsh
Kate Walsh