With summer right around the corner, it’s time to revamp your dull winter hair & we have expert tips from top stylists on how to add some natural looking highlights to your look.
What better way to step into a new season, than with fresh new hair? If you want to switch up your look this summer but are unsure what to do, look no further, because Joanna Delgado, a top colorist at Pierre Michel Salon in New York City, spoke to HollywoodLife EXCLUSIVELY, about the ultimate sun-kissed hair color and how to get it. Leilah got a hair makeover by Joanna at the salon, and the end result was a gorgeous blonde with subtle highlights. Joanna explained how she achieved this color, “This new look was a combination of several different techniques. I packed in closely a full head of traditional highlights. I also added and alternated babylights in there, especially around the hairline. After her head was packed with foils, I went in and free-hand painted her ends, a technique called balayage, to add more brightness. Our goal was to lighten her hair overall, and highlights alone wouldn’t have been enough. The balayage was key in achieving this look.”
As for special techniques she used on Leilah’s hair, “Every colorist has their way of doing things, that is the beauty of this industry. There is no right way or wrong way. We’re all artists and each of us has a certain way to get to the end result. My way is less evasive and I feel it gives better results because it doesn’t compromise the integrity of the hair. For the traditional highlight, I used a gentle activating developer, which takes longer to lighten but it doesn’t dry out the hair.” Speaking of drying out hair, Joanna shared how she colors without damaging the hair, “Taking my time and not rushing the process with heat elements. Also, using gentle products to lighten the hair and ending with a conditioning treatment to seal down that cuticle.”
For those of you who love Leilah’s look and want to try it out for yourself, Joanna recommends, “Taking pictures and having a thorough consultation before doing anything. The color process can be different it all depends on the client. A colorist has to take into account the natural level, any old color, target shade and hair texture before deciding what course of action to get take. For Leilah, I used Wella BLONDOR as my lightener and Wella as a toner.”
Not only did Leilah get a new summer color, she also got a haircut so that her locks will be fresh for the entire season. Jerome Lordet, Style Director at Pierre Michel Salon, shared with HollywoodLife how he cut her hair, “Because she has long and fine hair, we framed the face and did some long layers to add movement, fullness and body to the hair. Fine hair can tend to look flat if it’s too long, so it’s best to add some angles and layers to create dimension. If you want Leilah’s cut, ask for long layers with face framing the front pieces.” As for how often you should cut and maintain your hair this summer, Jerome admits, “I would recommend cutting your hair every 5-8 weeks to avoid damage and split ends and to keep your hair looking fresh.”