Chroma Lifestyle Blog
SENDING beauty & healing vibes your way
Beautiful, glossy, vibrant colour will always be in style, and as always, L’Oreal Professionnel is at the cutting edge of fashion. Working closely with designers and trendspotters so that colour specialists like Christine at Chroma Salon have the latest on trend colours and techniques to make sure that you are always looking your best. Celebrities and fashionistas have been going crazy for the most recent colour launch from L’Oréal Professionnel – #ColourfulHair, an amazing new palette of pinks, purples, blues, coral and even green! Think glamorous but with a soft, wearable edge. Danni Minogue and Pixie Lott have both been spotted with new pastel pink do’s, Kelly Osborne, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Pink have been changing their colourful hair for years, matching their hair colour to the key trends of the moment. Even Helen Mirren recently photographed with a beautiful pearly pink hue at the BAFTAs. Whether you’re a colour junkie or prefer a hidden pop of colour, there is no doubt that #ColorfulHair is the new hair norm. Dial it up with ultra-bright vibrant shades, such as Iced Mint; the hottest colour of the year! Dial it down using Crystal Clear to create softer whimsical, pastel tones. #ColorfulHair by L’Oréal Professionnel allows you to change your look in minutes, with bespoke personalized colours – we can make your colour ultra vibrant and bright, or delicate and barely there – the choice is yours, and the only limit is your imagination! Enhance your look #COLOURFULHAIR!
Highlighting your hair can be a great way to add some colour without making a drastic change to your overall style. There are lots of different ways to highlight your hair and finding the right colour and style for you is easy once you know the basics. Here we look at some of the benefits of highlighting your hair that can help you decide if this style is for you.
Add depth and texture Highlighting allows you to add a little bit of extra depth and texture to your hair without making the full commitment to an entire change of colour. It is also an excellent way to restore dull hair and give your hair a glorious healthy shine. Refresh your look You can easily bring out your skin tones, accentuate bone structure, and even your eye colour with some natural highlights. Lightening up your colour can also help make you look younger and give your skin a beautiful glow. Gain a more natural look Balayage is a technique gaining popularity for its easy to maintain, natural looking, rooted appearance. Highlights, on the other hand, have a finish that involves lightening different strands of your hair in a less subtle fashion. Typically, you only want to go up or down three shades from your natural colour, depending on how much of a multi-hued effect you would like. Less damaging Highlighting is less damaging than full colour applications as you require less product to create the effect. Plus, you won’t need to colour your hair often with highlights, and only need minor touch-ups compared to full-colour treatments. Easier to hide roots When you have a full head of colour, you can easily notice the roots when your hair begins to grow out. With highlights, your hair is only a few shades different than your natural colour so the root growth is less obvious, which means less maintenance for you. Less expensive Generally speaking, highlighting is less expensive than colouring your full head of hair. Full colour requires regular touch-ups, which means more money spent. If you’re looking for some colour to freshen up your look that’s easy to maintain, highlighting can be an excellent choice. Knowing the benefits can help you make a better-informed decision regarding your hair style and finding the right technique for you. Those long, harsh winter months can take a toll on your body – and that includes your hair. Whether it’s been stuffed under a hood or flattened under a hat, your hair has inevitably been exposed to those bitter cold temperatures and that dry, damaging air. This spring, reinvigorate your hair with some well-deserved TLC. Here are few tips about how you can get your locks looking fabulous again.
Trim Away Those Brittle Ends There’s nothing quite like getting a fresh start – and for your hair, that means cutting off those brittle ends. The tips of your hair generally are where the most obvious effects from that dry winter air are focused. So make an appointment and get rid of them! Out with the old and in with the new fresh locks. Lighten Up With the warmer weather right around the corner, why not add a few highlights to your hair? This can work wonders for enhancing your features, brightening your face and freshening up your entire look. A few highlights can bring your hair back to life. Change Your Hair Products When your hair starts to look limp, dull and in need of some desperate attention, often the solution is simply to change up your hair care products. For example, if you have been using a moisture-based shampoo or conditioner during the winter, it could be time for you to swap for a lighter product. Also, if you use low-quality products, they could be doing more damage than good. Talk to your hairdresser to ask what they recommend and discuss what products might be best suited for your hair. Fight the Frizz There’s nothing quite as annoying and unappealing as frizz. For those with wavy or curly hair, this can be the ultimate bane of your hair care regimen. Whether it’s a hot sunny day or a dreary, wet drizzle, you need to be prepped and ready to combat that frizz. Hair serums are a great way to tackle this problem. You can also look for a spray so that you can simply spritz and get on with your day without worrying about the potential “frizz forecast” of your hair. Your hair has been put through a lot this winter. It’s time for you to give it some love and attention in order to get back that healthy shine. Simply follow these tips and you’ll have those locks looking fresh and fabulous, just in time for the summer! It can be so easy to get stuck in a rut, pulling your hair up into a quick twist or a ponytail to keep it out of your way when you’re running out the door. However, nearly everyone feels better with freshly cut and styled hair. Here’s five ways to know when you’re ready to take the plunge and visit Chroma Salon to make a significant change to your ‘do.
It’s Been a While If the last time you saw your stylist was early spring and there’s currently snow on the ground here in Toronto, it’s a pretty good bet that you at least need a trim. Why not take the opportunity to check out all the cute short styles and pick something new? Time to Turn Heads You haven’t heard a compliment on your style in a really, really long time. This might signify that it is time to make a drastic change. Out with the old, in with the new! If even the slightest change like a new barrette causes exclamations around the office, it is probably past time to make a change. Take a Risk If everything else in your life is stable, then maybe you would be more comfortable making a change with your hair. Even just a little change can shake up your thinking, even though change can be a little uncomfortable. Making a cut and seeing that it worked out well you might gain confidence in other parts of your life. You Want to Switch it Up You looked back at your Facebook page and you realize that you can keep scrolling and scrolling, and all of your pictures still look exactly the same. This probably isn’t a good thing–making a change every once in a while keeps your mind agile. You’ve Wanted This for a Long Time You’ve been thinking about cutting your hair short for more than a month or two. If you had a momentary fleeting thought that you want to chop your hair, it probably is a good idea to wait just a minute and take a breath before you take the plunge. However, if you keep coming back to the idea of going short for several months, then you are probably ready to call your stylist. Even if you are not sure you’re quite ready for a short haircut, it can be a lot of fun to spend time looking at cute hairstyles. Consider your stylist a partner. Who better to help you discover what type of style would look good on you than the person who knows your hair best? Give your stylist a call to schedule your next appointment. Choosing a new hair colour can be a big decision, so you want to do your research to be sure that whatever colour you choose is going to really accent your look and make it pop. There are several things that you should take into account when choosing your hair colour, such as your skin tone, eye colours and face shape.
Checking Your Skin Tone If you have cool-toned skin, you generally will want to stay within the cooler colours in order to complement your skin. The same goes for warm skin tones: stick within the colour spectrum of warmer colours that will help support your look instead of contrasting with your skin tone. To find your skin tone, you can try standing in natural light while you’re wearing a white or neutral colour. After removing all makeup, hold up a hand mirror and observe whether your skin tones contain more yellow and red, or whether your skin is a bit more neutral or possibly even pinkish. Yellow and red shifts indicate a warm skin tone, while neutral or pink indicate a cool skin tone. Contrast With Skin Tone If you are looking for a more dramatic flair, go for contrast between your skin colour (not tone!) and your hair. Lighter skin with dark hair or a deep burgundy hair can be very striking, while white blonde hair on someone with a darker skin colour can also be fascinating. Changing Your Makeup When you change your hair colour, it is a good idea to change your makeup at the same time. The reason for this is that the makeup that complemented your previous look may have a slightly different effect, depending on how significant the change to your hair colour is. Choosing your Colour Warm yellow or red skin undertones work very well with a strawberry red that is nice and bright and cheery. A darker (but still bright) red head of hair may work best on cooler-toned skin. Blondes with a cool, neutral colour work best with skin with pink undertones, while warm, buttery or golden blonde hair complements those with a little bit of yellow or olive in their skin. Black hair is best with those with pink undertones, and can be a very dramatic effect. No matter the colour you decide to choose, know that your hair stylist is a valuable partner in your decision! They can help you find a stunning colour that will really rock your new look. Are you struggling to achieve that same great Chroma Salon style at home? It can be frustrating when you spend time and effort trying to get that hair to look anything like it did when you left the salon. Well, don’t fret. Here are some handy tips to help you maintain that salon style at home.
Using the Proper Products If you’re not using professional-grade products, then how can you expect professional-grade results? Take a look at what type of products are being used in your salon. From shampoo to conditioner, to the serum that’s been sprayed on your hair, salon quality products give salon quality results. Achieving great hair starts in stages. For example, starting off with a quality shampoo and conditioner will ensure your hair is receiving the proper amount of nourishment and control for your hair type. And depending on your hair type and what style you are aiming to achieve, a serum or heat spray could be essential. Ask your professional stylist to help you in selecting the best fit. Great hair comes down to great products and knowing how and when to utilize them properly. So ask your hair stylist not only about which kinds are best, but when and exactly how to apply them. Ask Your Stylist for Some Tips Once you’ve nailed down what products are right for you, the next step should be watching what your hair stylist does. From brushing to blow-drying, to straightening, or whatever the style may be – watch and learn. And don’t be afraid to ask your stylist for some tips. You can ask why they use a certain angle on the straightener or curling iron, or how far you should be holding the blow dryer from your hair, or what the perfect temperature is to getting that perfect wave. Additionally, ask about certain equipment and recommendations. You may not be in the market for the most expensive salon-quality flat iron or blow dryer, but maybe your stylist can recommend some good quality brands that will make all the difference with your hair style. Achieving salon style hair doesn’t have to seem like mission impossible. All you need are the right tools and tricks. The next time you visit your hair stylist, watch how they work. Pay attention to the products they use and the order in which they use them. Sometimes those little tricks and random spritz here and there can add up to make all the difference. Ask your stylist for some tips on selecting quality products that are suitable for your hair, along with any styling tips that can help you achieve salon style at home. Having healthy and attractive hair involves a certain amount of time spent in the salon. If you colour or chemically treat your hair in any way, you will need frequent trips in order to maintain your style. What you do to your hair also dictates how frequently you may need a haircut. Cutting your hair is an important part of hair maintenance and should not be put off or forgotten. How frequently you cut your hair depends on a number of different factors.
Let’s explore a few examples. Chemically Treated Hair You will notice that once you start treating your hair for colour or any desired look that requires chemical treatment, you will need to up your frequency of haircuts. Although your stylist is the most qualified person to treat your hair, that doesn’t mean that chemicals are the healthiest choice for your hair. Chemicals damage your hair which can lead to more frequent trims to maintain health and minimize breakage. Since many hairstyles cannot be achieved without some use of chemicals it has become very regular practice in the hair world. Just be sure to treat your hair properly once the treatment is complete. Long Hair If you have long hair, or medium-length hair and wish it to be long, your stylist will recommend that you visit them every 8-12 weeks for a trim. This process is important to maintaining the health of your long locks. Long hair is susceptible to split ends which if left untreated will damage your hair and possibly cause you to lose valuable length. If you have excessive breakage or split ends your stylist may recommend a slight trim every 6-8 weeks in order to stay on top of the problem. Medium-Length Hair If you have a length that you love and want to maintain, it’s important to have frequent haircuts. Hair can grow about half an inch in a four-week time frame so if your style is perfect the way it is, schedule appointments every 6-8 weeks to maintain your existing look. Your End Goal If you want to grow out your hair and ultimately end up with long hair, it may not be intuitive to go for frequent hair trims. However this is the time when it’s especially important to get frequent trims! In order for hair to grow long and healthy, the dead and split ends need to be removed. Advise your stylist of your hair growth goals and they will tell you what the frequency of your visits should be in order to achieve your goals. No matter what way you look at it, haircuts are important for overall hair health. Don’t delay in scheduling your next appointment with your stylist and cause your hair to suffer for it! Have you always wondered how to do flat iron waves at home? Check out this amazing tutorial video by @confessionsofahairstylist! |
I've got you covered!YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL THINGS RELATED TO HAIR AND HEALING. AuthorChristine White is a stylist, educator and the owner of Chroma Salon in Sarnia, ON. Archives
December 2023
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