HAIRBIZ Year 16 Issue 3

Page 72

By Kristie Kesic

Root tap, root smudge, root melt! You may have heard your clients ask for these a lot lately. Do they really know what these techniques are or have they just heard these buzz words on their socials and decided it’s now a must have? Do you know what each mean? Do you know when to use each technique to give you the desired outcome? Do you know when to foil the hair or when to freehand or balayage? Or are you covertly using a tap or smudge to cover up mediocre foil work or a poor balayage blend? So many questions, but the most important thing you need to understand is WHY are you choosing a particular technique? Once we know the why we can navigate the how. Let’s look at each technique:

ROOT TAP:

Why: For blondes that want to feel as light a possible but like a very slight shadow to soften the overall look.These clients are still a high maintenance client and will probably still be having their colour done every 6-8 weeks. A root tap will soften a colour but won’t turn it into a low maintenance colour. How: Apply foils in the application pattern you would usually use for that client. Once your foils have been processed and rinsed, apply a semi-permanent colour product that is the same level as your client’s natural colour to a 1cm area of the root. Allow this to process.

ROOT SMUDGE:

Why: For clients who like to see lightness and brightness, but also suit a deeper root colour to complement their skin tone. When the correct processing time for the root smudge has been allowed, this technique can assist a client into becoming a lower maintenance colour. However, remember these colours are semipermanent so they will fade out; but that’s perfect and what we want. As the semi starts to fade out and the underneath colour starts to peep back through, the natural regrowth would have started to appear and erase the need for 72

Hair Biz Year 16 Issue 3

an artificial root shadow, hence making it low Root Smudge maintenance. How: A root smudge technique can be applied over a foiling client or a freehand balayage client, depending on the individual desired result. I change between foiling my client as normal or using a freehand balayage technique. I love a root smudge result over foils personally. Once your lightening work has been processed and rinsed, apply your root smudge from roots to the desired length down the hair. I normally apply to about 3cm down, depending on the desired result. If you want to leave more Root Tap lightness, then apply higher around the hairline. Remember to smudge with fingers and comb area or change the tonal reflect. down for a flawless blend. If you have placed a money piece, make sure you leave this out until With each of these techniques always remember the last few minutes of processing, and apply a to blend the root application with the gloss/ slight tap to this section (or for a bolder money toner being applied to the rest of the hair. This piece, no tap at all!) ensures a flawless blend.

ROOT MELT:

Why: This technique is for clients who love the lives in look of regrowth or a true balayage look. For me this technique is perfect for brunettes or clients wanting a colour with only a small variance in tonal levels. Colours that are more contrasting will still work but are more of a fashion look. How: I like to go straight in with a balayage technique for the foundation work, always ensuring balance by leaving at least two thirds of lighter lengths to one third of deeper root melt. This normally allows the melt to frame around the eye level. It is a perfect technique to draw attention to your clients’ eyes and make them a focal point. You may be thinking if you have already completed a balayage technique why is there a need for a root melt? Although the first zone is already a darker level and blended, adding a root melt allows that darker hair to be refreshed, as well as presents the opportunity to deepen the natural level in that

Each of these techniques are great additions to a colourists toolbox BUT, a hairdresser should never use or adapt these techniques into a service in an attempt to hide sub-par foiling or balayage foundations. Yes, these techniques will in fact do that but DO NOT use these as a band aid fix, or an excuse for lazy colour work. To achieve the maximum effect and longevity of these additions, the foundation of all colour work needs to be flawless just as you would do if you weren’t using one of these second process techniques. Always remember that taps, smudges and melts will fade out. If you have used them to cover up bad foundation work, it will eventually be exposed. Have pride in your work, lay out the foundations and use these wonderful techniques purely for their intended result and purpose.


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Articles inside

FASHION WARRIOR by Hot Shots ‘21

2min
pages 118-124

BECOMING BIGGER THAN YOUR PROBLEMS By Angeli Marie Shaw

6min
pages 114-115

EOFY TAX TIPS FOR HAIRDRESSERS. By Mark Chapman, Director of Tax Communications for H&R Block Australia.

8min
pages 112-113

WHAT ROLE DOES YOUR LANDLORD PLAY IN YOUR RUNWAY TO A COVID RECOVERY? By Kelly Cunningham, Your Leasing Co.

7min
page 111

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS: THE RISE OF THE CONSCIOUS CONSUMER By Nicole Inskip

3min
page 110

HAPPY STAFF, HAPPY LIFE! By Tamara Reid, Head of Brand at Timely Business Management Software

3min
page 108

10 MISTAKES YOU DON’T KNOW YOU’RE MAKING THAT STOP YOU FROM BUILDING A HIGH PERFORMANCE SALON TEAM By Chrissy Alger- Senior Coach at The ZING Project.

11min
pages 106-107

CHANGING YOUR IDEAS ABOUT ATTRACTING NEW CLIENTS! By Jenni Tarrant

4min
page 105

BUILDING A BRIDGE TO BRIDGE A GAP! By Kerrie Di Mattia

4min
page 104

BUT I DON’T HAVE TIME! By Kym Krey

8min
pages 102-103

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION IN THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS By Keira Maloney

4min
page 100

IT’S TIME TO LET IT GO! By David Watts

6min
page 98

THE DIGITAL RESET! By Hayley Mears, Director - Six Underground Media

4min
page 93

5 TIPS TO SOCIAL PROOF YOUR INSTAGRAM GROWTH STRATEGY By Nicole Healy

4min
page 92

THE SECRET - THE RULE OF DISTRACTION By Gary Latham

4min
page 88

THRIVE, NOT SURVIVE, AS AN EMPLOYER By Brodie Lee Tsiknaris

5min
page 86

ADD VALUE TO MAKING A LIVING, BY LIVING YOUR VALUES By Paul Frasca

5min
page 84

LEADERSHIP, WHO DO WE CHOOSE TO FOLLOW AND WHY? By Clive Allwright

5min
page 82

SCI TECH SALON Human vs Robotic Hairdressers By Simone Lee

5min
page 74

To Tap, Smudge or Melt By Kristie Mesic

5min
page 72

ANDIS DEBUTS BARBER THEMED MURALS IN ATLANTA AND VENICE BEACH 

3min
page 54

THE CHANGING FACE OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING By Anthony Gray, MIG Training

5min
page 70

The Blonde Cartel

7min
pages 64-65

Meet the 2021 Hot Shots - Eliza Andrews

7min
pages 46-47

The CINCO Success Formula By Louise May

6min
pages 40-41

CLIP Culture

7min
pages 38-39

Mr. PIN UP

9min
pages 36-37

Good Vibes Only at PIPSQUEEK in Saigon

9min
pages 34-35

The Art of Brand Building by Phil Smith

6min
pages 32-33

2021 AHIA CREATIVE WINNERS COME TOGETHER 

7min
pages 30-31

10 Minutes with Luke Reynolds

6min
pages 14-15

Cos Sakkas - 30 Years in Hairdressing

5min
pages 12-13

Editor's Letter

3min
page 10
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