COLOURING TIPS FOR DIFFERENT HAIR TEXTURES By Kristie Kesic, Cobelle Creative
COLOURING FINE HAIR Everyone with flat, fine hair longs for va-va-voom volume! Luckily, colouring fine hair can be extremely beneficial when it comes to making the hair look and feel thicker than it actually is. Hair colour swells the hair shaft which makes it appear visibly thicker. So, for those clients with natural hair that find it’s always falling flat, explaining the benefits of adding colour to the hair during your consultation is a really worthwhile exercise. The best tip I can give when it comes to colouring fine hair, is to add highlights. Highlights will add instant volume and, by using varying shades, can create dimension that gives the optical illusion of movement and volume. However, if you colour the hair too light it can have the opposite affect, appearing thinner. Always remember the following four tips when colouring fine hair; 1. Less is more 2. Add in lots of dimensions 3. Avoid going too blonde 4. Add in a plex for extra protection Highlighting fine hair is a great technique to subtly elevate the colour, resulting in a natural, fresh finish, and it gives the bonus benefit of thicker locks.
COLOURING CURLY HAIR Curly hair naturally needs a lot of moisture, so you need to be extra mindful that you take this into consideration when consulting your curly hair clients. If the hair is too dry, adding colour will change the natural shape and texture pattern of the curl. The biggest tip you can follow when is comes to curly hair, is to work with colours that will add moisture and shine, rather than make the hair appear dry and brittle. Semi permanent colours are great for achieving this. Semi’s coat the outside of the hair cuticle, smooth it down and help the curls appear bouncy and shiny. No frizz here! My next tip is simple, don’t reach for the bleach! We all know bleach isn’t bad, but it’s not a curly client’s best friend, so reach for an alternative. If the hair is natural, try using tint colours to lift the hair only a few shades rather than striving for an intense blonde. If you need to use bleach to achieve the desired result, lift using the rule; Low & Slow. Low level peroxide, slow processing time. Freehand options are great for this and allow you to personalise visual placement of the colour. Don’t forget to add in a plex for extra protection.
One of the most effective tricks for curls if you decide you want to foil the hair, is to use a thicker weave than you would when colouring fine hair. A thicker weave in curly hair will help ribbon colour around the curl, whereas a fine weave will get lost. Lastly, keep it simple! Our curly hair clients can absolutely play with fun, fashion colours, but keep in mind when you look at curly hair there is already a lot going on with all that texture. Don’t overdo it, keep the colours and shades within the same tonal family or take the ‘less is more’ option if you are creating contrast.
