It’s much more than choosing and applying a new color.
So, you saw a photo on Instagram of your favorite celebrity having the most perfect example of balayage or colored hair that you’ve been desiring for months? You schedule your appointment and feel so excited: finally, your hair will be bangin’, and you’re not wrong. But, it might take a few realistic steps to get there.
“As someone who began the long, process of dying my hair at an early age, it was all done through the at-home appointment with my mom and with my choice of a box colored dye; one day I have blonde hair, that night I’d have brown, simple enough right?
Once I began to dramatically dye my hair at professional hair salons with desires of a bleached and cold tone, and then driving my stylists insane with wanting dark brown the next month, I realized that the process isn’t as easy as buy, apply, and bam, you got healthy, newly colored hair.
After the long hours of processing the dye then cycling with the constant itch to keep switching it up every scroll through Instagram, I found inspiration. I spoke with Giulia Farella, colorist at Fabio Scalia Salon in Brooklyn Heights as well as Kennedy Trisler, stylist assistant at Fabio Scalia, and they helped me understand that getting the color of my dreams is more to it than just choosing and applying new color.”
– Katie Ward
In this week’s blog post, we have gathered hands-on advice on how to get the look you deserve and desire.
Step 1: Picking the Salon
And hopefully, since you’re reading this it’s or will be Fabio Scalia Salon! As any professional stylist or colorist will say: doing your research matters on what type of haircut, style or color you’re looking for. Browse around, see the portfolios of what is offered because this is your hair.
Step 2: The Consultation
When scheduling your color appointment, a consultation will be required; colorist and client become unison of what is the expectation, the current color of the hair and what type of service and/or service steps will be realistically done to achieve such expectations. As Giulia states, this is where all honest, clear communication should take place before going further with the hair. Both hairdresser and client must be open in communicating on what can be done and what is truly expected; the integrity of the hair comes first. Which falls into the next step…
Step 3: Reading The Photo:
It’s easy to see a photo of a hairstyle or color and believe that the work could be done in one session, but in actuality, there was probably much more done to achieve that look. Giulia informs us that some hair photos you find online, either through magazines or Instagram, whether it be on a celebrity, model, influencer, etc., those luscious ombre/balayage/highlighted blonde ends could be extensions or had only been successfully and done with true integrity to the hair through multiple appointments.
Step 4: Matching Skin to Tone
This step can seem a bit of surprise and one that can usually be overlooked in the process of consultation with the colorist to the client, which can sometimes lead to achieving the desired color but feeling a bit off with how it looks on you. That is because the tone is everything with it comes to finding the right shade to compliment the natural tones of your complexion, eyes, etc. This is typically done by seeing whether you have warm or cool skin tones; cooler skin tones show lighter skin of pink undertones with on average jeweled colored eyes of greens, blues, hazels, and dark brown can do about anything with blue, violet-red, platinum bases. Warm skin tones show olive undertones of golden, warmth in natural hair color of rich dark to lighter browns, typically glowing with red or orange bases (but not actual orange!)
Step 5: How Much You’re Willing To Spend
It’s no secret that pampering your hair’s integrity and maintaining its glamorous look can add up, but with open communication with your colorist of what you’re expecting through the steps and process to achieve the overall hair color and style you’re desiring, then a more detailed, compromised plan can be set in place. When going platinum blonde, monthly root-touch ups are required, as well for maintaining darker colors and/or balayage. Though if you’re schedule or commitment cannot always be set month to month, you can always research and talk to your colorist about proper hair products that can do the maintaining in-between visits.
Here at Fabio Scalia, we offer a variety of options for different hair colors, textures and desired styling. Our ORIBE lines specify in helping maintain your hairs integrity and beauty through styling products to conditioners and shampoos that leave the hair looking luminous after each wash. At Fabio Scalia salon, our dedication is to provide you with not only an honest and comforting experience in our salons but also to bring the luxury of good hair to your home.