Blondes Have More Fun

Love it or hate it, we can’t escape from the fact that permanent hair dye damages the hair.  Ammonia, a chemical that has been used in colouring treatments for decades, is the main culprit. The smell seems noxious – it burns our noses when inhaled, and our scalps if left on too long.  The process dries out our tresses, too, and makes it more vulnerable to splitting. But those of us who do it regularly just plug our noses and bear it- another small price to pay for highlights or covering grey.

However, beauty editors and my stylists alike seem to sticking to their guns about L’Oreal’s INOA (short for Innovation No Ammonia) ammonia-free hair colour.  It’s been the hot topic of beauty magazines worldwide, and the darling of many a colour technician, but is by no means the first ammonia-free dye to be used in a salon. 

With ammonia-free products having been established for many years, it takes something revolutionary to create a buzz in the world of hair colour.  INOA created just that- it was the first 100% ammonia-free odourless permanent colorant with Oil Delivery System technology and is completely exclusive to L’Oréal salons. It heralded a change in modern hair colouring- from its advanced technology to its sensorial in-salon experience.

Until now, however, blondes haven't been having more fun, as ammonia has been a vital ingredient in achieving great high lift permanent colour results.  Yet, through months of intensive research, L'Oreal have created INOA Ultablond: the first ever high lift blonde ammonia-free hair colour designed to offer women the blonde they’ve been dreaming of.

This breakthrough formulation is called ODS2: an oil base that drives the colourant into the heart of the hair fibre without the need for ammonia and provides greater respect for the hair and greater scalp comfort.

After application, hair is left with a smooth finish, a softer touch and a radiant shine and even more importantly, protected.  With some hair colour, the more it is applied the more damage it can do to your hair if you don’t really look after it, but INOA helps to maintain the hair’s natural levels of essential amino acids and lipids which is, in simple terms, all the natural good stuff in your hair!

With many ammonia dyes, the range of colour is a legitimate difficulty in achieving a natural look and feel, since some colours contain more chemicals and are harder to sustain. Whilst many brands produce ammonia free dyes, they are offered in a severely limited number of colours, simply because they don’t hold to the hair.  Now featuring a portfolio of hues with the ability to lighten up to five levels, darken hair and perfectly cover 100% white hair, INOA offers intense colour results and the most true and predictable shades of any hair colouring. Never has our copper been so radiant, blonde so pure and brunette so rich.

From natural shades through to fashion colours including neutralising cool tones and vibrant, warm hues, INOA is worth trying, whatever your style. It can lighten up to give levels and promises perfect even coverage from root to tip, whether you want a full colour change; to cover your white hair; or to simply update your look. 

Taking it Higher...

We’re through to the final!  After weeks of deliberation, practise runs and artboards filled of different ideas, we’re delighted to have reached first place in the regional finals of the L’Oreal Colour Trophy.  

Pipping a total of 35 other salons to the post, our gorgeous pastel pink look impressed judges with what was described as a ‘modern and inspirational hair colour with a stunning editorially inspired finish’.   

Yet, we’re not the only ones that are celebrating the merits of pastel pink. Much-loved actress Helen Mirren rocked the red carpet by sporting a new pink hair do.  She’s ahead of a trend that predicts pastel shades will be THE big style of the season.

It’s a look that our team were eager to try with Georgia, our salon assistant turned Colour Trophy model.    So, after much discussion, the local girl had her look changed from bubbly blonde to a muted cotton candy pink shade by Greg and the colour team at Reds.

Although Georgia  hadn’t been particularly daring with her hair before, she was quick to describe it as really fresh and modern.

She certainly loves the style, and even though it is only semi-permanent colour, she tells me she’s going to keep my new shade of hair for a while. All of the reds customers think my new hairstyle looks fab and that the shade of pink really suits her – I’ve even encouraged her to keep it like this!

Whilst it’s taken the celebrity world by storm, any significant colour change needs care and attention if you’re going to try it yourself.

Prior to colouring it’s best to shampoo your hair 24 hours beforehand, as this ensures you retain the natural oils which protect and nourish your scalp during the colouring process.

Make sure you choose a shade you’re happy with, don’t be too daring with colour if you’re not prepared to wait it out, especially if it’s permanent dye rather than semi-permanent.

If you’re looking to go the colour of Georgia, your hair may have to be bleached depending on your current shade – a tricky process best left to my colour team.

To prolong the colour, don’t wash your hair too often, minimise your usage of heat-styling appliances, condition it well and protect it from the sun.

If you’re thinking of adding colour to your hair – any colour – I would always recommend you seek the advice of a professional colourist beforehand in order to ensure your hair is kept in the best condition during the procedure

It is also compulsory to conduct a skin test 24 hours prior to colouring your hair, something which we can easily do for you.

I’m sure that once you’ve seen Georgia’s colour, you’ll be wanting to be pretty in pink!

Reds and L'Oréal Team Up for Offer

Reds are offering a free L’Oreal Professionnel shanpoo and conditioner to every client who has a treatment (£15) with their regular service. City Centre salon manager, Amelia Hall said “Our clients are just loving the offer, because they are being prescribed the right hair and conditioner for their hair type, which will mean that their hair will be health, shiny and in great condition between salon visits”.

Reds Nose Day!

Reds hairdressers and therapists supported Comic Relief this Friday by sporting red noses and fancy dress whilst being sponsored by their clients.

“Red nose day is always great fun in the salon, there’s always a laugh and a buzz, and this year we sold noses, deely boppers, and wrist bands, and we managed to raise a great deal of money for a fantastic cause”, said Reds’ Susan Hall 

Hairdressers Offer Style with a Smile

When it comes to happiness at work, it would appear that hairdressers are a cut above the rest. Recent Research reveals that two in five hairdressers rated themselves as “extremely happy” and thriving on the creativity and contact with customers.

The survey, commissioned by the qualifications authority City & Guilds, led to a contentment list based on satisfaction felt in various jobs.

Hairdressers were found to be the most content, followed by the clergy, chefs, beauticians and plumbers. The unhappiest are listed as social workers, architects, civil servants, estate agents, secretaries and lawyers.

Chris Humphries, director general of City & Guilds, said: “Nowadays true job satisfaction and happiness is about fulfiling your full potential, tapping into your own creativity and feeling that you can make a difference.

“More people than ever are swapping their desk-bound jobs for a vocation that enables them to be hands-on, use their brains and be in charge of their own destiny.”

Interviews for the annual survey were carried out with 1,200 people, from 15 jobs the body classified as vocational (including skilled practitioners and craftsworkers) and 15 from jobs classed as professional (or “white collar”).

Workers were asked to rate their satisfaction with various aspects of their job, including pay, stress levels and their ability to be their own boss.

Charna Tyrell, who works as a Stylist at Reds was not surprised by the results. “I’ve been here for 5 years, but it doesn’t feel anything like that long. If you love what you do, the time just goes by. I’ve had great training at Reds, and have had loads of opportunities to go on courses to develop my skills,” the hairdresser said.

Salon owner, Susan Hall, agreed. “I absolutely love what I do,” she said. “The thing about hair is it’s very personal, and its lovely to see our clients leaving the salon in a happy mood because they have been cheered up whilst having their hair done. I would recommend anyone considering a career in hairdressing to give us a call ”

A Close Look at GHD'S Latest 'Super Straightener'

After attending the UK launch of ghd’s latest product, the Eclipse, -billed as the ‘super straightener’, Amelia Hall was given a pair of Eclipse to test in the salon. She was asked for her views. ‘When I was first given the  Eclipse, I was a little apprehensive. After all ghd have spent the last ten years making fabulous straighteners, so how could they improve it so significantly?’ said Amelia.

I’ve now used the Eclipse in the salon for the past month, and must say -I’m impressed!. Firstly lets start with the look and feel, they feel luxurious, yet robust, giving the confidence of a quality piece of kit and then there’s the switch on - the irons actually ‘talk’ to you when you first plug them in, making a cool techno noise, but its the technical ability of these straighteners that really set them apart.

The Eclipse has got tri-zone technology which means that it’s got three heat zones within each plate so that the temperature maintains a constant heat, which is great, and this helps to deliver the best and fastest styling results yet on any hair texture. For a hairdresser its these results that these straighteners give that really impresses.

The plates seems to glide over the hair, there’s no tug, and this means that they are great on Afro hair or indeed any type of coarse hair. The best results I have seen are on hair that just loves to frizz normally under damp conditions, which normally takes an age to straighten - with the Eclipse it takes just one pass, AND it lasts ages!

After the initial scepticism, I must say that ghd have got this one right, they do exactly what ghd claim that are supposed to do and for anyone with coarse or difficult to tame hair who wants super smooth, straight hair then I thoroughly recommend them. I know they are expensive, but the difference that  they make is well worth it.

Over the last month the Eclipse has become an essential part of my hairdressing kit, and I’m pleased to say that we’ve now got several pairs in the salon, which means that we can all stop fighting over them!