Sarah Black is the principal colour specialist at Linton & Mac – the award-winning 1,690 sq ft salon in Aberdeen, Scotland. Sarah, age 26, is hugely passionate about creative colour. Her exceptional attention to detail resulted in her winning the 2017 L’Oréal Colour Trophy. [pictured left with her model, centre] and being placed third in the world at the International Style and Colour Trophy 2017. Respect to her!
We caught up with her to find out more about her session styling. We also learned about her research and development in the technical arena. She isn’t afraid to break the rules.
Her knowledge of the latest trends and techniques has made her extremely popular with her clients and a colour force to be reckoned with. Read on:
Sarah Black colour specialist at Linton & Mac
What does it take to win a colour competition like the prestigious Colour Trophy?
First, originality – you need to be able to think outside the box, look in unusual places for inspiration, and be willing to push creative boundaries.
Then, trend-awareness – surround yourself with the latest hair magazines from the UK, America, and further afield. Follow those who inspire you on Instagram and keep an eye on what they are doing. Inspiration for trends is absolutely everywhere.
You need commitment to the image you are trying to create – I was inspired by the 2017 Pantone colour of the year 2017 – Greenery, which then led me to experiment with different depths and intensities of green to find something quite muted and organic. After seeing quite a lot of 80s interpretations of the mullet on the runways, it seemed so wrong it was right
What has it brought to you 6 months along to have won the Colour Trophy? Both artistically and for the salon business?
It’s been the most incredible experience of my career. Not only has it raised my profile in the industry, but also it has opened the door to many opportunities such as working as a L’Oréal iD Artist, working with major players such as photographer Jack Eames, and given me the opportunity to travel. It’s been an unrivalled experience. I feel like this award has made us all feel unstoppable as a brand. Linton & Mac is only two years old, so we’re all looking forward to what the future brings us as a team.
How do you find a winning look in a current trend?
I believe that any hair trend can become a winning look; it just needs personal interpretation, dedication, and commitment to the image that you are trying to create. Beauty, expense and wearability also need to be taken into account.
What is the biggest colour trend you see now?
Smokey hair is my newest obsession! Smokey blondes, mauves and pinks are so effortlessly cool and are taking social media by storm. We are noticing a rise in requests for this modern hair phenomenon, and are able to deliver incredible results. Using the newly launched L’Oréal Professionnel Majirel Metals and DIA Richesse Pure Tones in Silver Milkshake and Rose Gold Milkshake.
Thanks Sarah, and we’ll be watching what you do next!
At Colour World UK we believe in colourists being equally important as hairdressers. Colourists do infact play a major role when it comes to the success of a salon business! Clients deserve excellent colour services. Embracing the importance of a great colour consultation through to end result therefore is an important aspect each salon should have.
We salute manufacturers and brands offering a great product innovation which enable colour technicians to explore their creativity and offer a bespoke colour to every client. We offer colour conversation and inspiration for you to browse, and respect colour-focused education and events from what’s on and where, to our own Colour World UK event 2018 which support our industry and promise to do our best to bring you news and information to help you succeed.
Looking for some more colour inspiration? Here you go:
