There is a blanket of frost over the parks and early morning commuters are wrapped in coats and knitted scarves…winter has clearly arrived. Although beachy summer looks are out, blondes still have a place in the colder months. Lea Shaw says winter is the season to experiment with blondes. Your time creating beautiful blondes for salon clients is still ongoing. To help, Leah lists the best shades for winter and a few tips on achieving them.
Blondes for winter by Lea Shaw:
Icy Blonde
Lea says: First up is icy blonde, a classic for any time of year but perfect if your client wants to embrace the cold. The shade has been popular over the years, but warm blondes took over this summer. I can’t wait to see more icy blondes now that winter is here. As with most blondes, this is a high-maintenance look. Your clients will have to commit to it truly. Here’s a good tip you can pass on: If clients are used to maintaining a cool blonde, they should be fine as maintenance for icy blond is similar.
How to achieve
To achieve this shade, I recommend starting with Joico Blondelife Lighter 20vol and 5vol. You can experiment with this and combine to your desired lift or developer strength. Then, pre-tone the hair with Joico 10V Lumishine Demi Liquid before starting the lightening process. This will help to neutralise any warm undertones. Next, mix Joico Quick Tone Silver, Violet and Clear, then add a drop of Joico Lumishine 10NG. When applying this, ensure even saturation for consistent toning throughout the hair. Don’t forget to finish off with a nourishing conditioner.”
Light Golden Blonde
This light golden blonde is for clients looking for winter warmth. This shade is perfect for natural blondes who want a change. The colour is excellent for clients gently transitioning to a platinum blonde, although this doesn’t mean they must go all the way. They can even enhance this shade by adding pops of silver or icy blonde to get that extra wintery feeling or added dimension.
How to achieve
Joico Lumishine Demi Liquid 9NV & 10PV Glosses are perfect for achieving this shade – fantastic colours! This nourishing product gives the hair a lot of natural shine, making the blonde pop. Your client will leave the salon feeling confident.
Caramel balayage
Some people call this the lightest brunette, but I call this the darkest blonde. This is a gorgeous caramel balayage for clients who don’t want to commit to the full blonde. This is a low-maintenance look which many clients look for in the wintertime. You can have fun with this one and adapt your balayage techniques and shades to suit your clients. Also, remember to consider the starting level of the hair and adjust the processing time accordingly.”
How to achieve:
Mix a lowlight formula and a highlight formula to create depth and dimension in the hair. For the lowlights, I recommend Joico LumiShine DD Crème 6NWB. For the highlights, use Joico Blondelife Lightener with 20vol. Apply the lowlight and highlight formulas strategically using balayage techniques for a natural and blended effect. Lastly, mix Joico Lumishine 8NWB with a drop of 8NRG JOICO DD Creme 5vol for richness and shine – this will finish the look of this flawless look.
Thanks to Lea for sharing these beautiful winter blondes. Hopefully this has given you some colour inspiration for the colder months ahead.
Looking for some more colour inspiration? Here you go: INSPIRATION
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