COLOUR NOTES

Norman Boulton discusses his love for colour blocking and shares what he believes makes someone a colour expert

What do you love most about being a colourist?

I love that it’s all about human connection and being able to give someone confidence with skills you’ve developed, using your own two hands.

What is the most important question you ask in a colour consultation and why?

Asking them how they feel about their hair is a great way to start, because it’s not just about how the hair looks – it’s how they feel about themselves.

What colour trends are you pleased to see out of fashion?

I’m here for individuality, so I love seeing lots of trends come through.

ANIMATION ICON

Are there any colour trends you’d like to bring back?

The half face frame – so rather than having the full front pieces of the hair coloured, just having the middle section of that piece, or just one side of the hair. It was something different.

What are the challenges facing colourists right now?

With the cost-of-living crisis, the price of performing colour services is at an all-time high, and when you combine this with how fast social media can make a colour transformation look, some customers don’t appreciate the true cost of a service – so it’s about finding people who are willing to pay.

UNEXPECTED INSPIRATION

What do you think will be the next big colour trend?

Across the board I’ve seen more people wanting lower maintenance looks; rather than seeing colour right up to the root, I think it will be more melting colours and blended root effects.

What colour techniques are you known for?

Aside from vivids, I definitely think colour blocking, precision and finesse. Perfect colour work is my favourite thing to do.

SWEET HOME ALABAMA

What colour creation makes you most proud?

I did a vivid colour blocking look two years ago with pinks, oranges and yellows. I pushed myself so far out of my comfort zone to achieve that; it took me 12 hours over two days.

What advice would you give to a trainee colourist?

Wear gloves from the beginning of your career, even when you’re washing hair. Contact dermatitis can end careers.

12 HOUR TRANSFORMATION

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from being a colourist?

Hair is a funny material to work with – sometimes it will not do what you want it to do, whether you like it or not. You can try different concoctions and formulas, but sometimes it will not go to plan. What makes someone a colour expert is knowing what to do after this.