COLOUR NOTES

Coia Dahill, aka Coia Styles, shares her love for lived-in blondes and discusses the battle of finding time to try new techniques

What do you love most about being a colourist?

I love creating something beautiful for my clients – planning out the placement, where I need to add light and depth and creating shape within the colour. I love seeing it all come together.

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

What would you most like to change about your colour; this ties the conversation to your starting point – their existing colour.

FEELIN’ PEACHY

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

90s stripes or chunky highlights – I absolutely could not get on board with it. This is where you should always recommend another stylist for work that you don’t specialise in or that you really don’t want to create.

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

Not really. Blending and blonding are my main focus and thankfully for me we are still in the era of lived-in colour.

ALL ABOUT BALANCE

What are the challenges facing colourists right now?

With the demands we’re currently facing in the industry, salons are trying to get as many clients in as possible. This leaves both stylists and colourists without enough time to try out new techniques either experimentally or from what they’ve learnt on a course. This means they’ll simply revert to what has always worked for them in the past and miss out on trying anything new.

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

I think the next big colour trend will be really soft, blended balayage with stronger tones, such as red cherry which is looking very popular for 2025.

CREATING SHAPE

What colour creation makes you most proud?

I love to see the results of a lived-in blonde – a soft face frame that’s creamy blonde through the mid-lengths ending with a gorgeous blend and enough depth left around the crown.

What advice would you give to a trainee colourist?

Don’t be in a rush. When you come back from a course, take the time to practise the techniques on a dolls head.

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

Mistakes happen, it’s when we learn. I have worked hard to always try my best to create the most beautiful hair, but also to know how to fix or adjust any mistakes. Confidence and communication are key for this; being honest relieves my anxiety and keeps the client in the loop.