Colour NOTES
Anneliese Hesse of Humankind Hair, talks magentas, freehand techniques, and big old re-dos!
NATURAL GREY
PASTEL BALAYAGE
BRUNETTE CURLS
What do you love most about being a colourist?
The ability to transform a person – not just their look, but their confidence too.
What is the most important question you ask in a colour consultation?
I think it’s more the accumulation of knowledge you get from all the questions combined. I find the use of visuals and specifics really helpful in understanding exactly what a person likes and dislikes.
What colour trends are you pleased to see out of fashion and why?
I don’t love it when the trend means a high degree of damage to the hair, or a look that's unachievable for most people. For example, silver ombre with tinted dark roots – it’s impossible to achieve again in the future!
Are there any colour trends you’d like to bring back and why?
I’m much more of a ‘do whatever makes you feel great’ colourist. I don’t care whether it’s deemed to be fashionable or not.
What challenges are facing colourists right now?
The obvious answer is AI inspiration photos. It can make consultations challenging, but personally it doesn’t bother me that much. Just because the image they’re showing you isn’t real, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be created.
What do you think will be the next big colour trend?
With the 00’s fashion comeback, I wouldn’t be surprised to see magentas and dark violets back, maybe even blue/black.
What colour techniques are you known for?
Grey blending and balayage. I also do a lot of curly hair and use a lot of freehand techniques – especially with tighter curls.
What colour work makes you most proud and why?
A big old re-do! Anything that involves an unhappy client at the start, who doesn’t think they could possibly ever like their hair. Then the shock and joy when the transformation is complete.
What advice would you give to a trainee colourist?
Don’t ask what, ask why. When you understand the reasons behind any technique, placement or formulation, it all becomes so much easier.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from being a colourist?
You’re not going to get it right first time, every time. I make sure clients know it’s possible that we may tone/colour things more than once, and this doesn’t mean something has gone wrong. Often we’ll dry off the top or the front of the hair, have a chat about it, and make any adjustments if needed. I’d rather do this than have an unhappy client, or an unhappy me!
#COLOURINSPO
1 NATURAL GREY
The inspiration for this look was based entirely on my client’s needs. We worked to remove as much dark tint as possible before toning unwanted warmth and adding lowlights.
2 PASTEL BALAYAGE
Here, we layered pale pink, warm peach and a pop of yellow – all shades which will fade back to blonde, leaving my client with a low maintenance, manageable colour that can be brightened as and when she feels like it.
3 BRUNETTE CURLS
Here, we used different brunette shades to make my client’s curls pop. We combined this with a demi-permanent chocolate brown connecting to her natural colour, making maintenance and future changes much easier.