Caitie Kennedy (@caitie.colors) is a Redken Educator, and a color correction and blonding specialist based in Milwaukee, WI. She has a fervent love for the science of hair and hair color, and we appreciated a video she shared responding to a hair color trend that is all over TikTok.  

Her video addressed the Scandi or Scandinavian Hairline Trend, which seeks to mimic those natural Nordic Blondes who sprout the whitest and lightest of blonde hair.  Kennedy, in her video, said she looked at this and saw it as the “Gen Z version of a base break”—and we wanted her to break it down, even more.

Related: How-to: The Hairline Halo Technique

MODERN SALON: How would you describe the Scandinavian Hairline Trend and where did it originate?

CAITIE KENNEDY: The modern Scandinavian Hairline Trend is something that has become viral on TikTok. It’s a service where a TINY sliver of baby hair around the hairline is pulled forward onto the forehead and an inch or so of lightener is applied to the regrowth area and processed anywhere from 5-15 minutes.

MS:What client might this be right for? What client do you think this is wrong for? 

CK:  If you choose to do this technique, it would be for people who are level 7 or above, have healthy hair, and don’t wear tight ponytails or other high-tension styles around the front hairline. 

MS:Is the bleach painted right on the skin?

CK:  From what I’ve seen on the Tok, yes…which I do not recommend. Our guests and clients use a huge variety of skin care products; the variable of lighteners reacting to retinols, SPFs, AHAs, hydrogen peroxide and more is unknown. 

MS: Is this done as part of the full, overall color service or can it be done as a touchup service?

CK:  It’s commonly done during the initial service but can absolutely be used to touch up as well. 

MS:What is the grow out going to be?

CK:  I think the grow out truly varies based on the intensity of the technique.  For example, if a stylist uses a wider section of hair around the hair line, with higher intensity developer left to process for longer, you’ll have a harsher brighter line and more stark grow out.

If a stylist utilizes a slower lifting lightener, 10 volume developer, with a fine section of the hairline,  it’ll have a very soft grow out. 

MS:If clients are coming in and requesting this of stylists, but a stylist is not comfortable or doesn’t think their client is a good fit for this process, how do you suggest they respond?

CK:   I ALWAYS suggest refusing service or having supervision from someone in your salon that knows how to do a technique before trying it on a paying customer. This is a delicate service being done on the most fragile parts of the hair-- take models first! 

MS: And what are your watchouts and/or concerns with this trend?

CK:  My major concern with this trend is the canvas it’s being performed on. We are painting bleach lightener on the most fragile and sensitive parts of the hair. Baby hairs.

My other concern is performing this service on someone with coarser hair or a darker base. More warmth will be exposed. 

MS: What do you suggest as an alternative to achieve a similar result?

CK:  I would suggest permanent color in its place. I’m a huge lover of permanent clear. Permanent clear will have a gentler lift and a softer effect!