John Simpson's Pure vs. Pastel: Liquid Finish Using ElumenLead Artistic Director: John Simpson

Team Members: Rebecca Heile, Nick Pagano, Lindie Blackwell, Monica Long, Jeffrey Moffett, Daniel Rubin

Show Director: Cara Carr

Photography: Alec Watson

Fashion styling: Rod Novoa

Make-up: Eric Allen and Team, Jasmine Dastizad

John Simpson is one of the professional beauty industry’s most renowned colorists. As Goldwell’s Lead Artistic Director, Simpson has a keen understanding of today’s hottest trends in hair color and is part of the creative powerhouse team that designs the trends for tomorrow.

On stages and in classrooms across the globe, Simpson demonstrates the ability to convert advanced coloring formulations and application techniques to the hairdressing community in a way that translates regardless of skill level.

For this collection, Simpson was tasked with bringing to life the power of Goldwell color on stage at the 2013 North American Hairstyling Awards. “These looks are all about the refl ection of light through prisms,” Simpson says. “We mirrored the colors of the spectrum by converting pure shades to pastels. Mint, for example, is the same base formula as turquoise.”

Simpson looked to fashion stylist Rod Novoa to design the metallic, form-hugging gowns inspired by high-fashion runways. Each gown was designed and cut for the individual model’s body for a seamless, “magical” effect that complemented, not overpowered, the hair on the NAHA stage.

“This technique takes the color dipping trend to a more sophisticated level of color melting,” Simpson says. “It’s all about placement. You will never see stripes. The panels melt together to look like liquid.”

John Simpson's Pure vs. Pastel: Liquid Finish Using Elumen

TOTALLY TURQUOISE

After creating a circular section at the fringe and a curved “U” section from recession across crown to recession, Simpson took back-to-back horizontal slices alternating formulas A, B and C. On a diagonal rotation in the “U” section, he alternated all four formulas. He then applied Formula D to all remaining hair.

Formula A: Elumen 30 ml Tq@All
Formula B: Elumen 20 ml Tq@All + 5 ml YY@All + 10 ml Clear
Formula C: Elumen 25 ml Tq@All + 5 ml Bl@All
Formula D: Elumen 30 ml Tq@All + 10 ml Bl@All + 10 ml NA@2

John Simpson's Pure vs. Pastel: Liquid Finish Using Elumen

ICY MINT

After decolorizing to the palest yellow, and using the Shine Line Diffusion technique, Simpson applied Formula A as the background formula, then at 1" hairline recession to recession, he diffused Formula A into Formula B and, finally, into Formula C.

Formula A: Elumen 50 mls SV@10 + 1 ml Tq@All
Formula B: Elumen 40 mls Clear + 2 mls Tq@ All + 1ml YY@All
Formula C: Elumen 30 mls SV@10 + 10 mls Tq@All

John Simpson's Pure vs. Pastel: Liquid Finish Using Elumen

CINNAMON CHAMELEON

Using the Seamless Diffusion technique, Rebecca Heile used 4 formulas for this melted look. For the base, she used Formula A, it was diffused into mid high Formula B, which was diffused into mid low Formula C and then base low Formula D.

Formula A: Topchic 40 mls 20-volume developer + 20 mls 6RB + 20 mls 6KG
Formula B: Elumen 30 mls KB@7 + 10 mls Gk@All
Formula C: Elumen 30 mls BR@6 +.5 mls RV@All
Formula D: Elumen 30 mls AN@5 +.5 mls RR@All

John Simpson's Pure vs. Pastel: Liquid Finish Using Elumen

APRICOT DREAM

After decolorizing to the palest yellow, and establishing blonde clarity, using Formula A, Jeffrey Moffett and Nick Pagano created 4 diffused diagonal slices in each zone at nape to occipital, and from ear to temporal, using Formulas B and C.

Formula A: Elumen 50 ml GB@9
Formula B: Elumen 30 ml GB@9 + 10 ml KB@7 + 5 ml Gk@ All + 3 ml KK@ All
Formula C: Elumen 30 ml NB@10 + 5 ml KB@7 + 5 ml Gk@All + 1 ml Pk@All

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