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Martino Cartier, International Artistic Director for Keratin Complex, is so over the word OMBRE, but lets face...it IS a practical and pretty color design. Martino has come up with the 2013 version of this "color flow", a fave for clients and a fun design for colorists to create.

"It's more of a color melt or a color explosion," he says.  "It's graduated color, giving a ton of different depths of tone and lightness. It's fun and easy."

Here Martino offers steps to get the best results:

1. Divide the hair in two sections, one above and one below the rounds of the head. Divide using large, deep V sections, for an exaggerated zig zag.

2. Split the triangle in half, overdirect and twist.

3. Wrap the section around a foiling comb and slide down.

4. Take the twisted base and secure in a rubber band.

5. Create about 6 of these below the zig zag and about 6 above the zig zag parting so that the ponytails are stacked.

6. Using "It's a Blonde Thing" blended with 40 volume developer (all Keratin Complex), paint the top and bottom only of each ponytail. Begin the coloring on the lower ponytails, going back and forth from side to side, working to the back of the head.

7. Then go to the top ponytails, again painting just the top and bottom of each (this will allow the bottom color to process faster).

8. Process for 15 minutes and then shampoo and condition the hair.

 

"The sectioning and the ponytail kicks it up a notch," adds Martino, "and gives a lot of movement. When its all said and done, the result is quite natural. The twisting takes away any line of demarkation and leaves so much dimension... beautiful, seamless color."

Check out the video to see how Martino creates the ponytails, followed by the finished result.

 

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