Rodrick Samuels on The Silent Work, Modern Beauty Education and Why Empathy Wins
MODERN SALON sat down with Samuels to discuss the book, beauty education, mentorship and the habits that help beauty professionals thrive.
by Anne Moratto
TIP OF THE DAY: The Secret to High End Highlights
There are ordinary, pretty highlights and then there are platinum-level, A-list highlights-delicate, luminous, natural-looking highlights that evoke the impression of luxury, privilege and a client who is decidedly well-cared for.
April 16, 2014
2 min to read
Actress/producer Jennifer Aniston arrives at the 'Life Of Crime' Premiere during the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival at Roy Thomson Hall on September 14, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by George Pimentel/WireImage)
There are ordinary, pretty highlights and then there are platinum-level, A-list highlights-delicate, luminous, natural-looking highlights that evoke the impression of luxury, privilege and a client who is decidedly well-cared for! Celebrities like Kate Hudson, Julianne Hough and the highlight role model herself—Jennifer Aniston—all sport high-quality, first-class highlights, and if you can produce work like this, your books will always be full. Here are some of my tips:
1. There are two ways to go when highlighting—a double process like Kate Hudson’s bright, golden blonde or a heavy highlight with a natural base like Jennifer Aniston’s color. The amount of depth at the roots will dictate the amount of upkeep required—the lighter the base the more often your client will need to come in for retouches.
2. Modern highlights in Hollywood are usually done with a balayage technique—hand-painted for a natural, blended effect rather than foiled, which creates a more defined, streaked effect. People sometimes think balayage is an effect like ombrè rather than a technique, but it’s the latter. So it’s possible to apply very fine, delicate balayage highlights as well as heavier balayage sections, depending on the desired effect.
3. The most expensive-looking highlighted designs are usually achieved with a combination of highlights and lowlights.
4. When retouching, focus on refreshing the roots and if necessary, the crown and face-frame area, in order to preserve the integrity of the hair. Full highlights generally only need to be redone once or twice a year. To keep highlighted hair as healthy as possible, I recommend Biolage Advanced Keratindose Shampoo and Conditioner treatment and Pro-Keratin Renewal Spray to all of my celebrity clients. This system really takes great care of chemically-processed hair!
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