HAIR PAINTING

Have you heard of hair painting??? Hair Painting is a hot trend that is here to stay and is a fantastic option to add lightness (or color) around the face or throughout the mid lengths and ends of the hair in a blended and natural way. The application technique allows for a soft diffusion of color drawing the eye down the hair shaft to the lighter focal point.

I’ve been getting highlights and lowlights in my hair over the past twenty years – and every time I go to my local salon and they ask, “What are we doing this time?” I look at my darling stylist and reply, “I don’t know… same old thing – some highlights, mix in some lowlights” and that’s that.

Except last year – when I was new to synthetic hormones my hair wouldn’t lighten. Different. Normal for post-thyroid cancer patients, but different. That could be another post for another day.

You could say I was in a hair color rut and while I’ve been watching the hair painting trend spread through social media like a wild fire this past year I was dying to try it! The best part: Aubrey Nelson who was trained in NYC and an expert at hair painting moved to Salt Lake City, Utah this past year!!!

Both of the above pictures were taken BEFORE. I had a very typical mix of darks/lights in my hair with most of the lightest hair being near my crown.

AFTER:

The technique of hair painting is an art form. Colorists use a special technique that ditches the foil method and instead color is painted directly onto the hair. It is a free style highlighting technique derived from it’s sister technique “balayage” which was created in Paris over a decade ago. The term “Balayage” means “sweeping” in French and refers to the sweeping motion that is used in carrying out the technique, Balayage is done top to end but not all the way to the root. It brings life back into your strands without a big commitment and creates a beautiful natural looking finish.

A trained painter uses the way the hair naturally falls to target the placement of color resulting in a softer, more natural, and fluid color. With the combination of application pressures, placement, tonal choices and the painter’s own personal style, the unlimited results of hair painting are what make it unique and the most innovative color technique of it’s time (info from Aubrey Nelson’s site here)

I’m very happy with how it turned out! It does take time, but Aubrey is so talented and committed to the clients finished results. I believe she used three or four toners at the end to reach the exact blonde she thought my hair should be. It took more time than normal but I love it – and will be booking with her again! Aubrey also teaches this technique in workshops across the U.S. – you can find her schedule here and on her instagram @ilovehairpainting.

Have you tried hair painting???

Photos & styling by: Mindy Johnson.