UPDATE: 9 Dec 2014!
(pardon the shameless selfies)
This is me, with the hair 1 week after the colouring session with Danson at 99 Percent Hair Studio (Katong). Not as vibrant wine-purple as it was right after the colouring session, but still a pretty red/purple/pink/copper mix. I have the balayage style and Danson's technique to thank!
2 weeks after the colouring session, the red/purple is gone, leaving a very subtle faded strawberry red. Or pastel-ish pink. It doesn't quite show on pictures, but shows when I'm under strong light. Wasn't too surprised when the colour faded fast because I was aware of my hair condition (bleached/damaged hair doesn't retain colour well, and colours wash out fast. If you want colours to last longer, be prepared to do a few colouring sessions before the colour starts retaining).
Nevertheless, I'm pretty happy with how the colour has faded!
Also, the hair is still softer than it used to be before the Brazilian Blowout. I used to wake up with crazy explosive hair, but no more!
Update, out.
(read below for original post on colouring session!)
(read here for discount code for 99 Percent Hair Studio (Katong MODA)!)
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After putting my hair through a bleach+gorgeous 5-colour dye and another two dyes after to get it back to black for a show, I swore to let my hair rest. No more colouring for the next year.
Who was I kidding.
Sorry hair, colours are too pretty to resist :P
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Here's me, with straw hair and tired, washed out colours from the previous two dyes (brown and dark brown).
Naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to give my tired-looking hair a lift. When Danson from 99 Percent (Katong MODA) first told me about the latest trendy colouring technique, I had to google the term. Pardon my ignorance; I've heard of ombre and dip-dye, but balayage? Fortunately, I found an article that was enough to satisfy my curiosity before visiting Danson again.
First things first, Danson gave me a trim to give my hair a softer look and feel.
Danson's tip: Balayage complements softer looking hair, and isn't suitable for dead straight/blunt hairstyles (think seriously rebonded hair).
What I love about Danson: He's one of the most thoughtful and personable hair stylists I've ever met. He's got the know-how to help you get the look that best suits you, has plenty of tips for hair care, and is super enthusiastic about his works. Before we got started on colouring, he showed me pictures of all his customers and their various styles, his excitement clearly showing.
The necessary step before applying colours: bleach. To achieve the balayage effect, certain parts of the hair have to be lighter than the rest. Spot bleaching is necessary if you want a more obvious colour gradient. Spot Tian and Kelly in the background. I'm feeling very pampered, having the team work on my hair.
Danson works his magic and applies bleach to selected parts of my hair. To achieve the balayage effect, the strokes and brushes are important, and the stylist needs precision and care when applying bleach. Do it wrong, and the eventual colour gradient won't be as pretty.
I'm glad I have Danson working on my hair! I honestly think the man's an artist and can probably draw very well if he decides to give it a try :D
Time to let the bleach set in, with the help of my trusty heater friend.
Meanwhile, here's a look at the colours Danson suggested. Mine would be a mixture of 8.66 and 7.66 (and another shade of red from another colour chart). Danson recommended a red-purple mix of sorts, closer to wine. Nothing too garish, and not neon red, because that's honestly not a colour Asians can pull off.
"出去會嚇死人。自己看鏡子都會嚇死。"
Gotta love Danson and his tips :D Knowing his expertise in picking the right colours for his customers, I decided to just go with what he recommended!
Washing off the bleach to prepare my hair for colouring (for some weird reason, I love how the streaks of bleach look in my hair).
Blowing dry my wet hair, with Mark and 99 Percent Katong's latest addition (I didn't manage to catch her name).
My hair after spot-bleaching; I like the subtle differences in tone already!
See the slight differences in tone? All thanks to Danson's meticulous strokes when applying bleach!
Applying the first colour mixture to my roots...
... then the second colour mixture to most of my hair...
... and finally, the brightest mixture of the reds used for the tips.
And it's waiting time (the timer started at 30 minutes. I only decided it was fun to take a shot of the timer a few minutes later :P)!
Time to wash the mixture off (check out the water!).
See the difference in tone?
Blowing dry the hair after washing out the dye.
Another shot to show the colour difference. And that's what balayage is all about: creating slight differences in tone to give an illusion of dimension and depth.
Because I have hair that's pretty damaged from previous colourings, Danson decided to SOS my hair with their Brazilian Blowout Treatment. This famous hair treatment gets rid of frizz and leaves your hair feeling very soft and smooth. Keratin penetrates and coats the hair shaft, making damaged hair straight and healthy again. Sounds like something I need!
Unlike your regular hair treatments, the Brazilian Blowout Treatment involves 3 steps.
Step 1: Hair wash with special shampoo.
Step 2 (pictured here): Application of treatment.
Step 3: Blowing dry (hence the "blowout" in its name)! Unlike regular treatments where the cream is washed off after being left on for a while, the Brazilian Blowout involves letting the treatment cream set for 15 minutes or so before blowing dry and applying heat.
This picture doesn't capture it, but there was a bit of smoke coming off my hair during the blow dry. Danson shared that this is part of the process, and that he's had even smokier times than mine :P
Hair all dried and ironed after the Brazilian Blowout.
Here's my hair after each blow-dry.
(Left) Hair after washing out the dye.
(Right) Hair after the Brazilian Blowout.
See the difference?
New hairstyle, all blown dry and straight.
The balayage effect is best seen with slightly curled hair, and complements soft, flowy hairstyles best. Danson gave me a slight curl to illustrate the effect. The colour looks different in these two pictures, but it's really just the difference in lighting.
That's what I love about the balayage effect! The different tones in my hair highlight and complement my features and the colour catches light differently from different angles.
More about balayage...
- a French colouring technique developed in the 1970s; like all things vintage, it's now creeping its way back into fashion
- in French, the word means "to sweep" or "to paint"
- freehand technique; during application, the strokes and brushes can make or break the look (the more skilled, the nicer the effect!)
- can be done on both short and long hair, but the best results can be seen in hair below the shoulders
- requires little maintenance; grows out beautifully and naturally so you don't get an obvious regrowth line
More about Brazilian Blowout...
- good for those with curly, frizzy hair that's hard to manage, or those with very badly damaged hair
- make sure you go to a certified salon if you've decided to give Brazilian Blowout a try; it's important to have stylists who know what they're doing
- one of the controversial chemicals in this treatment: formaldehyde; included in this treatment to help modify hair proteins, called keratins, causing the hair to return to its original smooth, healthy state. If a salon is not using the right mixture of chemicals when doing this treatment, it can be dangerous
- some people have had allergic reactions to this treatment because of the concentrated chemicals in it (I have sensitive skin and scalp; the treatment I had at 99 Percent went well. This isn't to say that anyone with sensitive skin will be fine, so always consult your stylist before going ahead with this treatment)
- this is a pricey treatment that doesn't come cheap! It typically costs $300-500 (it costs $300-500 at 99 Percent Hair Salon) so be wary of super low deals that look too good to be true. Rock-bottom prices may mean they're not using the right formula
- again, this isn't for everyone. As Danson shared, regular treatments (organic, herbal, etc.) are good enough for most people. Except me. I have horrendous hair :P
My afterthoughts:
Experience at 99 Percent Hair Salon (Katong MODA): 10/10
Danson and his team never fail to make me feel completely at home. It's always good to have people you feel comfortable around, and it's a bonus when they're all skilled hair professionals! :)
2-Colour Dye (bleach included) + Brazilian Blowout: 10/10
The colours used were ammonia-free, with the exception of the bleach. Always good to have ammonia-free hair products! After my last successful colouring session with Danson, I had plenty of confidence in his selection of colours and colouring expertise. I've always wondered about red/purple for my hair but never tried out of fear. Danson was convinced a red-purple-wine mix would suit me. I'm glad I went along with his recommendation!
As for the Brazilian Blowout Treatment after, I only have three words to say about it.
Thank. You. Danson.
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So, no washing of hair for 2 days after Brazilian Blowout. That's okay, I basked in the smoothness of my hair.
So. Smooth. I haven't seen my hair this smooth and manageable in ages.
2 days after visiting Danson in the salon, my first hair wash. As Danson had advised, the colour ran. The colour will keep running for quite a while. Danson mixed in a colour from another brand that's known to last slightly longer to try and preserve the colours in my hair (again, he impresses me with his knowledge of colours). Purples and reds don't last long anyway, so I knew what to expect.
Time will tell.
A little bit of frizz is back, but hair is still much more manageable than it was before the Brazilian Blowout.
It's been 3 washes since doing the treatment and apart from some frizz, my hair is still smooth and soft!
Another colour update will come in two weeks or so.
Till then, :)
