beauty call

The sudden cold weather and our office’s big feng shui move last week inspired a sudden desire for personal transformation. I decided to dye my black hair red, went to my neighborhood salon and ended up with an in-between red brown that washed me out. 2 words: Not. Cool.

Bummed out, I accompanied Alyssa to the renowned John Sahag Workshop on 49th and Madison the next day for a dry cut with our awesome stylist Karmela. After working her magic, Karmela introduced me to colorist-extraordinaire Samantha from France. (Yes, everyone there is really that great.) Samantha took one look at me and pronounced the color too light. She suggested coloring the top of my hair a rich burgundy and lightening the tips with bright red accents whereupon I plopped down in her chair as fast as I could and put my hair in her capable hands.

Always the first to sign up for a class, learn a new technique and be in the know, Samantha is on the cutting edge of hair color. While I was in the chair I picked her brain about Fall 09 hair color trends and products. 

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Q.WHAT ARE THE POPULAR COLORS FOR FALL/WINTER 2009?
Samantha: For Brunettes, chestnut is a beautiful color. So is spicy tone on tones – think cinnamon and chocolate.

For Redheads, rich burgundys and mahoganys are perfect for the colder seasons.

Blondes tend to tone down their color in the winter time. Warm, golden blonde with caramel and honey highlights has been really popular. The highlights add a nice dimension to the color.  

Q.WHAT CAN CLIENTS DO TO PROLONG THEIR COLOR IN BETWEEN SALON VISITS?
S: A glaze is great way to refresh and enhance color in between visits. So if you do highlights every few months, come in during the 4th or 6th week for a glaze. A glaze gives shine while prolonging the color.

Keratin treatments are also perfect for those with lots of frizz and density. It’s perfect to do right after coloring because it locks in color and moisture. You can’t do it in reverse because the color process will strip the keratin from the hair.

(Keratin, keratin, keratin. This deserves a whole post to itself. Everyone at the salon was talking about this. Its a restorative treatment that infuses your hair with Keratin (a protein that’s found naturally in healthy skin, hair, and nails) and eliminates ninety five percent of frizz and curl as well as cutting down drying time by seventy percent.)  

Q. WHAT ARE SOME ALTERNATIVES FOR WOMEN WHO DON’T WANT TO DO A FULL COLOR BUT STILL WANT TO COLOR THEIR HAIR?
S: Facial frame highlights are a great alternative that look amazing on both long and short hair. These are highlights placed strategically at the natural hair part and around the head. 

For Blondes I recommend facial frame and top part highlights. Highlights just at the tips also add lots of movement and interest. Highlighting hair tips is very much in fashion right now with celebs. Its easier to maintain because you’re not starting right at the roots where the root growth is so obvious.

For Redheads and Brunettes, tone on tone pieces add instant dimension. Highlights at the tips are also fun.

Q. WHAT PRODUCTS DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR COLORED HAIR OR FOR KERATIN TREATED HAIR?
S: Sahag Clean Chemically Altered Shampoo and Conditioner is a must for color treated hair because they don’t strip the color. The shampoo and conditioner don’t contain sodium chloride so you can also use these for Kertain treated hair. If you get a Keratin treatment, you should not use a shampoo with sodium chloride so this duo is perfect for color treated hair AND Keratin treated hair.   

Q. IS THERE A NEW PRODUCT THAT YOU’RE EXCITED ABOUT?
S: Bleach with Keratin. The bleach has keratin in it which makes it less damaging for the hair. It takes longer for the hair color to come out but its better for your hair in the long run. 

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1.5 hours later, my hair was washed, glossed and blown out by Xavier and it was a rich shade of burgundy with cool shots of red at the tips – exactly as she promised. 3 words: I. LOVE. IT!

John Sahag Workshop
425 madison Avenue, NY NY 10017
212-750-7772
www.sahagworkshop.com
For color or keratin treatments ask for Samantha Viguie

Stay tuned for Alyssa’s interview with Sahag stylist Karmela later this week!