Pink prep and perfect

ELGON

Thanks to Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie Movie, and the Pantone Colour of the Year – Viva Magenta – it’s no surprise that Barbiecore is in full force and a whole host of clients are seeing pink as a more wearable colour. But how do you make the look relatable for clients and boost your bottom line at the same time?

For Antonio Corral Calero, MoroccanOil Ambassador, it's all about customising colour, and working cleverly with different tones to achieve flattering results. “We always want to bring dimension to a colour,” he says. “For clients who have finer hair, we can create the illusion of thickness by working with different tonalities, for example, going for a lighter shade around the face to create depth.” Likewise, Sarah Black at Adam Reed London for L’Oréal Professionnel Paris tells us: "You can work with warm and cool shades, curating a colour that complements client's natural tone, as well as adding depth. Clients who have a darker base can play with deep magentas or fuchsias, whereas blonde clients can experiment with pastel and peachy pinks."

Claire Chell, Uberliss Ambassador tells us: “Clients with lighter eyes such as pale blue or pale green suit a lighter pink, those with darker eyes suit deeper palettes.” Jaymz Marsters, Pulp Riot Artist adds: “It's all about skin tones. If your client wears silver jewellery, know that a cooler pink sits nicer on their skin tone when compared to a warm pink which complements those who wear gold.”

FOR CLIENTS WHO HAVE FINER HAIR, WE CAN CREATE THE ILLUSION OF THICKNESS BY WORKING WITH DIFFERENT TONALITIES

But it's the consultation process that allows you to get as much information from your clients about the longevity and vibrancy they desire. “When investing in their hair, clients want the shade to last. With pinks, that means going for a stronger shade at the start,” says Siobhan Haug, Schwarzkopf Professional Ambassador. Dale Smith, Head of Global Education at Leyton House Professional recommends mixing different formulations to create swatches that can be used to match clients’ skin tone to find the perfect pink hue.

 If clients are cautious about vibrancy, Sophie Munday, Crazy Color Ambassador, recommends mixing pink tones with a neutral mix. Weighing each ingredient and keeping formulas accurate are crucial to perfect techniques. In fact, Michelle Summer Davies, Matrix Artist Ambassador recommends Vish to do just that: “Vish recalibrates the formula for the next visit so there is no waste. The look can be recreated exactly or tweaked slightly to keep colour fresh and the client loyal.”

Gaynor Hodge, Education Programme Lead at Salon Success tells us eliminating warmth is crucial. “If the hair is brassy before applying pink, the result can end up being more peachy-gold due to the violet in the shade being lost to a neutralising warm base. The Demi from Paul Mitchell tones lightened hair quickly and consistently,” she explains.

So, with Barbiecore set to send us into a pink frenzy this summer, Siobhan leaves us with one last thing to bear in mind. “Don’t be scared of purple – it intermixes with red and blonde to create stunning shades."