Color Lab with Chad Clark

Hello again readers! It’s that time of year again, when the temperatures are rising and any chance you get to jump in the pool, you take it. That’s right, summer is right around the corner. With that in mind, I thought we could dedicate this edition to something the ladies may appreciate. As a hairstylist and educator, I travel the country talking with hairstylists and clients alike, hearing the pros and cons to our industry wows and woe’s. One thing seems to always be a topic of conversation, and that is hair color. That’s right, our old age defying, self-expressive magic in a tube that allows all our wants and ideas possible for our hair. But when we get to the point when we are ready to the closest salon and trust someone with some pretty strong chemicals on our heads, we should have a little information under our belts 1^st, so we can choose the most knowledgeable, experienced stylist, to color or highlight our precious locks. So sit back, and relax, and let’s talk about some color.

When it comes to hair color this summer, lets thin about some dimension! This may translate as “ natural” or a “soft weave” of a high light and low light. But the important thing is make sure to use at LEAST three colors to achieve a nice, natural blend. Try and stay away from the heavy white on black, aggressive two-tone looks. The 90’s were fun, but it’s time to put it to bad. Whether you’re in the reds or blondes, browns or golds, emphasis the color with some cleverly placed soft accentuations and variations of color. Now that we have selected our color, the number one enemy against our beautiful color is the sun. Fade outs, drying, the damage can be sever depending on how chemically processed your hair is. But bottom line, with color, we need to use a little “insurance” as I like to call it. And this is ONLY something you purchase from a professional salon. Not Longs, not Costco, a beauty salon. If it’s anywhere else, chances are it’s diverted or “ bad” product, but that’s a whole other story. Back to the color, select a shampoo that offers color protection and moisturizing abilities as well. This will help protect and nourish your colored tresses. Next, using a color locking spray after you shower, before you style can also help maintain the longevity of your color. Packed full of sunscreens, sunflower extracts, and wheat proteins, these sprays are a great way to of a little color protection. Now ladies and gentlemen, let’s not be fooled by the shampoos and conditioners we find and the drug store that claim “ Color Protection”. They can work for some, but for everyone in the world that has a different hair type and body chemistry, we can’t all believe that one product is going to work for us all. Ask your Hairstylist for a recommendation.

Lets not forget that summer time is also time to bring out those peroxide bottles and lighten up! I mean your hair that is. Yes, as sure as the sun will set, highlights will always take center stage in the summer. We are trying to move away from the over processed damaged platinum or orange highlights, but people are going to get what they like regardless of if it’s in or not. So we can at least have some tips on how to take care of our Bling-Bling Blondes. First ladies, try not to go too light too fast. Stretching the heavy blonding process out over a few appointments can help ensure a healthy, even lift, with minimal damage. Try to go for subtle natural blondes. If you have really dark hair, try some caramel instead of light blonde. Keep it healthy no matter what. If you are heavy lightened, ensure that you are deep conditioning your hair at least once a month. This will help rebuild the hairs strength and shine. I also recommend using “ Tonal Shampoos” or “Tonal Foams”. These products can be purchased through your major beauty salons, and vary in usage. The purpose of these products is to help “balance out” any un wanted tones inside of your blonde or darks, and also enhance tones you may enjoy in your hair.

For you naturalists out there don’t forget the age-old trick of lemon juice and water in the sunshine. Planning a day at the lake or beach? Or maybe just working outside in the yard for a few hours in the hot sun? Add about one lemon, squeezed, into a spray bottle of water and soak your hair. As it dries the citric acid will cause subtle lifts and will not damage your hair. This will not give you salon quality looks, but it’s just an idea for the summer. Try it out and email me at cuttingedgeofstyle@hotmail.com. Id love to hear how it works for you! Until next time, Im Chad Clark, see you downtown Visalia!