As busy hairdressers, chances are you’ll have seen, tried and delivered an ombré colour service since this trend went viral circa 2009. Now, Joico colour expert Carolyn Gahan is literally turning the trend upside down, flipping everything you know about ombré hair. The hairdressing icon will deliver a Reverse Ombré tutorial live in the Sabre Education Experience Forum on August 30.
“As hairdressers we need to be constantly evolving not only for ourselves but to keep it interesting behind the chair,” Carolyn said. “One of the main reasons clients leave their hairdresser is because they’re bored and haven’t been offered anything different. Having new tricks up your sleeve like this Reverse Ombré colour technique is something I thrive off.”
We sat down with Carolyn to discuss her process for this technique and what you can expect to learn in the online class. Read on and then book yourself in for some inspiring colour education.
What is Reverse Ombré?
Reverse Ombré is exactly what it sounds like! Instead of melting darker roots into lighter ends, we’re flipping the technique on its head and starting with light roots, blending into dark on the ends. It’s a very fashion forward look. It’s challenging but fun to create. It kind of reminds me of when you pour your milk into black tea – the blend is soft but the contrast is bold.
What inspired you to give this technique a try and how did you go about it?
I’m forever on Pinterest and Instagram scouring for new hair inspiration and trends. I came across a few pictures and loved the way this look goes against the grain of natural hair colouring. At first glance I thought it looked really straightforward but the more I thought about it, the more I realised how complicated it could get. I decided I wanted to be able to offer this look to my clients but I knew I had to master it first.
It took me several attempts because it is really about finding the perfect colour and shade combinations, and deciding whether to use semi, demi or permanent colour. I split my mannequin head into four quadrants to test different techniques and tried it on both long and short lengths to see how the technique would impact the overall look. All in all, it required loads of patience, techniques and colour formulations. Now that I have my technique perfected, I am so excited to add this to my repertoire of fashion looks.
What cut and style would you say this technique works best for?
This colour technique requires the hair to be either all the same length or have only very minimal layering. The hair can be as short as a bob but having minimal layers is really the key to getting the full effect of the colour.
What are some colour combinations you would recommend for this look?
This technique is absolutely stunning when used with pastels melting into deeper tones of the same shade, like pastel pink into deeper pinks and fuchsias, although this requires a bit of tweaking to the technique I will be teaching in my class. If you’re sticking with natural shades, I would say it depends on what shade of blonde you’re working with on the root. If the blonde has more gold or warmth in it I would keep the palette on the richer side using chestnut browns into deep chocolate tones. If the blonde is very cool, stay with neutral to cooler browns and then into black.
What are your go to products for this technique?
Because you are working with a completely blonde base the hair requires more care in salon and at home. Joico’s Defy Damage is my go-to during any chemical service because it maintains the quality of the hair, offers even lift and reduces breakage. Defy Damage has a full at-home care package that contains Smart Release Technology to ensure healthy hydrated hair between visits.
How do you style this look for maximum impact?
I would style this colour either super straight or with a polished wave. To get the full effect of the technique it’s nice to see the middle transitional colours. This is a fashion colour that needs to be seen to its full potential so take the time to smooth it out with either a nice blowdry or an iron finish.
My two favourite products to use before a blowdry are Joico’s Dream Blow-out and the Defy Damage Protective Shield. They will help to smooth the hair while protecting from the heat. Another important product that is a must before any hot tool is the new Joico Heat Hero. It provides heat protection up to 232° Celsius and actually has a heat activated split end mender built-in. It also makes the hair super shiny, which I love, and I encourage all my clients to grab a bottle to use at home. I also tell my clients, if they want to touch up their hair with an iron or hot tool on the second day, they need to re-spray and turn the temperature down to 150° Celsius. If their hair frizzes up after they’ve ironed it, it’s because they’ve burned all the moisture out of it with too hot temperatures and overuse – Heat Hero helps defend against this.
Finally, what can people expect to learn when they tune in?
I am really excited to share this technique! I will be focusing on how to formulate colour to avoid having to pre-fill, how to create seamless blends from a level 10 right down to a level 1, when to use semi, demi or permanent colours in this technique and why and how to apply this technique to different lengths of hair.
It is going to be an epic class, I hope everyone can tune in, and remember, we’re filming live so, if you have any questions, just shoot them through and I will be able to answer in real time. Also, I’m happy to answer questions after the class, so feel free to reach out in the SEE Forum and I will get back to you.
Carolyn’s Reverse Ombré tutorial will be LIVE in the Sabre Education Experience Forum on Monday August 30 at 1pm AEST. If you’re not a member of Sabre’s exclusive Facebook education hub, you can join at https://www.facebook.com/groups/sabreeducation
For more information visit www.sabrecorp.com.au