Don’t fall behind

As the days lengthen into autumn and festival begins to make way for festive, we ask the experts for their hair colour predictions this October.

New season, new shade? According to the experts, as the temperature begins to drop, this is the perfect time to experiment with a new hair colour. We thought that we could expect clients to ask for a more toned down, darker shade this season, but Jason Hogan, Celebrity Colour Expert based at Josh Wood Atelier, London, explained that there’s no need to veer away from warmer tones.

“A rich, glossy blonde looks stunning on those with a warmer skin tone and keeping a deeper root makes it low maintenance, and the level of brightness can be adjusted to customise the colour to your preference, gloss intermittently to maintain shine and tonality.” Said Jason. According to Jason, a creamy baby blonde is a classic that is always in style but with a reinterpretation for AW19: “A true showstopper, fine creamy highlights can be worked throughout the body of the hair with added flashes through the tips, but will need to be retouched every 8 weeks to stop it becoming too ‘rooty’.”

If a client would like to have something a bit darker as we get stuck into Autumn, Jason advises to opt for a soft amber shade. This is the colour of Autumn, as the enriching inviting colour is so perfect for the transitioning season and it can be adjusted for different complexions. Jason said: “Adding deeper lowlights in auburn and deep copper can really turn on the drama or adding pale peach and cinnamon lights for a lighter effect. Reds and coppers do fade quickly so a glaze every 4 weeks is necessary.”

Steph Peckmore, Colour Manager at Bad Apple Hair Group, revealed her top three colour trends of autumn/winter 2019 as; Concrete Jungle, Peaches + Gleam and Pearly Queen… Means nothing, right?

Well, Steph explained how fashion had a love affair with grey a few seasons back, before turning its back, in favour of platinum and white. Now the quietly stylish neutral is back, but not as an all-over colour. This time around we’re seeing chunky concrete-grey block streaks added to contrasting coloured hair – usually black. It’s a look that dominated Alexander Wang’ s most recent Fashion Week show.

“Peach has been the fruity shade of the moment for a while now, and it’s going nowhere.” Said Steph. Mary Katrantzou’s models featured the colour heavily at the brand’s A/W19 show, but this winter’s take is less sugary and more glam than we’ve seen before.

​“Forget dusty peach tints and barely-there apricot washes, the new season take is metallic peach: a punchy, strong and deliberate shade, with a high-gloss metallic finish that instantly lifts peach from a delicate hint of colour to a high-octane hue. This trend showcases how energetic, traditional pastel colours can look when given a high-shine treatment. If you want to really nail this trend, leave the roots natural and colour-free.”

“A rich, glossy blonde looks stunning on those with a warmer skin tone and keeping a deeper root makes it low maintenance, and the level of brightness can be adjusted to customise the colour to your preference, gloss intermittently to maintain shine and tonality.” Said Jason.
According to Jason, a creamy baby blonde is a classic that is always in style but with a reinterpretation for AW19: “A true showstopper, fine creamy highlights can be worked throughout the body of the hair with added flashes through the tips, but will need to be retouched every 8 weeks to stop it becoming too ‘rooty’.”
If a client would like to have something a bit darker as we get stuck into Autumn, Jason advises to opt for a soft amber shade. This is the colour of Autumn, as the enriching inviting colour is so perfect for the transitioning season and it can be adjusted for different complexions. Jason said: “Adding deeper lowlights in auburn and deep copper can really turn on the drama or adding pale peach and cinnamon lights for a lighter effect. Reds and coppers do fade quickly so a glaze every 4 weeks is necessary.”
Steph Peckmore, Colour Manager at Bad Apple Hair Group, revealed her top three colour trends of autumn/winter 2019 as; Concrete Jungle, Peaches + Gleam and Pearly Queen… Means nothing, right?
Well, Steph explained how fashion had a love affair with grey a few seasons back, before turning its back, in favour of platinum and white. Now the quietly stylish neutral is back, but not as an all-over colour. This time around we’re seeing chunky concrete-grey block streaks added to contrasting coloured hair – usually black. It’s a look that dominated Alexander Wang’s most recent Fashion Week show.
“Peach has been the fruity shade of the moment for a while now, and it’s going nowhere.” Said Steph. Mary Katrantzou’s models featured the colour heavily at the brand’s A/W19 show, but this winter’s take is less sugary and more glam than we’ve seen before.
“Forget dusty peach tints and barely-there apricot washes, the new season take is metallic peach: a punchy, strong and deliberate shade, with a high-gloss metallic finish that instantly lifts peach from a delicate hint of colour to a high-octane hue. This trend showcases how energetic, traditional pastel colours can look when given a high-shine treatment. If you want to really nail this trend, leave the roots natural and colour-free.”

Steph forecasts that pearlescent shades with super-reflective shine are set to be big this winter: “You can try this look with most pastel shades and delicate colours, but pearly white – as seen at Erdem’s AW19 show – is very on trend right now and iridescent opal is particularly eye-catching.
“To create a pearlescent shade of opal, the base needs to be lifted to a level-10 Platinum (I wouldn’t advise trying this on hair that’s naturally darker than mid brown) before using a mix of violet-based toners for a pastel opalescent finish. The end result is a far more grown-up version of unicorn hair and since the colour is so light and sheer, it will eventually just fade to blonde, so there’s no annoying in-between stage that requires touch-ups. If a client wants to try the pearlescent trend without the colour, a shimmering blend of silvery grey and cool-toned blonde creates a gorgeous gem-like shimmer.”
Dylan Brittain, Owner of Rainbow Room International George Square Salon, UK Schwarzkopf Ambassador and current Scottish Hairdresser of The Year, recommends advising your clients to use a treatment mask to repair the hair at home as we get into the midst of autumn and colder weather.
“After the summer months, sun, heat, wind, aircon and environmental pollutants can all take their toll on our hair as their drying effects reduce its health and shine. Correct this using a rich moisturizing hair mask as it will make the hair feel softer and more hydrated.”
Not only do these deep conditioning treatments replenish all of the moisture and oils that our hair desperately need, but they help to seal the hair cuticle preventing future moisture loss. Dylan said: “It is important to ensure you client has a trim every 4-6 weeks, especially after the summer months to get rid of any dry, dead ends and maintain hair for the winter months.”
We asked Dylan what styles he predicts will be a big hit with your clients this autumn: “Blunt cuts are a must this season. Think blunt bobs and sharp razor cuts for both men and women. Brondes are still on the horizon during AW19, a combination of brunette and blondes can be a great way to go lighter without requiring a lot of upkeep or damage to the hair and is a great way to add movement and dimension rather than a drastic colour change. I also love mushroom brown this season, it’s an ashier tone but still creates shine meaning hair is left shiny and healthier looking.

“Personally I really love a host of coral hues and vibrant reds (think Zendaya!). They always continue to inspire me when it comes to Autumn/Winter hair colour, when I think of this season I immediately think of falling leaves and take inspiration from those red, copper and burnt orange colours.” Let’s be honest… He had us at Zendaya, didn’t he?

Chris Williams, RUSH Hair’s International Colour Director, like Dylan, explained the importance of keeping a client’s hair hydrated as we make the seasonal transition: “With colour services always peaking at this time of year I would advise all colourists to explain the importance of hydrating and conditioning treatments to clients. Depending on the colour service that has been chosen to achieve the client’s desired look depends on the treatment that I would suggest. However, you cannot go wrong with a good conditioning treatment. Not only does it inject key nutrients back into the hair, it also adds a beautiful shine.”
According to Chris, the blackberry colour trend will still be a favourite amongst clients for AW19. A colour which has fast become a sensation within the hairdressing industry – it is absolutely beautiful.
“The shade itself is dark, but infused with pinks and reds, which compliment the base colour and give off an incredible shine.  This is often aimed at clients that are looking for something a little different and creative. Working with the halo technique is something that works well with ‘blackberry’, with the colour vibrance seen in certain lights.” Said Chris.
For those clients looking for a change but not wanting anything too creative, Chris advises a dark chocolate shade: “The ‘dark chocolate’ colour trend has and will always be a favourite amongst clients far and wide. The shade itself is beautiful and is a colour many clients opt for when going darker, more often than not to achieve that beautiful salon shine which the colour itself produces. The colour can be tailored to the client’s complexion but can be tailored to become a lot softer and less bold.”
Siobhan Golden, International Technical Director at TONI&GUY, told us that autumn is when she sees maximum colour fade and rather large roots on her clients: “During summer, the combination of time spent in the sun and not as many salon visits can wreak havoc on our hair. This means that first post-summer appointment is normally quite an in-depth service – whether that be a root application, toner, or giving the ends a refresh.”

Siobhan advises that clients should have a partial placement put in. This will create areas of the hair that are expertly lightened and equally easily hidden. Clients can keep their base colour to something that they are used to whilst experimenting with other shades such as Rose, Petrol or Bronze in key areas of their haircut.

“Autumn is the perfect time to reassess what colour service your clients are having and to see how you can upgrade their colour service into something that’s glossier and multi-tonal.” Said Siobhan. An autumnal re-vamp also gives clients the time to adapt to something new before the Christmas season approaches, meaning by the time their Christmas appointment rolls around, they’ve embraced their new look and have complete trust in your ability and recommendation.

It seems that this autumn is the perfect time for a colour change to fit accordingly to the weather. Most of the experts agree that we will see clients darkening down for the Autumn period, however Jason Hogan and Steph Peckmore reveal that the warmer tones are definitely not a ‘no-go’. If your clients are feeling adventurous, they might like the sound of Steph Peckmore’s top three colour trends for this autumn/winter. Don’t forget to tag us in your clients’ colourful creations on Instagram @thesalonmaguk