I’ve talked a few times about my desire to dye my hair, but I’ve kept putting it off. I was unsure about what I wanted, or whether or not I would actually like having my hair look different. I really love my natural hair colour, but sometimes it can be fun to experiment and try something new. On Thursday, I did just that.
Last month I asked friends for their recommendations of a good salon in the city, and decided to try RedBloom Salon. They’re a Calgary based salon with 3 (almost 4) locations, and a top 200 salon in North America. I spent a lot of time checking out their Instagram, and felt that they offered exactly what I was looking for. I’m so happy that I chose them, and that I have a new stylist, Kassandra (check out her Instagram here). It’s so nice to have a good hair cut again. I don’t think I’ve had a good one since my cousin moved away from Calgary a few years ago. Products can only do so much when your hair isn’t at its best.
Deciding what to do in terms of colour was both easy and difficult. I spent a lot of time on Pinterest trying to find the perfect hue, but realized quickly that I couldn’t find a hair colour that looked like mine (the base colours were always too light or too dark). But I did know what style I wanted. I knew I didn’t want all over colour, and that highlights (more specifically balayage) was the right route for me right now. I had a consultation with my stylist a week before my colour, and we were able to talk about what I wanted in terms of upkeep (I shouldn’t have to touch up the colour for 16 weeks), and how natural I wanted it to look. I trusted her to do what would look best on me, and we decided to go with a more neutral shade that wasn’t too cool toned or warmed toned (though I think it pulls more warm, which is fine because my natural colour is warmer). I forgot to ask what the formulation was that she used, but I’ll remember that next time. The highlights are heaviest around my face and blend into my base in the back. My base colour stayed the same, and I didn’t cover my greys, but rather they’re blended into my highlights at the front. I can still see them (probably because it’s something I’m self-conscious about, so I notice it), but they’re not as noticeable anymore. I might want to get a demi-permanent colour in the future to cover them completely, but we’ll see.
I had such a great experience with the cut and colour, and felt pampered and that I was a priority the whole time (something that I haven’t felt at other salons). It did take just about 2 and a half hours by the time we were done with styling and taking pictures. But it really didn’t feel that long, which was nice.
I love that the highlights are just more intense versions of what my hair naturally does in the sun, but that I’m still a brunette. You’ll notice from my pictures that the lighting makes a huge difference in how my hair looks. The last picture, taken by Kassandra is the best one because it was taken in the sun, so it just looks like natural highlights. I will probably go blonder one day, but I’m happy taking this baby step. It’s still weird to see myself in the mirror though, and I think it will take me a few more days (or weeks) to be completely used to it. I’m looking forward to playing around with my wardrobe and makeup and seeing what colours will enhance my new look.
What do you think? What was your first hair colouring experience like?
Follow me on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Bloglovin’
