As salons remain closed across the country, many of us have started to wonder just how long we’ll have to put up with our pesky roots and eyelash-skimming fringes. At Glasshouse, we know that you’ve just about come to terms with the prospect of postponing your usual appointments, but we also know that many of you are looking for at-home solutions to tide you over in the meantime.
Google search interest in the UK for ‘how to cut own hair’ peaked around 24th March (just as we entered full lockdown) and has been steady ever since. Since we’ve temporarily closed our doors, we too have been inundated with requests regarding home colouring.
As a salon, we wouldn’t usually suggest home colouring for anyone under usual circumstances and for most people, we’d recommend not touching your colour at all. However, we also recognise we’re living through unusual circumstances. For some people, home colouring can work as a temporary solution until salons are back on their feet.
With that in mind, we’ve recently temporarily expanded our online offering at Glasshouse Shop and now stock a full collection of home colour solutions - as well as introducing a brand new complimentary digital consultation service. We want to arm you with the best products, but we also want to fully equip you with the necessary advice to avoid any DIY colour mishaps. So, we’ve put together some tips and tricks to do exactly that.
Firstly, it goes without saying that the quality of the product is crucial to the quality of the end result. Many of us will have bad memories of chemical-heavy box dyes and at Glasshouse, we advocate using only ammonia free and low PPD colours with gentle, effective ingredients. We have introduced a full shade range of permanent colour by Tints of Nature, as well as our usual Organic Colour Systems semi-permanent colours and some brand new colour-tinted treatments by Oway (which are ideal for blondes who are looking to tone their colour).
Our director Olivia advises that “For those of you who usually have a tint in the salon (this means one colour painted all over without any foiling or variation to the colour) and who are looking to go darker or stay the same depth as your natural, may be able to use a colour kit by Tints of Nature. This could be a good temporary solution to tie you over and help blend greys” says Olivia.
If you want advice on which shade might be suitable for you, we have set up a new digital consultation service. Olivia is conducting one-on-one video calls to determine the best options for you, and you can drop us a line at help@glasshousesalon.co.uk to request one. If you’re an existing client, we can work directly from your salon colour records.
There’s a few important things to note if you’re considering switching over to a temporary home colour. “The kits we’re currently offering on Glasshouse Shop will not take you any lighter than your natural shade” explains Olivia, “So you will usually have to work with the same depth or darker.”
It goes without saying that you can’t expect the same kind of results you’d see in a salon environment. “Most salons will have up to 100 shades to select from and box colours tend to be much more limited, meaning that a lot of colours will not have a direct switch” says Olivia, “In the salon, we tend to mix together multiple shades to get just the right colour. Unless you are willing to mix a few boxes together, this is going to be tricky to achieve at home.”
If you are creating a custom shade at home, we recommend this sustainably-made straw bowl and brush by Oway - a conscious alternative to your usual plastic colour bowls and a handy tool to have.
As we mentioned, a lot of hair won’t be suitable for at-home colouring and it’s important to understand what is possible when thinking about colouring at home. “Depending on the application technique, tints tend to be more ‘blocky’ and solid than techniques such as foils and balayage” explains Olivia, “This can mean regrowth can become more solid and obvious. They also tend to be less favoured by clients who want to avoid too much warmth in the hair.”
On the other hand, foiling techniques such as highlights and balayage involve keeping some natural hair amongst the coloured. “By doing this, hair stylists tend to be able to keep a more natural and less artificial-looking result that grows out gently over time. Unfortunately, this cannot be achieved with a home colour.”
Many of us might want to use this period as an excuse to experiment with semi-permanent colour - a great commitment-free option for those who are looking to embrace not having to leave the house as much as normal. Oway’s Hmelt colour is a nourishing treatment mask with added colour pigment to change the tone of blonde hair. Whether you want to warm up your shade with some golden tones or cool it down and neutralise warmth, Oway have six shades to pick from.
Organic Colour Systems’ No Limits range has always been a firm favourite for those looking for a temporary boost of colour, lasting between 3 and 30 washes. Although No Limits won’t cover greys, it can add rich tones to dark hair and also makes great custom pastel colours - try No Limits Red mixed with the Power Build Treatment for a baby pink that works on pre-lightened hair.
Finally, if you’re concerned about your pesky greys but would rather avoid the risk of colouring at home, Organic Colour Systems’ RootRemedy is an instant on-the-go root retoucher. Available in three shades, RootRemedy is easy to use - just shake, spray and blend away.
For many people, hair might be the least of your worries right now. However, we know that in difficult times, feeling good about yourself is crucial to staying positive and keeping going during a challenging period. We know the transformative power beautiful hair can have and it’s our job to give you the best products and advice as possible whilst life remains limited.
Drop us a line at help@glasshousesalon.co.uk if you have any questions or would like to request a digital consultation. Browse our selection of home colouring options here.
