For hair color trends and celebrity hair, colorists turn to The Colorist. Celebrity hair, hair color ideas, hair color products and more.
Issue link: https://thecoloristmag.epubxp.com/i/300006
COLORING HAIR that's fragile to begin with becomes even more complicated when you throw professional straightening treatments or relaxers into the mix. That's why Kiyah Wright recommends waiting two weeks after those kinds of chemical services before applying color. "It's important to get the pH balance back down," says Wright, who makes one exception. "If you're using 10-volume peroxide and demi-permanent color to add shine or deposit color only, you can probably do both services on the same day." Wright also cautions against lifting hair more than six levels. "The hair will really be compromised at that point," she says. Her advice is to add highlights instead if you client insists on going lighter. Still, Wright has seen a trend lately among African-American women to go blonde, and by blonde she means platinum. "With all the social media, girls want to look like celebrities, and many of them are going to extremes," she says. Rihanna comes to mind as does Nicki Minaj, though her platinum locks are most likely extensions. "When you bleach ethnic hair—Indian, Asian or African-American—you're working with pigment so dark that you have to lift hair 12 levels and let the bleach sit on the scalp for at least 40 minutes in order to get past the orange stage," says Wright. Of course, Real Housewives of Atlanta's NeNe Leakes rocks a platinum blonde pixie cut, which works precisely because the hair is so short. Root touchups, however, can be complicated. "You have to be very careful with overlapping or the hair will break off," says Wright, "and do not change the formula. It's also important to take very small sections and go back and crosscheck the hair. If you miss even a little bit, you'll have a cheetah print in the hair." Kiyah Wright is a celebrity colorist for Clairol Professional and two-time Emmy Award- winning hairstylist and fashion powerhouse with expertise ranging from signature hair designs to overall beauty consultation and transformation. She has worked with top artists such as Mary J. Blige, Tyra Banks, Iman, Jennifer Hudson, Brandy and Gabrielle Union. Not only does she work on America's Next Top Model but she sees clients at Warren- Tricomi in Los Angeles, and runs her own company, Muzehair. This spring her docu- series, Love in the City debuts on OWN. kiyah wright PHOTOGRAPHY (FROM TOP LEFT): COURTESY OF KIYAH WRIGHT; NBCU PHOTO BANK VIA GETTY IMAGES NeNe Leakes 0 5 1 4 e a s y d o e s i t 4 p g . i n d d 3 8 0514 easy does it 4 pg.indd 38 4 / 1 5 / 1 4 1 : 2 1 P M 4/15/14 1:21 PM