Brunettes Have More Fun
Las Vegas may not have leaves changing colors in the fall, but we have plenty of transforming manes to make up for it. As the days become darker, so do the locks. According to celebrity hair colorist Michael Boychuck, fall always means an increase in low lights and brunette hues. This year, however, the power of the celebrity has spurred more requests than normal. Jessica Biel, Hilary Duff, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez and a slew of others took their light locks into deeper, darker territory and simultaneously influenced the masses.
At The Venus Salon at Caesars Palace, Kimmy Blaz has decided to join the brunette brood. What inspired her to finally take the bleach out of her naturally black hair? Eva Longoria, Kim Kardashian and fried, damaged ends. "It used to be long, thick and full," Blaz said of her hair's condition six years ago. Blaz's head resembled a withering sunflower when she removed an elastic from her hair since she maintained a color for a half dozen years that Mother Nature would highly disapprove of. Frail, yellow tips accented black roots.
The challenge didn't phase Boychuck, who looked at his client in the mirror and said, "You're gonna walk outta here a new woman."
Cloaked in a salon smock and anxiety, Blaz took a deep breath and replied, "I trust you."
Of course she trusts him. He is, after all, the same guy responsible for giving Nicky Hilton a distinct identity from her big sister. Boychuck created the spotlight-stealing, chocolate brown 'do that Hilton debuted last October.
But that didn't stop Blaz from gazing at pictures of her blond self on her camera phone and nervously tapping her patent leather sandals while she waited for the results. Two hours and three shampoos later, the 22-year-old decided she "really, really" liked her new, deep brown hue. The feel of her shiny, soft hair, however, had her enamored. "I can't believe this," she said, repeatedly petting her own head as if it were a mink coat. "My hair hasn't felt like this in soooo long."
In between her Pantene commercial hair tossing, Blaz hugged Boychuck and thanked him for her new look, which runs around $140 at the salon. The colorist to the stars saw her off and then turned his attention to his next client and asked, "So what are we doing today?"
for better or worse
Many a celebrity has gone darker in the last year but not all of them improved their look. Here's our breakdown of who got it right and who should stick to their regular dye job.
Cameron Diaz: Boychuck says she overpowered her look with this raven color; we agree.
Hilary Duff: She stuck to a believable brown and the result was unbelievable, in a good way.
Jennifer Lopez: If she was sitting in Boychuck's chair, she'd never return to her gold highlights he likes this look so much.
Jessica Biel: Not bad but we're partial to the ashe brown she turned from dull to dynamite.
Nicky Hilton: With the help of Boychuck, Hilton found a very happy medium.
Rachael Ray: Dark equals delicious for Ray.
the do's of darker 'dos
For locks as healthy and flattering as Blaz's, follow these simple do's:
Do consider your skin tone and eye color when deciding on a shade. The darker the shade, the more light eyes will pop, but keep in mind how the hue will look against your skin. Fair tones usually can't go darker than chestnut brown.
Do have your roots lifted, which removes the old color, before starting the process. If you skip this phase, your new look will leave you with the same line you had pre-color.
Do make sure your colorist "fills" your hair first. Just like a car needs to get primered before the new color is applied, the same goes with your locks. "Blonde hair has no pigment so you need to fill it with primary pigment first," Boychuck said.
Do consider a demi-permanent color. It contains no ammonia and lasts longer than a temporary or semi-permanent color that can damage your hair.
Do ask for a sealant. Each salon Boychuck is associated with in town -- Amp Salon, The Cutting Room and Venus -- uses Kerastase's Pixelist to illuminate and lock the color in.This is what made Blaz's locks shine.
Do use a color-sensitive shampoo. These shampoos only work when going darker, according to Boychuck, because they actually add pigment to your locks.
Do avoid washing hair frequently. The more you can get away with leaving it alone, the longer your color will last.
