Three women discover how a hair colour change can transform the way they look.
PEGGY WEARS EARRINGS FROM SWAROVSKI; DRESS FROM MAJE; BRACELET FROM KATE SPADE NEW YORK; RINGS, ALL FROM PANDORA.
Believe it or not, your hair colour can totally transform how you look and feel. The right shade for your complexion can bring out your natural radiance and leave you looking more youthful. But choose the wrong tone and you could end up looking tired or washed- out. We sent three women to hair maestro Den Ng at PREP Luxe, where they learnt about the world of difference a simple change of shade can make!
26, Pricer
THE CHALLENGE
Peggy’s long hair is naturally wavy. “I find it hard to manage, so I have it rebonded every three months,” she confides. “It’s also very brittle as I’ve bleached it before.” To counter the damage, Peggy uses a leave-in frizz-control serum after her daily shampoo and conditioner, plus a weekly hydrating hair mask. “Because of my hair condition, I wanted a colour that didn’t require bleaching,” she says. “I’ve always dyed my hair a single shade of brown, which is quite boring. This time, I wanted something different!”
TIME TAKEN: Three hours
“Peggy was concerned about her hair condition as it was extremely dry,” says Den. “Her dark roots were a stark contrast to the rest of her hair, which had been dyed a light brunette. I chose warm shades of ash brown for her, as cooler colours would make her complexion look sallow.”
To create an ombre effect with cascading shades, Den used the balayage “face frame” technique. A dark brown was used as a base colour at the roots, followed by the application of a pre-lightening cream applied throughout in streaks – Den carefully framed the highlights around Peggy’s face to create a more “lifted” look. Finally, a toner was applied to her whole head, adding an ash brown hue to the streaks. The result was a gorgeous chocolate waterfall, which started with a smokey brown at the roots, flowing down to a milkier hue towards the hair ends. To maintain her hair colour, Peggy has to use a blue shampoo to prevent the colour from washing out into a brassy yellow.
JOCELYN WEARS NECKLACE FROM APM MONACO; TOP FROM ZARA.
41, Administrator
THE CHALLENGE
This bubbly mum-of-two has very fine hair, which she dyes frequently. Not one to shy away from colours, Jocelyn has tried red, pink, and green-based highlights in the past. “I was initially intending to go for a hot pink!” she shares, a merry twinkle in her eye. “It’s my favourite colour and I was keen to embrace a vivid and wild colour change for the new year. I like experimenting with colours for my short bob as I find it fun to switch things up.”
TIME TAKEN: Two hours
Instead of a shocking colour scheme, Den suggested a subtler shade that works with Jocelyn’s skin tone. “Her fine hair lacks volume,” he says. “And her current colour could definitely use a refresher.” Using a neutral brown layered with different tones, Den used light brown highlights for depth and texture, for a natural look.
“Thanks to the progressive fade from root to tip, you won’t have to worry about touching up your roots when they grow out. Maintenance is a breeze as you’ll be able to let your new hair grow in without any awkward ‘middle phase’,” Den points out. “The threedimensional effect created by balayage also gives more visual volume,” he explains.
"THE RESULT
I love it! This is totally different from how I usually colour my hair. I love how the highlights add a three-dimensional effect. The lighter streaks around my fringe also frame my face beautifully. This colour change has spruced up my entire look – and it’s great as it’s ‘work-safe’ too"
"THE RESULT
NATALIE WEARS EARRINGS FROM COS; NECKLACES, ALL FROM PANDORA; TOP AND JACKET, BOTH FROM UNIQLO.
38, Show Presenter
THE CHALLENGE
Natalie’s spunky personality is reflected in her love for experimenting with hair colours. “I usually sport pixie cuts in varying styles,” she says. “It’s chic and fuss-free.” However, Natalie’s round-the-clock work schedule leaves her with little time for regular trips to the hair salon for frequent colour touch-ups. She found a quick-fix solution by colouring her hair at home with store-bought dyes, but this resulted in uneven colouring which left some sections along her sides looking much darker. “I wanted to start the year fresh with a new look and feel,” Natalie shares. “I’m all up for trying new colours so I decided to leave it in Den’s expert hands and let him surprise me – he made me feel comfortable and confident that he would do a great job recommending a colour that would best suits my skin tone.”
TIME TAKEN: One and a half hours
Den went with neutral shades using a mixture of cool and warm colours. This combination works well with most skin tones and allows for more flexibility when it comes to wardrobematching. “Natalie is quite tan as she spends a substantial amount of time in the sun, so I’d advise against using yellow or orange-based shades that would make her look sallow and washed-out,” Den explains.
To even out Natalie’s base colour, Den applied a round of bleaching to remove the darker portions, then dyed her hair with a blend of neutral and ash browns that would complement her complexion. “Natalie has fine hair which tends to look a little flat without styling,” he says. “I wanted to add depth and dimension by using two colours. This will give her overall look more volume and texture.”
I feel lighter and brighter! I’m really loving the new shades from this hair makeover"
