From coast to coast, hair extensions and faded color is all the rage this season. Here’s a look at two hot summer 2011 hair trends.
Feather Hair Extensions
Right now you cannot go anywhere without seeing people with feather hair extensions. You can dress them up or dress them down which makes them very versatile. They’re also huge at all the schools because the kids can get away with them; schools haven’t outlawed them because they’re a hair accessory. They can be washed, blow dried, curled, and flat ironed, and are safe for hair since they attach with a simple hair extension clamp.
You care for feather hair extensions just like a regular hair extension. The feathers come in all lengths, colors, sizes, and designs. However, if you’ve ever tried to order some for your salon, you’ll find out that they’re sold out almost everywhere. My salon was even approached by another salon to see if they could buy ours! But if you’re lucky enough to order some, you know that there are slim pickings right now because of the high demand. Feather hair extensions started out as fly fishing feathers from roosters, peacocks and various other birds. The poor fishermen are probably a little peeved at all the crazy hair stylists out there buying their stock.
Jessica BielOmbre Hair Color
Ombre hair color, reverse highlights, or balayaging or whatever you call it is also hot this year. Jessica Biel, Sarah Jessica Parker, Drew Barrymore, Hillary Duff are some of the celebrities who have been rocking this look for a while. This look means having a grown-out bleachy and dark-to-light fade of hair color, with the root starting dark and gradually lightening to the ends.
This look is achieved by coloring halfway up the hair strand to create a natural, sun-kissed highlight. Foils cannot be used because they will cause the hair to look too streaky. If the hair has previous highlights and the highlights are too high up on the hair shaft, you will have to create a dark root by coloring the roots to the midshaft their natural color, and sweeping the color down almost half way. Then you will have to go back and color the midshaft to create a natural highlight and to break up the line. Ombre hair color is more economical for many clients because they are able to go between appointments a lot longer.
