While there are hundreds of new, innovative hair color trends out there, from balayage and gemlights to toasted coconut hair, it seems most of us are still pretty happy with our usual, trusty highlights.
A few flecks of blonde dispersed expertly throughout your lengths can accentuate your eye color, warm up your complexion and even lift your cheekbones. But book into any salon and your chosen colorist is likely to follow the same tired technique: bleach applied to bone-dry hair either using a brush or fingers, followed by a head of unsightly foils. While this method is proven to achieve a brilliant blonde, it often takes hours and can leave hair looking and feeling frazzled thanks to the high level of chemicals.
Lately, though, London hairstylists have discovered that the key to brighter, healthier and even faster blonde highlights is a tiny tweak during the highlighting process, and it’s pretty simple: applying the color to wet hair.
Coined ‘wetlights’ by colorists who are practicing the trend, it may not sound as buzzy as some others, but it’s starting to take salons by storm. “Wetlights is a freehand highlighting technique which means the colour is painted on to wet hair to soften and break up a harsh hairline or regrowth,”. “It also provides a halo of light that brightens up the overall color, but most interestingly, restricts extreme damage, leaving hair stronger, smoother and healthier looking.”
Applying color to wet rather than dry hair means that the water encourages the cuticles to open, so color lifts around 50% faster than traditional color techniques. As a result, hair feels softer and looks glossier, but the best part is that depending on the thickness and length of your hair, the process only takes around 5-20 minutes maximum before drying and styling.
During the appointment, the stylists combination of products uses treatment available in salon) as they work together as a nourishing and hydrating bleach formula to create a cleaner, less brassy result. The trick is to comb the hair until it is slicked back to ensure we can apply color close to the root and get as many face framers as the client likes. We’ll also place a few pieces throughout the mid-lengths and ends to give a sun-kissed glow and break up any harshness.” The result is natural color and hair that feels nourished, not straw like.
Whether chunky or fine, if highlights aren’t your thing and you prefer that natural, “no-
color”finish, wetlights can work to enhance what you already have when placed correctly. The
addition of water also means that the color is evenly dispersed and not heavily concentrated to a
handful of strands, which can look ‘blocky’. “Our clients who
have highlights, balayage and subtle color love them not only for the speed but the ability to
drastically improve hair health. For this reason, we definitely recommend the method for those
who have ongoing color treatments and are looking to regain beautiful, glossy locks with great
results.”