Hair to dye for
Top international colourist sheds light on new hair trends
Schwarzkopf Professional global colour ambassador Lesley Lawson has worked with a number of high-profile clients such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Elle Macpherson and Lilly Allen, to just name a few. She has also worked at fashion shows for the likes of John Richmond, Raf Simons, Victor & Rolf and Alexander McQueen. Her real passion, however, is in ordinary women, and how the right hair colour can add beauty and radiance to a person to complete a look.
“When you go to a restaurant or anywhere and hear women talk, they’re always talking about their hair. Every woman places huge amount of importance on hair. What the eye sees is the frame of the face. Hair is incredibly important,” said Lawson, who recently led a hair colouring workshop at Chalachol Academy.
In this exclusive workshop, she taught the ombre and balayage techniques to Thai hairdressers. Ombre hair refers to the gradual lightening of the hair strand, usually fading from a darker colour near the roots to a lighter one at the ends. Balayage is applying horizontal brush strokes to coat the front and back of the hair strands.
Life talks to Lawson, who has been in their hair industry for 30 years, about her life as a celebrity hair colourist, her inspiration, and how the right hair colour can affect your
whole appearance.
What made you interested in hair in the first place?
To be honest, I didn’t want to be a hairdresser. I wanted to do make-up with the BBC. In those days, they did a lot of period dramas and I was very interested in art and history. Back in those days, to work with the BBC, you had to be at least 21 and a half years old, have a background in art and history, and have knowledge of hair. So [because I was not old enough] I went to Sassoon and I loved it. I stayed there for 18 years. Once I got into it, there was just nothing else. I was very tunnel-visioned.
What do you like best about working with celebrities?
Working with celebrities, to be honest, is exactly like working with any client who comes through the door. You would give 100% on anyone. The only difference is, because their lives are so hectic, you tend to have to go to them. Most celebrities I have worked with are very down to earth, surprisingly. You’d be surprised that the ones who are most up there are the ones who are the most down to earth.
What makes your salon, Real Hair, unique?
The Hair Wall. My salon has, on one wall, a giant colour chart with hair that swings. It’s got over 50 colours. We can do bespoke consultation. We talk and we show a skin tone palette and the hair colour that works against it and with it. When you look at tiny swatches of hair, it’s really quite hard to imagine. It’s a really good story and incredibly practical. Apart from that, it’s the best way to show people. I can pick a couple of colours to show what the highlights are going to look like.
Does hair colouring necessarily damage the hair?
Hair colouring should never damage the hair if it’s done properly. Even when bleaching the hair, some colourists would use very high volume that just frays the hair. That’s not how I work. I use very low volume, lift the hair to pale yellow, and mix toners and tints. That takes all the yellow out, and the texture of the hair will still be perfect.
Do you believe in seasonal hair trends?
I believe that there are more technique trends than hair colour trends. Obviously, in the summer, everyone wants to be lighter. They want to look like they have been on the beach for a couple of months. When we get to autumn winter, things warm up a little bit. The colours go richer and warmer because the light in the sky is greyer. Having something a bit warmer in your hair kind of reflects on your skin. In summer, there’s yellowness to the light, so the lighter colour sends to suit better.
Why are ombre and balayage colouring popular?
Ombre and balayage are a very good way to introduce colours, especially to Asian women who are a little wary of colour. You can have very gradual soft tones running though, enough to lighten up the skin, but you don’t have to keep coming back to the salon.
How important is it to have the right hair colour?
Even in fashion shows, although the aim of the game is to sell the outfit, the hair still has a background importance, a part of the whole story. We all know if the hair colour is not right, your make-up doesn’t look right and your outfit doesn’t look right. The right colour is the colour that makes you feel amazing, lights up the eyes and the skin. It’s so satisfying to be able to make people look and feel more gorgeous, which is such a great feeling.