This week, Australia’s top hair stylists gathered for the industry’s night of nights: the 2018 L’Oréal Colour Trophy Awards. After the winners were announced (and L’Oréal Professionnel ambassador Dannii Minogue unveiled her dramatic new look), we chatted to the crème de la crème of hair colourists to find out their inspiration, key trends for the year ahead and the products they couldn’t go a day without.
L’Oréal Colour Trophy Award winner: Wendy Gunn, Ink For Hair
1/ What inspired this look?
“I am influenced by the changes I see in hair culture. Hair is becoming more of a fashion statement as much or if not more than clothing. Coral and pink tones melt together enhancing this fashion forward bob. Current blending of cultures globally influenced my personalised look, with an emphasis on pushing boundaries.”
2/ What are the top colour trends for the year ahead?
“Colour trends are becoming less dramatic and more subtle. For example, trends like hair contouring start with freshening of the roots and are finished with fine babylights to frame the face and enhance facial features, just like makeup. Soft ash, cool browns and pastel tones are my favourite shades of the season, but they must always be chosen to suit the client’s complexion.”
3/ What’s your must-have hair product?
“My favourite products are L’Oréal Professionnel Smartbond to strengthen and protect the hair while colouring. I can’t live without Smartbond in all my colour work; it’s your colour insurance policy. I also love INOA ammonia-free permanent colour and Colorful Hair for vibrant colour results.”
marie claire Reader’s Choice Award winner, Deann Watt, Watt Style
1/ What inspired this look?
“My inspiration is from my favourite season: spring. I love the beautiful pastel flowers that come into bloom and some of those soft blush pinks and peachy shades inspired my hair colour. I have seen pastel trends on the catwalks of designers’ S/S 2018 collections with clothing, shoes, accessories and make-up inspiring me.”
2/ What are the top colour trends for the year ahead?
“My favourite colour trend for 2018 is pastel shades which highlight femininity. Pastel shades for hair can match what nature does best in the floral world. With so much inspiration from a simple bouquet of pastel flowers.”
3/ What’s your must-have hair product?
“My favourite styling product is Tecni Art Volume Lift Spray. My favourite in-salon service has to be Smartbond… Perfection!”
L’Oréal Colour Trophy Award first runner-up, Courtney Treyvaud & Lyndal Salmon, Biba Academy
1/ What inspired this look?
“Our colour was inspired by the ever-growing trend of pastel colour melting, we combined this with a unique metallic root shadow. Metallics and pastels continue to trend in our salons so we wanted to combine the two to create a fresh look for consumers. Our cut and style follows the trend of sexy, wearable hair that is moveable and fun.”
2/ What are the top colour trends for the year ahead?
“We love how colour has freedom like never before, clients are open to change and it’s all about personalising tones to suit the individual. We are loving metallics, pastels and hair contouring.”
3/ What’s your must-have hair product?
“We are loving the Colorful Hair Crystal Clear range to create perfect pastels that are personalised for our client’s skin tone.”
L’Oréal Colour Trophy Award second Runner-up, Danni Solier, Xiang Hair
1/ What inspired this look?
“The trends that inspired me to create my look was the muted nude trend. I really love what we have been seeing with natural tone-on-tone dusty colours with accents of a contrasting element.”
2/ What are the top colour trends for the year ahead?
“My favourite colour trend for 2018 would be the warmer, earthy desert tones coming through.”
3/ What’s your must-have hair product?
“L’Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Vitamino Colour CC Crème for Blondes and Brunettes.”
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