Acclaimed hair colorist Craig Purves brings us an outstanding soft copper gold balayage technique, featuring his favourite demi-permanent, Redken Shades EQ – learn HOW TO!
Craig started his painting with Redken’s fantastic new lightener, Freehand. Working with a bold chevron pattern on inch deep triangular sections while creating a blended ombré through the ends. He used 20 vol developer throughout, mixing fresh Freehand halfway through his application to ensure even lifting.
Once his client’s hair had lifted to a warm level 9 he shampooed and rough dried. Then it was time to get creative with Shades EQ formulations, which are all amber based, hence Ambré – Amber + Ombré. Craig generally likes to add copper to any warm gold formula’s, this balances out the gold and ensure loads of reflect.
Root – 4WG 40ml + 7C 10ml
Mids – 6WG 40ml + 7C 10ml
Ends – 8WG 40ml + 7C 5ml + 9AA 5ml
All of the above were mixed with Processing Solution in equal quantities. Each formula also had 1.5ml of Olaplex No1 – Craig uses it in all his Shades EQ mixes and have found he can use half the dose for the same amazing results!
Craig color melted the formulations, roots first, then mid lengths. “Always make sure you wipe your gloves in between applying your mid/end mixes, you want to keep them separate, except where you blend and blur,” says Craig.
After 20 minutes processing he rinsed and left Olaplex No 2 on towel dried hair for a further 20 minutes. A few spritz of Redken’s One United, another swift rough dry and Ruth’s Autumnal Ambré was finished! As he’s mildly obsessed with any type of wave, he then twist wrapped the hair using Fashion Work spray and his H2D wand.