KARACHI:
We often find ourselves under close scrutiny for the
behavioural choices we make. And not just that, the piercing eyes of
people unhesitatingly deprecate our sense of style.
Thus, it is no surprise that as with the rest of our decisions, many
of us avoid being judged on our fashion picks by playing it ‘safe’. We
circumvent the road of fashion less travelled and remain inhibited,
especially in terms of the colours we sport.
One of the things that many women tread carefully over is the hair
colour they opt for. Pink? Too Barbiesque. Red? Too bold. Purple? Too
perky. So, they stick to the three staple Bs: black, brown and blonde.
But as spring progresses, we give you some food for thought. Why not
keep up with the spirit of the season and add some va-va-voom to your
hair colour palette?
A hip and trendy step towards diverging from the usual colour
tonalities is going for hair colour that is temporary yet shows you what
your hair will look like if jazzed up with a vibrant hue or two — hair
chalk.
A global trend, hair chalking is a technique that Pakistani
fashionistas are gradually familiarising themselves with. In the quest
to know more about hair chalk,
The Express Tribune talks to the folks at L’Oréal Professionnel and The Body Shop, both of which offer the product in the country.
“Hair chalk is the perfect product for fun, colourful hair without
the commitment. You want it, you wear it,” says Mona Hussain, General
Manager of the L’Oréal Professionnel Products Division. The brand has
recently introduced its range of hair chalk in Pakistan.
Instead of giving one a complete makeover, hair chalk essentially
works as make-up. “It allows girls to change hair shades as often as
their nail colour, jeans or shoes,” states a L’Oréal team member. “You
can apply the product to hair for a high-impact and playful look,” a
representative of The Body Shop shares.
Hair chalk washes out with shampoo and can be easily applied at home
or a salon. Of the advantages of hair chalk over permanent dye, a
L’Oréal team member shares that it is ammonia free. In addition, “it
gives maximum colour intensity without pre-lightening hair.”
Both the brands suggest that the product is targeted at people of all
ages. However, girls in the 15 to 30 age group will particularly like
it as it is trendy and fun to wear. It will draw those towards itself
who wish to experiment with their hair.
When getting one’s hair dyed with permanent colour, one should be wary of its multiple disadvantages. According to
Natural News,
people using hair dye become susceptible to allergic reactions,
Dermatitis, hair loss, and swelling, burning or severe itch of the
scalp.
As for hair chalk, one of its evident cons is the coarse hair texture
that it causes. “As chalk is dry, the layer of chalk on your hair will
make your hair feel dry,” admits a L’Oréal representative. “However,
once the product comes off, your hair will come back to its original
state. The best recommended way of removing hair chalk is to massage
shampoo on dry hair and then wash it off.”
Of course, smoothness of hair is uncompromisable. So, how to
alleviate the dryness when the product is still on? “While applying hair
chalk, comb the part of hair where it is applied to remove excess
product. The lesser the liquid chalk, the lesser the dryness,”
recommends a L’Oréal team member. “Blowdry the hair during application
and the chalked part after you wash it.”
According to The Body Shop representative, their product comprises
marula oil from Namibia and sesame oil from Nicaragua that naturally
moisturises hair.
Hair chalk can be used in a multitude of ways to style your hair.
L’Oréal Professionnel has worked with James Galvin, Artistic Director at
the Daniel Galvin Salon, to creative three diverse looks: candy floss
girl, peacock plait and blushed beehive. In addition, one can use hair
chalk for a fishbone braid or sport a French fringe with a hint of
ombré.
The Body Shop team member suggests that hair chalk can either be
applied in a single colour or two blended ones. For one colour, you can
gather a section of hair, put the colour pad on top with your thumb
underneath and glide down to the tip. “Place a cotton round on your
thumb from beforehand to prevent the product from transferring onto the
skin. Next, you can brush through the excess powder and seal the colour
with hairspray.”
For blending two colours, the same technique is recommended, except
apply one shade of hair chalk by sliding the pad halfway down the hair
and then, apply the other shade to the bottom part of the hair. You can
use a hairbrush to blend the line between the two colours.
Experimenting with hair chalk can be fun for a day in or out with
your friends. Pledge to not become a slave of fashion basics and go edgy
this season.
