If your clients are asking for the butter blonde trend without the high-maintenance upkeep, save this. Using a hybrid Airtouch technique, Schwarzkopf Professional® Ambassador Ashlee Norman (@ashleenormanhair) lifted a dark base into a soft, golden blonde with seamless dimension. Get the formulas and step-by-step below!
Products Used
STEPS
Ashlee begins every gradient color with a haircut. This keeps her ombré placement intact while removing the old color and preventing product waste.
Using her signature hybrid Airtouch technique, a combination of Airtouch and foils, Ashlee lifts the hair with Formula A, processing fully before rinsing and beginning the color melt process.
Developer Pro Tip for Even Lift: "I change the volume of developer based on timing and the technique. The AirTouch portion is made up of thin slices around the fragile hairline, so I only use 7-volume. Then, the zig-zag teasylights and ombré tip-outs have more hair inside foil, so I start with 20-volume and increase to 30-volume in the last sections," Ashlee explains.
On clean, towel-dried hair, Ashlee sections the entire hairline from front to back.
Ashlee applies Formula B to the hairline to shift the natural base and tone the highlights.
Pro Tip: Ashlee uses perm papers to isolate the formula and protect the skin.
“Behind the hairline, apply Formula C at the roots and melt it into the same Level 10 formula as the hairline,” Ashlee shares. She applies Formula B to the hairline, mids and ends.
Process 20 minutes after fully applying.
Rinse. To finish, Ashlee glosses with Formula D to add shine and dimension. She compares this step to layering lipstick with gloss: the result is rich, reflective color with buttery warmth.
