With the festive season here, a major hair rehaul is what I needed to refresh my look. I was invited to try out the hair services at Gloss Salon and Academy in Jumeirah and came out with a completely new look.

The Consultation

This salon is not only a salon, but an educational academy where various courses on different aspects of hair are taught. The ground floor was the salon where I met owner and senior hairstylist/
consultant Debra Whitehead. Our consultation began with her asking several questions about my lifestyle and the look I was after. After expressing my desire for a lighter color, Debra advised a strand test to see if my hair could actually take the bleach after being badly damaged one year before.

As we waited on that, she advised I have my hair cut in a style known as ‘Gherkin’ whereby disconnected layers are cut to enable fluid movement of the hair, giving a very on-trend look. Once
the cut was finished, an Olaplex treatment would help restructure my damaged hair and prepare it for the color.

The Cut and Color

Once my strand test was complete, I was shown the detrimental effects bleach would have on the ends of my hair as the lower half of the strand dried up. This helped decide where to place lowlights in my hair to avoid any further damage. Together, we decided on a cooler ash brown color for my overall hair, and lighter caramel lowlights in the crown area, where my hair was not
damaged. This was the latest coloring trend known as ‘Ecialle’ or tortoiseshell hair, whereby 3 to 4 colors are strategically placed to give a more natural version of ‘Ombre’. The ends were coated with Olaplex to maintain the color and boost restructuring into my damaged hair. All color was placed in one go, which saved time. The total time, once all the foils, color, and root color was in was just 15 minutes. Once the color was shampooed and conditioned out, my hair was blowdried beautifully.

Verdict: An overall excellent experience and the consultation, color, and cut were thorough. My new look was low maintenance, yet sophisticated, and the strategically cut layers made my hair look much healthier.

Must-have home tools

• A nozzle on your blow-dryer to ensure the air goes directly onto the hair shaft for a smoother finish.
• A flat iron for beachy waves.
• Heat protectant spray.
• Good quality finishing products.
• The correct shampoo for your particular hair texture as shampoo opens the hair cuticle.
• Post shampoo, conditioner is a must as this closes the hair cuticle.
• Hair masques are excellent to use at home as a weekly treatment.