27 May Salon Spy: Wella Professionals in-salon colour at HOB Baker Street

Wella has confirmed what I had to find out the hard way: it’s a much better idea to get your hair colour done at a salon than to try and do it yourself at home.

Deni’s hair after Wella professional colour at HOB Baker Street (Picture by Fabio)

I saw my hair go from a gorgeous natural light brown to luminous orange in my DIY attempts to go blonde.

My poor locks have turned peroxide, light bulb white and had layers upon layers break from halfway up due to my poor technique and level of knowledge.

I was blown away by the results when I had my hair done at HOB Baker Street: colour by Fabio Carneiro and cut by Emma Charlton Kemm.

The pair completely transformed my two-tone bland brown and orange-blonde locks into perfect summery, glossy and expensive-looking hair. There has been no breakage, amazing colour lift and gorgeous texture afterwards.

Emma also inspired me to experiment more with my cut than I have done in a long time, and I couldn’t be happier.

Deni’s before photo (Picture by Fabio)

You may have heard hair stylists press on about what a bad idea it is to colour your hair at home – and for good reason.

Does the cynic in you think, well of course they would say that! I certainly did, once upon a time.

Issie Churcher, Wella Professionals Colour Club Member and Creative Colour Director, HOB Salons, says: ‘When transitioning from dark to blonde, it’s important to remember this should never be attempted in one go, especially if you wish to maintain the condition of your hair and achieve covetable results. You should look at this as a colour journey, expecting to reach your desired hue over a few appointments.

‘Our hair can often need a different lightening process from roots to ends, depending on colour build up and varied tones within the hair. Therefore, whenever you are considering using bleach to go lighter, your locks should always be analysed by a professional.

During a Colour Consultation, we will assess the porosity, strength and natural undertone within the hair to ensure that what you want to achieve is not only possible but also right for you before starting the process.

Deni’s hair after Wella professional colour at HOB Baker Street (Picture by Fabio)

‘Often when people colour their hair at home, these factors haven’t been taken into consideration and usually lead to patchy results, long lasting damage and that dreaded orange hue!

‘There are many shades of blonde and it’s essential to have a consultation with a professional to ensure that the shade you think you want suits your skin tone, eye colour and complexion. On top of choosing the right shade and toner to achieve your blonde look, bleaching your hair at home often leaves the hair severely damaged and porous due to the strength of peroxide within home colourants, which in turn, leads to toners being uneven or ineffective. There are also many different toners to combat different results from bleaching that only professional technicians have the training to assess and deliver the exact result that you want.’

Wella ran their first colour report this year on the habits of UK Women who colour their hair.

They found 94% of women admit to home colouring their hair themselves, with a further four fifths revealing that it wasn’t just a one-off.

Despite these high statistics, 76% don’t think their efforts live up to the same standard as a salon service. In fact, one in six women have had to go to a salon for professional help after colouring their hair at home.

The Statement Of Colour report is part of the Wella Professionals #stylistsdoitbetter campaign to find out more about the growth of the colour market and provide an in-depth insight into the hair colouring habits of women across the UK.