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4 Major Hair Makeovers That Will Inspire Your Next Salon Visit

2018 is the year for *change.*

Hair
suite caroline salon hair makeovers
Alec Kugler

So far 2018 is all about big change. Not only in regard to some major cultural shifts, but also for some of our Coveteur editors and friends who decided to kick off the year with updated hair color. (Jenny McCarthy got the memo, too, apparently.) In the face of progress like #MeToo and Time’s Up, a trip to the salon may sound trivial, but in reality, sometimes it’s how you express yourself on the outside that helps you communicate to the world and support what’s going on inside, too. And there’s a ripple effect throughout the rest of your life: new makeup and outfit choices, or even just a fresh conversation starter.

 


That brought us to Suite Caroline in Manhattan’s SoHo neighborhood up the street from the Coveteur office. A second-floor cool-girl salon owned by Lena Ott, who’s responsible for all the different colors we’ve seen on Dree Hemingway, Fernanda Ly’s awesome pink, and some of the buttery blondes spotted on the Victoria’s Secret runway. We put four fearless women in the hands of Ott’s amazing crew—colorists Emaly Baum, Roxie, Cara, and Mauricio, and stylist Shelby Samaria—and these are the hair color revolutions that walked out.

 

DaMonica Boone

DaMonica Boone: “I’ve contemplated dying my hair platinum blonde for about a year now, but was always too afraid to do so. Since my hair is curly, I wanted to make sure my soft spiral curls would not turn into rough strings (this has happened to me on more than one occasion). But late last year, I told myself I would be fearless in 2018. The morning I arrived at Suite Caroline, I wondered, What have I gotten myself into? What if my skin tone isn’t fit for platinum blonde hair? What if the bleach chemically burns my curls into a crunchy mess? These thoughts consumed my mind throughout the entire seven-hour process. It wasn’t until Emaly sat me in front of the mirror at the end, however, that I realized the sorcery she created. There I was with a shade of platinum blonde hair that fit my skin tone perfectly, and my curls were not only still intact, but also had their same bounce. I left the salon with my confidence through the roof. Feeling myself was an understatement. Emaly gave me thorough instructions on how to properly care for my new ’do, and my hair still looks as good as it did when I first got it colored. Though we’re only a few weeks into 2018, going platinum was the best decision I’ve made this year.”

Emaly Baum: “When DaMonica came into Suite Caroline for her initial consultation, she showed me a picture of Zoe Kravitz’s platinum blonde. Pictures are so helpful with figuring out what’s right and achievable for you. They can also cut out any miscommunication when you aren’t sure how to describe what you want to your colorist. DaMonica is a bit of a color chameleon, but the icy beige tone that we painted her hair really makes her beautiful hazel eyes pop!

“Keeping your platinum hair healthy requires lots of TLC. Good shampoo and conditioner and a solid at-home conditioning treatment are key. Try not to heat-style your hair too often, and make sure you’re using a good leave-in conditioner to protect your hair before applying heat. And remember to get your roots done every 4-6 weeks to avoid banding and to keep your blonde even and healthy-looking.”

 

Brooke Bunce

Brooke Bunce: “I’ve always had a laissez-faire attitude when it comes to cutting my hair (like you’ve heard a billion times before, it grows back!), but I’ve never taken the plunge with dying it because I’ve always been happy with my natural dark brown color. But, because I’m predictable, turning 26 has made me confront a sort of ‘quarter-life crisis.’ When my colorist, Roxie, told me we were going peach (she’s an intuitive colorist, so she felt this color for me!), my heart sort of flipped inside my chest. All this to say, I felt strangely at peace during the process, and only had a momentary freak-out when I saw the final result because I never thought I’d be cool enough to pull it off. Each day since, though, it’s become more a part of who I am, and I don’t think I’ll be going back to brown anytime soon.”

Roxie: “I chose a peachy vibrant orange for Brooke because when I met her, intuitively I felt that she needed something bright and playful. She’s a natural beauty, and I thought it would be great to give her a little more of an edge. Something about her was telling me she doesn’t need to be in the ‘cute’ category anymore, and so by leaving her roots and creating some contrast, we gave her a grungier look. This will be great for her because as it grows out, the only thing to maintain is the tone, which can be reapplied at home by mixing a little bit of Psychedelic Sunset from Manic Panic with the Christophe Robin Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Seed Oil.”

 

Ella Jane Pearson

Ella Jane Pearson: “My hair makeover experience was very serendipitous. Days before my friend at Coveteur, Hannah, asked if I would be up for dying my hair, I had saved a photo of a girl with lavender, pink, and silver hair I’d seen online. I hadn’t dyed or cut my hair in three years—only a few trims—and I thought it was just that time. My hair is definitely a bit more upkeep now, but I feel more myself with pretty colors than without, and what’s a better feeling than that?”

Cara Craig: “Ella brought a great reference to our consultation. We talked about all-over violet and pink shades with dimension. There is something interesting and even more surprising about giving a believability to bright colors. I am very lucky when clients come in with inspiring references. It’s great when it is a true collaboration. This looks amazing on Ella, right?! Primarily because she is enjoying it. Fun and beautiful hair! What’s not to love? Since we bleached all of Ella’s hair and then deposited colors that could potentially wash out quickly, I recommend a low-detergent shampoo or a cleansing cream, as well as a weekly conditioning treatment. I like Christophe Robin Cleansing Mask with Lemon as a shampoo alternative or Wella Professionals Balance Calm Sensitive Shampoo, and am partial to pre-shampoo oil treatments like Christophe Robin Moisturizing Hair Oil with lavender or Phyto Phytoellixir Oil.

 

Trinity

Trinity: “I have experienced a lot with my hair over the last few years—from dark brown to green to really blonde—so I like to think of myself as very open-minded when it comes to my hair. Last summer I decided I was going darker for fall, so I let my highlights grow out and put a gloss on my hair to darken it. Mauricio is a color guru/master/god and is really passionate about the work he does. I told him I was open to whatever he thought would be best for my skin tone and haircut, and he worked his magic. I really didn’t know what to expect, but I’m beyond pleased with the results!”

Mauricio Bermudez: “The color palette was inspired by Lea Seydoux in the recent Louis Vuitton and Jeff Koons collaboration campaign. I painted soft balayage highlights for Trinity for a natural effect. The result is a radiant, eternal sunshine feeling—that picture-perfect ‘golden hour’ color—which works well with Trinity’s cool skin tone and eye color. Hair care should be fairly simple: I really like the Rahua Shampoo and Conditioner, followed by a leave-in conditioner like Reverie Milk.”

 

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