You know that girl — the one in your facebook feed with impossibly good hair. In EVERY photo. She automatically seems more confident, more successful, and more put-together, because our hair has such a big impact on our overall appearance. Thick, shiny, richly hued hair is a symbol of youth and health, so there’s no simpler way to brighten up your look than doing a quick restorative treatment for your tresses. We met up with Rory McNeill, award-winning colorist and proprietor of ROAR Salon, to learn about his favorite treatment for adding shine and color to dull hair. The “rich gloss” hair treatment can be performed in 30 minutes by a professional colorist, with benefits lasting from 4-6 weeks. “Glossing the hair deposits color without lifting, which smooths the cuticle bringing softness and shine. It’s a fast, low committal change,” explains Rory. “Because the color doesn’t penetrate deep into the hair like permanent color, it lifts out softly over time and is easy to change down the road.”
“Erin and I have a strong relationship built on years of trust when it comes to change,” says Rory of one of his favorite long-time clients, Austin musician Erin Ivey. “Typically she’ll ask me what I’m inspired to do and I’ll tell her what direction I’m feeling at the moment (which is likely in coordination with the current season — reds in fall/winter, warm golden blondes in spring/summer).”
The rich gloss hair treatment works on all hair types — the more lightness you already have in your hair, the brighter and more dimensional the final results will be. It will not cover gray hair.
Rory says that the rich gloss treatment can be performed as often as every 3 or 4 weeks, or as spread out as every 8 weeks depending on the desired intensity of the tonal color.
He uses Redken Shades EQ for the rich gloss treatment (available through salons only) and also recommends Kerastase’s Reflection Bain Chroma Captive to maintain the look: “It’s amazing for preventing color fading,” he says.
“I loved that we were able to take Erin from grown out and dull summertime Balayage highlights and infuse it with natural sparkling copper and red tones in minutes,” says Rory of Erin’s finished look. “Her hair was instantly reflective. The color brought evenness to her complexion and brightness to her eyes. A great change for the New Year!”
Ask your stylist about a rich gloss treatment the next time you’re at the salon, or better yet — get an appointment on the books at with Rory at Roar Salon in Austin.
Listen to Whisper of the Moon, Erin’s Grammy ballot nominated collection of gorgeous lullabies here.