How to go pink with
Maria Nila

As a professional, how do you use the Colour Refresh on your clients and in what situations?

In so many situations! It’s a really helpful tool on busy days at the salon when there is no time for longer treatments. I use it after shampoo and before conditioner to boost shine and nourish the hair. It’s a service to combine with a haircut just to give the client’s coloured hair a quick touch up, or combine with a colour service such as highlights, bleaching, or roots to adjust the tones to cooler/warmer, and sometimes for an extra bold colour effect. The Colour Refresh is great for pre-colouring. Thanks to the heavy pigmentation, the red and copper colours are perfect if you’re going from blonde to a darker tone.

Can end consumers use it at home or do you have to be a professional? In other words, can we go all go crazy now when we’re at home anyway?

Of course they can, that’s the best part. Colour Refresh allows people to be creative at home without risking the quality of the hair. However, one thing that you should never do is bleach hair that has Colour Refresh in it. If you do, the pigments that are still in the hair can result in unwanted tones and get bleached into the hair, which is something you definitely want to avoid. If you’re about to bleach, you’ll have to wait until the Colour Refresh is washed out. But besides that, it’s a safe way to try a tone you’ve always wanted or just to refresh the colour you already have. Colour Refresh fades out gradually and softly, and only stays in the hair for 4 -10 washes. How many washes depends on what colour you use, the quality of the hair and what colour you have to start with.

What’s your advice to your clients when they’re about to use the Colour Refresh at home?

Always start by washing the hair with shampoo and towel dry it, make sure to brush or comb through, then section the hair for a more controlled application and even result. The more your hair contrasts to the Colour Refresh you’re using, the more careful the application needs to be to avoid an uneven result. The pigments in the formula will attach more at the most damaged parts of the hair; normally this is in the lengths. Therefore, always start closest to the scalp and then massage it out in the lengths.

How do the colours work, will everyone get the same tone no matter how light or dark their hair is?

The shades of the Colour Refresh all have different underlying pigments with varied depth. Some are naturally pastel/light and some are more pigmented and therefore darker. If you use a lighter shade, such as Peach, on a blondie and a brunette, you won’t see that much of a difference on the brunette while the blonde gets a very visible result. Even if you use the same Colour Refresh shade on two blondes with different tones in their hair, you will see a difference. One thing you can do before applying the masque in the whole hair is to try on a part of the hair in the neck first. If the colour is too intense, mix with White Mix, or keep it in for a shorter amount of time.

What is the “White mix”?

White Mix doesn’t have any pigments but is used for mixing with other shades that you think are a bit too pigmented. Just as with water colours! White Mix is also a great masque by itself, it’s the perfect trick for those who want to keep their hair colour but need a treatment for added shine and removing that brassy feeling. White Mix will instantly nourish the hair and make it look glossy and healthy. This is a safe option for all colours and hair types that I recommend everyone to try!

If I want a really pigmented result, any specific advice on application?

Always wash and towel dry the hair before applying the masque. The less damp the hair, the more intense the tone will be, so if you want a really pigmented result, make sure to dry the hair a little bit extra before applying the Colour Refresh. The Colour Refresh masques are also perfect to mix with each other to get your desired colour. Feel free to be creative and play a little!

The opposite then, let’s say I just want a tiny hint of colour in the hair?

If you want a soft result, mix the formula with some of the White Mix to dilute the pigments. Or use the Colour Refresh together with a Maria Nila shampoo and get a foamier texture. The less percentage of Colour Refresh in total, the softer the result.

One last question, what is your favourite recipe for a perfect tone?

That’s a hard one, I have a few. For the bold client, I tend to go back to my pastel pink hair dye, where I mix 1 part Maria Nila Pink Pop, 5 parts White Mix and 1 part Peach. The Pink Pop is heavily pigmented so I mix it with a lot of White Mix to make it pastel, and then add a bit of Peach just to make the pink a little bit warmer.

And for the brunettes and blondes who are not that bold?

For the brunette, I love using Cacao with a touch of Bright Copper to add some warmth. For the blonde, my all-time favourite is Pearl Silver with a bit of Vanilla to get a cold but soft blonde tone.