Like many of you, I paid close attention as the United Kingdom, and the world marked
the passing of Elizabeth II. As expected, a number of new phrases and definitions were
attached to this historical moment.
Perhaps one of the often repeated, was the new color definition: "ROYAL CLARET". This
is the term broadcasters used to describe the very rich, royal color of the hearse bearing the Queen's coffin as it carried her to her final place of rest. -- This car was gorgeous!
Royal Claret is a shade of the richest, deepest, understated burgundy.. in fact, the color is almost more brown than "burgundy". Reflected in the bright sun, the shade, at first glance,
appears to be a rich brown rather than red. My guess is that in the coming months, this color will be replicated in products including shades of cosmetics, paint, furniture coverings, clothing and accessories. ... I'm thinking that car manufacturers like Mercedes, BMW, Jaguar, Rolls Royce and Bentley might roll a few cars painted this tone off of their assembly lines.
HOWEVER: Like most very deep shades of red, this tone might not be an
individual's most flattering hair color choice. Claret (a cool burgundy shade), has
a very striking effect on skin tone. Its level and tone make a strong impact; it's a tough
shade to wear unless infused against against an almost flawless ivory or rich olive complexion.
Blue
or gray eyes work well with this color choice. Individuals with skin that contains warm
undertones, is "ruddy" looking, or in any way "less than flawless" or those plagued with
dark under-eye shadows or vertical lines around the mouth or sides of the face, might
will choose best by opting for another shade.
This subject provides a great way to begin that important Color Conversation we enjoy with
our clients. It brings career colorists back to a discussion about warm and cool skin and
eye color... And that even a relatively small adjustment of tone effects an individual's overall
appearance. For the more conservative, color-shy brunette client whose skin and eye tone
are cool, they might consider your placing a few face-framing Royal Claret highlights around
the face.. Understated, a soft "lift" into that brunette hair, and a nod to history.
There's always so much interesting color news to share! After all, hair color IS the makeup we never take off. Color is more than doing a retouch or placing highlights into the hair.
Color is an art and a business. Let's use a part of our day in class enjoying this type of
color conversation. The creative exchange we share can reignite our passion for what
we create in our salons. Six places remain open for my upcoming Immersion Into Hair Color
event in Cleveland, Ohio. I look forward to seeing you in class! B
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