From The Straits Times    |

Mane maestro William Chang with his coiffure creation – he used Majirel Pastel Lavender (7.21) for this head-turner of a look

Say googoo-gaga to the adorably named pastel babylights, the cool colouring trend that’s tipped to be the next big beauty thing.

But what are pastel babylights, exactly? Well, this exquisitely evocative colouring service, available exclusively at L’Oreal Professionnel-affiliated salons, isn’t exactly revolutionary – the technique is much like the so-called “balayage” method of dabbing dye on by hand – but it’s certainly a cute beauty buzzword that’s a subtle, sophisticated and arguably superior alternative to solid blocks of colour. 

Take it from an expert: “These streaks of highlights in pale rose, mint or lavender can be placed strategically to illuminate hair and neutralise the sallow undertones of Asian skin,” explains grooming guru William Chang, a L’Oreal Professionnel ID Artist and director of Formula Cut salon. “The goal is to simulate the naturally translucent tint children get from being out in the sun!” Translation: The memorable monicker is meant to allude to the super-soft sheen of toddler tresses – like the hair colour fairy children were born with, essentially.

Here’s how Pastel Babylights by Majirel works in action. My stylist assessed the state of my hair, then divvy it up into tiny sections before painstakingly painting selected slivers scattered all over my head. The result of this delicate dye job? A very beguiling, barely there twinkle that’s like the sun-kissed shimmer of a blonde babe on a beach. (You can opt to pre-lighten your pouf for a pronounced pop of candy-cane colour, or keep it subtle by depositing the dye directly on dark hair.) 

Mane maintenance is easy enough, too; when shown a picture of said dye job, my stylist says a full head of babylights should last a good six weeks or so – even longer if you invest in regular “toning” of your tresses with an at-home treatment like say, L’Oreal Professionnel Vitamino Color A-OX Soft Cleanser and Vitamino Color A-OX 10-in-1 (shown above), $26 each, both of which come crammed with cuticle-smoothing sealers and frizz fighters to lend your coloured coiffure a shampoo ad-worthy sheen. Oh, and try dispensing a drop or two of a tress-taming oil like L’Oreal Professionnel’s Mythic Oil, $29, into your palms, then raking it through the tips for a generous shot of shine.

Keen to give this a go? The trend may be gaining traction with the online beauty community, but your average stylist may be a tad late to the party. In the “mane” time, these #hairfies on the Vaniday app may be useful to flash to your stylist when trying to communicate what you want done to your ‘do. Bookmark this page for future reference, and have fun!

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