Hair chalking: what you need to know about this colourful new fad

Thus, it is no surprise that as with the rest of our decisions, many of us avoid being judged on our fashion picks by playing it ‘safe’. We circumvent the road of fashion less travelled and remain inhibited, especially in terms of the colours we sport.

One of the things that many women tread carefully over is the hair colour they opt for. Pink? Too Barbiesque. Red? Too bold. Purple? Too perky. So, they stick to the three staple Bs: black, brown and blonde.

But as spring progresses, we give you some food for thought. Why not keep up with the spirit of the season and add some va-va-voom to your hair colour palette?

A hip and trendy step towards diverging from the usual colour tonalities is going for hair colour that is temporary yet shows you what your hair will look like if jazzed up with a vibrant hue or two — hair chalk.

A global trend, hair chalking is a technique that Pakistani fashionistas are gradually familiarising themselves with. In the quest to know more about hair chalk, The Express Tribune talks to the folks at L’Oréal Professionnel and The Body Shop, both of which offer the product in the country.

“Hair chalk is the perfect product for fun, colourful hair without the commitment. You want it, you wear it,” says Mona Hussain, General Manager of the L’Oréal Professionnel Products Division. The brand has recently introduced its range of hair chalk in Pakistan.

Instead of giving one a complete makeover, hair chalk essentially works as make-up. “It allows girls to change hair shades as often as their nail colour, jeans or shoes,” states a L’Oréal team member. “You can apply the product to hair for a high-impact and playful look,” a representative of The Body Shop shares.

Hair chalk washes out with shampoo and can be easily applied at home or a salon. Of the advantages of hair chalk over permanent dye, a L’Oréal team member shares that it is ammonia free. In addition, “it gives maximum colour intensity without pre-lightening hair.”

Both the brands suggest that the product is targeted at people of all ages. However, girls in the 15 to 30 age group will particularly like it as it is trendy and fun to wear. It will draw those towards itself who wish to experiment with their hair.

When getting one’s hair dyed with permanent colour, one should be wary of its multiple disadvantages. According to Natural News, people using hair dye become susceptible to allergic reactions, Dermatitis, hair loss, and swelling, burning or severe itch of the scalp.

As for hair chalk, one of its evident cons is the coarse hair texture that it causes. “As chalk is dry, the layer of chalk on your hair will make your hair feel dry,” admits a L’Oréal representative. “However, once the product comes off, your hair will come back to its original state. The best recommended way of removing hair chalk is to massage shampoo on dry hair and then wash it off.”

Of course, smoothness of hair is uncompromisable. So, how to alleviate the dryness when the product is still on? “While applying hair chalk, comb the part of hair where it is applied to remove excess product. The lesser the liquid chalk, the lesser the dryness,” recommends a L’Oréal team member. “Blowdry the hair during application and the chalked part after you wash it.”

According to The Body Shop representative, their product comprises marula oil from Namibia and sesame oil from Nicaragua that naturally moisturises hair.

Hair chalk can be used in a multitude of ways to style your hair. L’Oréal Professionnel has worked with James Galvin, Artistic Director at the Daniel Galvin Salon, to creative three diverse looks: candy floss girl, peacock plait and blushed beehive. In addition, one can use hair chalk for a fishbone braid or sport a French fringe with a hint of ombré.

The Body Shop team member suggests that hair chalk can either be applied in a single colour or two blended ones. For one colour, you can gather a section of hair, put the colour pad on top with your thumb underneath and glide down to the tip. “Place a cotton round on your thumb from beforehand to prevent the product from transferring onto the skin. Next, you can brush through the excess powder and seal the colour with hairspray.”

For blending two colours, the same technique is recommended, except apply one shade of hair chalk by sliding the pad halfway down the hair and then, apply the other shade to the bottom part of the hair. You can use a hairbrush to blend the line between the two colours.

Experimenting with hair chalk can be fun for a day in or out with your friends. Pledge to not become a slave of fashion basics and go edgy this season.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2014.

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