Winter is its own aesthetic. The dark nights, the twinkly lights: it’s a mood. So, it follows that we’d want our hair to reflect this. Candlelit brunette is one hair colour trend that does that…quite literally, thanks to the delicately blended, glossy colour that looks warm and reflective when lit by cosy, low-level lamps, glitz Christmas tree lights and the odd flickering flame – we’re talking fireside drinks and candlelit dinners.
The colour even pulls its own weight against the rather drab sunlight that’s fighting its way through the grey winter weather at the moment, thanks to a halo of soft highlights and tactical face-framing placement that add a healthy glow to complexions.
“Being a brunette doesn’t mean you should have one all over flat colour,” insists pro London hair colourist, Gemma Smidmore, adding «naturally when we look back at our hair when we were kids, we have so many different tones in our hair, so why not recreate that? » Candlelit brunette does exactly this, but with a shimmering seasonal twist that makes it perfect for winter. Ultra-fine babylights (finer sections of highlights that give a more natural effect) are added to hair to help lift and illuminate the surrounding natural colour and make it look like it’s bathed in soft-focus candlelight.
“Brunettes shouldn’t have any thick artificial coloured stripes in it if you ask me,” says Gemma. “It should look subtle, with a very pretty glisten. That’s why candlelit brunette works deliciously. It’s natural, classy and has that look that you instantly think ‘gosh her hair looks so so good. ’”
As for what to ask for at your salon, “ask for babylight pieces that are only one or two shades lighter than your natural hair colour,” Gemma says. “Therefore there won’t be too much contrast. It will just look effortless. ”
The technique can be tailored to a colour that best suits you, whether that’s threads of gold, caramel or bronze depending on how deep your hair colour is, but the overall effect remains the same. “ It will break up your brunette and create multi tonal dimension without looking like you’ve had an artificial colour added,” says Gemma.
Effectively, it’s your-hair-but-better shade that’s extra glam and luxe. “This is for anyone who wants their brunette to look super natural, but expensive,” says Gemma.