We’re all super into Kelly Rowland’s summery new highlights — so fresh, so carefree, so effortlessly beautiful. Well, Matrix celebrity stylist, George Papanikolas, is the main man behind Kelly’s new do…and he was kind enough to give us the inside scoop on achieving and maintaining, what has to summer’s most requested hairstyle — highlights!
TTB: Please discuss the steps/process for doing Kelly Rowland’s Highlights?
GP: Textured hair is much more fragile just by it’s nature, so more care is needed when lightening so that you don’t over process the hair. I rely on the new Matrix LightInsider, which is an Ammonia Free Lightener to give gentle lift to the hair color. With dark hair, the lighter you take it from it’s natural color the more likely there is damage. I prefer to lift the hair to a caramel brown, then add a sheer gloss with MATRIX Gloss Sync The Gloss Sync only affects the highlighted hair giving it a translucent sheen and desired tone.
TTB: Can you please talk on diverse hair types (straight, textured, etc.)
GP: The way you approach highlights is very different depending on the hair texture and how the client wears it. My most important approach is not highlighting all of the hair. Instead I focus on strategically placed highlights in 3 main areas: giving the client face framing pieces, the natural part, and a few mixed into the ends. This ensures the hair has dimension and movement. If they wear their hair straight, then more delicate highlights are needed, curly hair can handle chunkier highlights.
TTB: Is there a different process per different hair type?
GP: I do the same placement, but apply stronger chunkier highlights to curly hair so that they don’t disappear into the curls.
TTB: What kind of daily and routine maintenance does one need to incorporate to care for highlighted hair?
Coloring your hair can cause it to become dry, so it’s very important to keep your hair moisturized. I like using a spritz of, MATRIX Oil Wonders Egyptian Hibiscus Color Caring Oil daily; this will enhance and restore vibrancy to color-treated hair. You also want to make sure you don’t strip the color and moisture from highlighted hair. Using an ultra gentle product like MATRIX Biolage Cleansing Conditioner (See TTB Review here) in your weekly routine gently cleanses without stripping color, and conditions without weight.
There you have it, folks — the inside scoop on Kelly Rowland’s Highlights thanks to celebrity Matrix stylist, George Papanikolas.
Will you be changing your hair color this Spring/Summer?
