Risk-taking is to beauty what dye is to hair; they just go together! Can you imagine how boring the world of glam world would be without change? One of the boldest changes that any Glamazon can make is trying a lighter or darker hair color. A new hair hue can revamp your whole look for the better (or worst if you don’t do your homework.) You don’t have to worry about the latter because we’ve prepared a study guide full of advice from the glamazing hair-color maven Rebecca Friedman, co-owner of Goodform Salon in Hollywood, Los Angeles.
How did you discover that styling hair was a passion of yours and why did you choose color as your expertise?
I was exposed to lots of creative people at an early age. As a kid I spent a lot of time between NYC and England. My uncle was a well-known artist in NYC, and at one of his shows his good friend Keith Herring started to graffiti his famous radio head on the back of my dad’s jacket. I was mesmerized, and spent time in art school. I would spend summers in England visiting family, and became friends with a group of punk rock kids. They all had crazy hair and would ask me to do it for them.
I left college and went to beauty school. I then went on to work with some of the biggest names in this my industry, working between the salon and doing runway and print work. Color and styling came very naturally to me, and I am able to apply a lot of my art background toward the art of hairdressing. Now I love both being at my salon, Goodform and working on sets and shoots.
Everyone did a double-take the first time we saw Kim Kardashian rocking blond hair! Why did she decide to go lighter?
In 2009 she wanted a big change, and given her iconic dark mink locks, going blond was definitely it. The inspiration was the model Veruschka, a very desert blond. It looked amazing, it was definitely shocking, but in a good way and she loved it. More recently, when I dyed her hair chocolate brown, it was the beginning of this summer and Kim wanted to play with her color and go lighter.
What advice do you have for someone who is apprehensive about changing their hair color?
Seek out a very talented professional who understands your aesthetic, and start altering your hair slowly.
Do you switch up your hair’s hue often?
Not anymore. I used to. I’ve been every color under the sun (yes…even green). Now I stay very blond; I have very delicate hair that can’t take lots of change. I’m naturally blond and pretty fair so it works for me. Actually, doing a single process bleach and tone gives my fine hair more body.
What are some of the common mistakes that women make when it comes to hair color?
Following trends that don’t suit their lifestyle or look. Every cut, color and style should be tailored or modified for the person wearing it.
Very true! One of my girlfriends recently went from blond to brunette, but she tried to do it on her own and it came out horribly, so she had to go to the salon to correct it. Is DIY color ok or a no-no?
I would almost never suggest doing your own color, especially a major change. People don’t realize that going from light to dark can be very complicated and can be considered a color correction. There are so many variables to think about when coloring your hair. It’s best to leave this to a professional. Cheap hair can be expensive.
What tips do you have for finding the perfect color for complexion vs texture?
Place a gold bangle on one arm, and a silver one on the other arm. Hold them up to your face in natural daylight. Which brightens your complexion more? Look at your eye color against the two bangles, do they pick up more golden hazel flecks or more cool grays and silvery blue flecks. Silver your cool, gold your warm. If you can wear both you may be more neutral, which gives you greater spectrum of hues to play with.
As for texture, if your hair is curly and or wiry avoid going too light. These textures are generally dryer by nature, and going light will only dry it more, making it hard to style. For finer hair adding lighter color may actually make your hair less limp
Here’s a peek at the inside the salon:
To schedule an appointment or to learn more about Rebecca’s services call the salon at 323.658.8585 and check out the Goodform Salon’s blog at www.goodformblog.blogspot.com.
Ciao Bellas,
Glamazon Margo
Rebeccas' simple gold and silver bangle to help you choose your best color that suits you is so easy for everyone to use. Thank you Rebecca