From wigs to Kardashians, neon has been having a real moment in fashion. Now pop starlet Billie Eilish has put a grungy spin on things…
Known for her blue-grey locks (which were unintentional – but as any colourist knows, blue is notoriously difficult to wash out) Billie Eilish’s new look sparked plenty of attention to grungy, fresh interpretations and ways to play with colour.
There was only one person to talk to about how to perfect neon green bases. Sarah Black, colour expert at Linton & Mac (and double nominee for 2019’s Most Wanted and The It List awards!), has been sporting a neon green bob for as long as we’ve known her.
“I’ve been noticing a DIY culture that’s happening more specifically within the music industry. Billie Eilish is definitely right there working that trend!” she says. “Her latest neon root moment is a grungier version of a bleach and tone face frame. I don’t think my clients will be begging for this root look but it will definitely influence some colour experimentation!”
When it comes to creating neon bases, she stressed the importance of prep – it’s certainly not a snap decision to make. “The key to a good neon, especially green, is a perfect clean base – too much underlying yellow and you’re changing the tone of green entirely.”
For Sarah’s own locks, she’s constantly tweaking and changing her colour formulas. “I have fun playing with my green by changing up the formula each time,” she explains. “Crazy Color Lime Twist and Crazy Color Toxic UV have been my go-to true neon greens, and currently I’m having more of a ‘tennis ball green’ moment mixing Directions Fluorescent Glow and Bleach London Slime Light.
“And most surprising thing is that the maintenance is super low, so you can still rock a bold vivid without frequent top ups!”
See more from our PAINTER Sarah >
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