You know the Smoky Eye, so what is Smoky Hair?

The Smoky Eye is a make-up classic so well known that it has found its way into the world of hair colouring and inspired a new service now known as ‘Smoky Hair’. Playing with a mix of blended shades and using multi-dimensional tones to create contrast from root to tip, this technique truly embodies the Smoky Eye and all of its appealing factors. The Smoky Hair technique allows for a low maintenance hair colour that looks expensive, yet natural. Whether your clients are blonde or brunette, prefer a subtle or dramatic look, Smoky Hair is suitable for all clients of all hair types and all hair colours.

What has made Smoky Hair so popular?

The #SmokyEye make-up technique is not just relevant, it’s timeless. Social media, magazines, runways and celebs have proven year after year that this look is forever. The #SmokyEye hype has inspired the Pros at L’Oréal Professionnel to create what’s never been played in hair before: #SmokyHair. Smoky Hair is all about creating a perfectly seamless blend of colour tones that offers a low-maintenance hair colour. A technique that can only be achieved by a Pro. It’s safe to say the Smoky Hair colouring technique creates colour results that everyone will love; a look that can be dialled up just like the smouldering Smoky Eye in make-up or toned down for a more subtle and sultry Smoky Eye.

Educate yourself on Smoky Hair to get ahead of the game and give your clients a hair colour that’s sophisticated, natural-looking and incredibly versatile.

Smoky Eye meets Smoky Hair: The Technique

The Smoky Hair trend is the perfect hair colour service to entice your clients back into the hands of the professional. Smoky Hair is achievable with a complete colour palette of warm and cool tones, leaving the results personalised and suitable for all hair types and colours. Just like the Smoky Eye, the Smoky Hair technique is achieved by placing the darkest shade at the root combined with a reflective lighter shade at the ends with a smudge and blend of tones in the middle which is the crucial step to achieve a flawless finish.

No matter the colour palette, you can create bespoke and personalised colour results. The Smoky Hair technique is done in three simple steps:

Step 1: Start by applying what is essentially a cool-coloured shadow at the roots. Just like you apply the darker share onto the outer corner of the eye when creating a Smoky eye make-up look.

Step 2: Apply a reflective lighter shade on the lengths and ends… just like you would apply the lighter shade onto the inner corner of the eye when creating a Smoky eye make-up look.

Step 3: This is the final and most important step: blend the shades in the middle to create a flawless finish. This step is key to create the perfect Smoky Hair result.

The key step, Step 3, requires skills that only a professional stylist holds. To really nail the Smoky Hair trend, you must be well-versed in blending hair colours. You are probably well acquainted with the popular balayage service, or ombre which is achieved by freehand painting on hair colour to give a very blended, natural look with no obvious regrowth. The end result of a well-applied balayage or ombre should be a multi-tonal, natural-looking blend of colour tones that isn’t too overwhelming, just like Smoky Hair. All hair types, all hair lengths, all women. Whether you are working on short or long hair, blonde or brunette, a Balayage regular or looking to cover greys, Smoky Hair is versatile, sophisticated and can be tailor-made to suit your every need.

Learn the Smoky Hair look

Because the Smoky Hair look is only achievable in the hands of a professional stylist, get ready to be your clients’ favourite hairdresser. To learn the specifics of the Smoky look, head over to L’Oréal Access and give your clients the #SmokyHair of their dreams.

Discover the new shades

Your clients want bespoke results, and the Smoky Hair service provides just that. Choose from an endless colour palette of warm and cool shades to deliver a personalised look that is suitable to your client. L'Oréal Professionnel has an extensive range of beige, cool brown and ash shades to cool down or warm up the look as needed.

Why not try on the shades on your clients with the L'Oréal Professionnel Style My Hair Pro app – the hair consultation app for Pros from the Google Play Store or Apple Store.

Download the Style My Hair Pro app today to discover the 5x new shades in the Majirel and INOA ranges that are ideal for perfecting the Smoky Hair look. But of course, the palette is endless. Smoky Hair can also be created using any of the other colour shades within L'Oréal Professionnel; Majirel Fundamentals, Majirel Glow, Majirel Cool Cover and Majirel Cool Inforced.

And if you need help deciding which shades will work best for your clients to create a Smoky Hair look, the Style My Hair Pro app is the answer. Now available with a new 3D Smoky Hair filter so you can see what the Smoky Hair look will look like on your clients for the ultimate customised look. Style My Hair Pro is another perfect way to convert your regular cut and blow dry clients to colour at the consultation using the virtual hair try-on tool.

Download the Style My Hair Pro app from the Google Play Store or Apple Store and help your client decide which shades they love. You can then find the perfect L’Oréal Professionnel shade to suit them and create the perfect Smoky Hair Look.

Help your clients maintain their Smoky Hair colour at home

Good salon service doesn’t end in the chair: don’t forget to encourage your clients to care for their Smoky Hair colour at home with L’Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert to compliment this gorgeous service. The Vitamino Color range will ensure their colour stays radiant for longer. For a truly smoky-silver look, recommend your clients a silver shampoo to keep unwanted yellow tones out of their Smoky Hair. And for a lighter ash blonde look, the L’Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Blondifier range will keep their colour fresh in between salon appointments.