The Beauty Masters: Marie Robinson for Hair Color

Covering the gray at home is entirely possible

Welcome to the Beauty Masters, a four-part NuyBeauty.com exclusive interview series that combines the most useful tips on hair color, make-up and brows with step-by-step guidance from some of the industry’s top experts. Over the next several weeks, I will unveil a new interview as we talk our way to easy, (always!) achievable beauty, one topic at a time.

First to join us is celebrity colorist Marie Robinson, whose star clients include Rachel McAdams, Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, and Uma Thurman, among others. She most recently opened her own salon this past spring, the Marie Robinson Salon, in the Flat Iron district of New York City.

I first visited Marie, years ago, to correct an at-home-blond-attempt that was just not pretty, and she quickly turned my stressed-out mane into silky hair the color of liquid caramel. To date, it remains one of my favorite hair identities thus far.

I labeled this mini polaroid: 3.06.01 colored by Marie.
A glimpse at a color correction Marie did for me, which I ended up loving!

It’s easy to be unsure of home color treatments, so I asked Marie to share some words on a question that has come up again and again with busy moms and women I know, which is whether or not it’s possible to cover one’s grays at home, and have it look good. And trust me, Marie’s advice is a quick ticket to your best color!

Getting the Grays Out at Home with

Marie Robinson's 1-2-3:

What makes a woman beautiful according to Marie?
"A confident smile, that she feels good about herself, and that she knows a style that's right for her."

1) MARIE SAYS IT'S A GO:  

I think a first timer for hair color can successfully cover their grays at home if, a) you want to stay within two shade ranges of your natural color and, b) if you have 50 percent or less grays to cover. Home hair color kits such as Clairol Nice N' Easy covers grays up to 100 percent and come in numerous shades to help you select your desired color. For those of you who are more than 50 percent gray and/or want to go two shades lighter or darker, I suggest you see a professional. Once you've achieved your desired shade ask your colorist to suggest a matching home formula for you to do at home.

2) PRODUCTS & THE PRO HOW-TO:  

I love Clairol Nice 'N Easy ($8) for brunettes and Clairol Perfect 10 ($12) for blondes and redheads. Virgin applications are fairly easy to do by just following the mixing instructions and applying everywhere. If your hair is shoulder- to long- in length, or if it's dense, you should buy two boxes to ensure even and thorough saturation. If you are a brunette, I suggest choosing two colors -- one shade for the overall desired color and one lighter shade that will be applied 1-inch through and into your hairline. Professionals do this as our hairlines are naturally lighter in color, and we try to replicate this.

If you are re-touching your roots in between professional visits, try Clairol Nice `N Easy Root Touch Up ($7). They come in numerous shades similar to professional colors and match most shades in home hair color. It comes with an easy tool to use for application but you can also try dipping a cotton swab in color and applying to your part and around the face. Whether it’s a virgin application or a re-touch, sometimes it can be confusing to pick the best color. I suggest you try two shades that are closest to what you're looking for and do a test swatch on either side of the head close to the ear. It will help you see how the color will look and if you don't love it, the swatch will not be in such a visible place.

3) FINALLY, MAKE YOUR COLOR LAST:  

Use shampoos and conditioners formulated specifically for color-treated hair. There are many wonderful products to choose from that are not only good for color, but are also good for particular hair types such as fine, frizzy, or curly, or that provide volumizing. Hair color takes better and is preserved better on healthier hair than damaged hair, so condition, condition, condition! Avoid excessive salt water, chlorine, and sun as it can fade the color molecules. If you have hard water and don't have a water softening system get a showerhead with a filter. They provide better water pressure than they used to and can look great too.

A big thank you to Marie for her color counsel!

And to find out more about her you can visit her website at marierobinsonsalon.com.

-N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.