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Fall into Harmonious Colour: John Frieda #Giveaway

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It happens every year around this time: I begin to seriously consider if I should darken my locks for Fall. 

Looking back, I’ve adopted a more “natural” shade in September 8 times out of 10 over the past decade. So clearly, I buy into the switch to warmer, richer shades for the new season. But this year? I’m sticking to my roots. My bleached, highlighted and coloured roots, that is. Because each and every time I go dark for Fall, I find myself yearning for my lighter locks by Christmas. And then invariably, I end up doing more damage by stripping the dark pigment and lifting my hair back to a highlighted blonde. Hence, I’ve made absolutely no move to do anything but keep the status quo.

And then THIS landed in my inbox:


I mean, just LOOK at the model! Her rich, espresso locks cascading like a waterfall down her back. Her sultry, provocative makeup that’s perfectly complementary. This photo is a tribute to Fall and dammit, I feel like throwing my hands up in salute. Courage, Lena, courage.

For all of those who’ll be going to the dark side this season, here are tips on how to get a head start on hair shades and styles, from the experts at John Frieda:

Autumn colours: The winter and fall months offer the perfect opportunity to refresh and rejuvenate our hair. With the cooler season comes richer, warmer hair colour. To welcome the cooler months ahead, John Frieda Precision Foam Colour has launched three new beautiful shades in 5C Medium Copper Brown, 5RV Medium Burgundy and 6A Light Ash Brown. The improved formula has transformed the way you will colour your hair at home. The new technology has thicker and denser foam with deeper colour saturation. The non-drip formula offers 36% more product delivery, helping to spread easily into your roots and hard to reach places, ensuring that you have an all over, permanent colour with no patchiness.

Forget the heat: After washing your hair, try to avoid reaching for the dryer. Using hot appliances such as curling irons, hair dryers and straighteners actually makes your hair more porous resulting in colour loss. When you can, let your hair dry naturally to help elongate your colour’s life….

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The Higher the Hair, The Closer to God

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I’ve always been a fan of BIG hair. You know, the kind of ‘do that is widely accepted in the Southern US and generally tolerated here in the Great White North – except perhaps in the early nineties, when grunge-inspired hair necessitated flat, unkempt locks. (Also known as: the WORST hair trend known to womankind.)

And, since I just happen to have the least envied hair texture – that unsexy combination of fine and frizzy with a cowlick in the back, greasy roots and dry ends and oh, just a hint of a kinky curl that resembles crimped hair at best and a treasure troll at its worst – I tend to invest a lot of time and energy in fighting Mother Nature. *Shakes Fist*

In fact, if there’s consistently one type of product I’ve always sought out, it’s the ones that promise full-bodied and voluminous hair. Bodifying shampoos. Volumizing mousses. Big and bold finishing sprays. And a back-comb at the roots, for good measure. So when John Frieda (read: hair-styling GOD) recently released his lineup of Luxurious Volume products, I was more than a little curious. I was a little obsessed.

MUST. TRY. NEW. PRODUCTS.
WILL. SOLVE. ALL. OF. LIFE’S. PROBLEMS. WITH. BIG. HAIR.
So what’s the “big” deal? Here I am pre- Luxurious Volume – after a quick blowdry with my current go-to mousse (ahem, which shall remain nameless), I’m left with smoother hair but decidedly zero pizzazz. I look like a 30-something gal with fine locks and a hint of hair happiness. This is actually what my hair looks like every day before I pull it into a ponytail – so I suppose if you popped by my house unannounced, this is the Lena who would likely greet you at the door.

I decided to photograph myself relatively unstyled, because if I put a large-barreled curling iron to the ends, backcombed my crown and added a bit of FRIZZ-EASE Extra Strength hair serum to the ends, I’d fool you into thinking I had more hair than I really do. So as far as “before” shots go, there I am….

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