Aveda’s newest service thickens and colours with only plant-based products

If you thought contouring strictly belonged to the territory of make-up artists, you were wrong. Aveda’s global artistic director for hair color, Ian Michael Black, came up with a way to translate the makeup technique into hair art using strategic colour placement. “Eclipting” is the new buzz word in the beauty world, after years of “balayage” domination. 

We know – there are so many concepts to grasp when it comes to this new trend. Let’s start by slowing down and taking it apart piece by piece.

Step 1: Thickening with Invati Advanced

Aveda’s thickening + colour/highlights service is a new body-boosting hair treatment designed to contour and alter the shape of your hair. The first part lifts and volumizes thinning, lanky tresses for maximum fullness using the award-winning Invati Advanced™ line, which powers the process via three products that promise to reduce hair loss by 53%. 

Price: The Invati Treatment for Thinning Hair starts at HK$500

Step 2: Eclipting – Colouring your way to fuller-looking hair

The second part achieves optical illusions by way of ‘eclipting.’ The technique makes thinning hair appear fuller through ‘hair contouring’: incorporating balayage techniques to effect gradients (although eclipting uses starker contrasts for a more distinct change).

Black’s method keeps the root area a little darker to “make hair look more solid at the scalp,” he says. “It works well with the darker-root trend right now.”

Strategic highlights are then placed: finer through the top and chunkier underneath. “This gives hair a bulkier look overall,” according to Black. Finally, the ends shouldn’t be lighter than the rest of the hair as bleached ends look especially thin.

“But nothing makes hair look better than being shiny and conditioned,” warns Black, so keep those locks healthy! Remember: chemicals at the minimum, hence Aveda’s success as a company that sticks to naturally-derived ingredients.

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The Hong Kong experience

Among Aveda’s several Hong Kong locations, we decided to check out their Lifestyle Salon & Spa at The Loop in Central. You can enter via a separate door from the building lobby; skip the spa and salon on the first two floors to get to the colouring station on the third. 

Since you’re going to be in here for a good three hours, best make yourself comfy with complimentary tea and settle in with some reading material. If your eyes need a break, there’s a streetview to Wellington Street below, or the mirror to check on your colorist’s progress. 

A colour assesment begins the session, followed by a soothing head and scalp massage which releases any tension or pre-colour worries you may have. If you need lightening, the bleaching for highlights goes first to add depth, followed by a thorough shampooing and conditioning. The toning stage brings in the colour application, and finally a treatment to offset anydrying or damage. 

What do you think?

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Aveda has multiple locations in Hong Kong. Check out www.aveda.com.hk for more details. 

Written by Julienne C. Raboca