HOW-TO: Easy-to-Maintain Ecaille

Chloe Dela Merced (@chloealexand_ra), a stylist at Salon Tease in Naples, Florida, created this ecaille using tortoiseshell tones.

“As a busy college student, my client wanted something easy to maintain, while still looking on-trend,” Dela Merced said. “She mentioned that she had tried a few other stylists in her pursuit of a soft, bright, vibrant ombre haircolor, but always ended up with brassy stripes in her natural level 3 hair, and eventually ended up covering it up with a flat box color.”  

Keeping her hair history in mind, Dela Merced said she used extreme caution when lightening her client’s hair. “This color process was a long one, and took about four and a half hours, but the results were so worth it,” Dela Merced said.

FORMULAS:
Formula A: Wella Blondor + 10 volume
Formula B: Wella Blondor + 20 volume
Formula C: Wella Blondor + 30 volume
Formula D: Redken Flashlift + 40 volume
Formula E: Goldwell Colorance 8GB + 9NA + equal parts lotion

STEPS:
STEP 1: Start by taking the hair at the back of the head and vertically splitting it half.  Working up from the nape of the neck, take 1/2" thick diagonal slice and tease each of the sections towards the root.
STEP 2: After teasing the hair, take formula A and in a V pattern, paint on the lightener using minimal tension on the color brush. Then use saran wrap to cover the section. Do not wrap tightly.
STEP 3: Use the same method up until the middle of the back of the head, then switch to formula B and proceed to finish the back of the head.
STEP 4: Starting the sides of the head, take 1/2" diagonal back sections. Tease them like in the previous steps and weave a few pieces of hair out. Then use formula C to paint a V-like shape using formula B in the middle of the V-like section to create a W shape. This will create softness and dimension with the color. 
STEP 5: Proceed with the other side with the same procedure always making sure that to hold the hair directly from where it grows out on the head. 
STEP 6: Following the client’s natural part, hand paint some pieces using formula D right in the hairline for natural highlights.
STEP 7: Process for about 15 minutes. At this time, the client should have level 7 to 8-looking pieces.
STEP 8: After shampooing the client, apply formula E from root to tip and let that process for 20 minutes.
STEP 9: After rinsing the gloss, condition, cut, blowdry and style the clients hair.