Winter Haircolor Trends With Redken Brand Ambassador Cassandra McGlaughlin

To create one of her favorite displays of the look thus far, Cassandra began with a full highlight to level 10, followed by a base break with SEQ Clear, 9G and 9 GI. "This took the client's tone down just a little bit, but gave her a really beautiful, almost beige neutral tone while adding very controlled warmth,” she explains.

Another way to bring warmth into hair during the colder months is by bringing in a slight hint of pink tones. “Something that is still on trend and is coming out in a lot of different iterations lately are rose tones, especially for fall, because they offer a unique combination of a warm and a cool color that tends to be universally flattering,” says Cassandra. "On a level 9, it will create a blushy, mauve-like end result. As you get darker and darker, it will result in that copper kind of rose color. It's a color that works on a lot of different levels and its a great interpretation of a wearable unnatural color, because it provides a very natural end result!"

Of course, the best way to determine which way to take the trend is by consulting your client. “The first step is determining the type of change they want, especially if they are a blonde. It's very important to consult with your client to see if they want a big transformation or if they are just looking for a small refresh or update to their look.” Cassandra explains. "I always like to take the swatch books out and have them give me a guide range, going through each level, and have them tell me to stop when the color is too dark. This provides a really good guideline to understand where their eye sees brunette and blonde.”

As a true blonde expert (there’s a reason why her Instagram handle is @Cassandraplatinum), Cassandra has a solid rule of thumb for how to craft the perfect blonde strands. "A great tactic for creating depth in blondes is working with the root down to 75% amount of the hair. Imagine doing a root touch up and bringing the low lights down at 25%, 50% and 75%. With this approach, you create a staggered low light,” she explains. "This adds depth without bringing the color all the way to the ends so your client doesn't feel that the color is too dark, but they have depth and dimension.”

And the finishing touch? Send clients home with a product that will make their color last until their next visit to the salon. “Because I like to keep my blondes more on the cooler side, I love Redken's Color Extend Blondage System. That's my personal go-to,” says Cassandra. “For client's with warmer tones, I love both Color Extend Magnetics and the Redken Extreme Shampoo. I think the Redken Extreme system is a great option, because it is a little more acidic, so it keeps the blondes really nice and healthy — It's a great way to keep the strength in the hair.”