As I mentioned recently, arrogantly and in a way that assumed you cared, my natural, colour-free hair is fine. Way too fine. Floppy, flat, dirty-in-two days, fine. I enjoy its colour very much, but its texture can suck a doz.

So I decided to have some “underlighting” done, a word I have coined (heck, let’s say dollared) which refers to having highlights painted on around the head, but with the following provisions:

They must not create the issue of “roots”

They must not be applied to or visible on the top layer of hair, but rather, underneath

Maintenance must be at an all time-low

The colour of the highlights must be very close to the natural hair colour

There must be enough of them to create a marked improvement in hair texture, “grip” and body

And so, with that list of cool and easy going rules, (written out helpfully here today in a way that you can use/remember them should YOU be interested in this technique) I slithered into the salon* of one Barney Martin (whose idea it was for me to boof up my hair with highlights for texture inspired all of this) and after a consultation with colour king, James Pearce (who got me from all-over blonde back to convincing brunette in a swift two-hour seating last year) I was lovingly given my underlights.

James explained that they would use two shades of high lift tint, (so, ammonia not bleach), one that was two shades lighter than my base, and one that was a shade or two darker. This meant, James explained, that there would be plenty of contrast, but it would look extremely natural. I liked this. Stephanie, a very talented colourist with the kind of wash-n-go texture that permits her not only short hair, but also a fringe (show-off) applied the colour masterfully, and an hour and a half later it was done.

In the continuing quest for volume, however, I had James cut my hair. There were still some layers in there, which is a shame since I’d had two blunt one-length cuts in the past three months, (the ones around my face I can handle – adds some softness) but the thing about layers is that they cling on to your hair like the scent of fish after cooking. And layers, you see, are the last thing fine-haired dames need, especially when the hair is long, and there are curls lurking around, smoking ciggies until they’re next allowed to roam free.

So, we cut it all one length, and quite a fair amount shorter. I instantly felt more me, and more stylish with the length. To me, long hair feels “pretty,” but slicing it off on the collarbones or above feels more … chic.

Here’s the “before” shot. What a godamn mess.
All that bleach ruining the last few inches of hair, all those limp curls…

And now, here are a bunch photos taken by either me or Mario Testino, I can never remember, in order to show the different lights of the colour.

It looks, overall, a touch lighter, but so very, very genuinely naturally coloured, as if I just happened to be born with the most awesome, flecky, contrasty shade of brunette. It looks like the same natural brunette colour I’ve worked so hard to grow out, but there is all this excitement hiding underneath. If I was being unashamedly braggy, I would say that I feel a bit like I just got the hair colour of a bird in a ’90s Ralph Lauren ad, or Ms Brooke Shields in her Blue Lagoon days. And that’s all I could ever hope for.

More importantly  it FEELS thicker, it’s got a lot more texture (the haircut assists this greatly) and I just got almost five days out of it (not even from the salon blow-dry, from my own!)

If you’re a fine haired Shezzi who craves texture, contrast and body but NOT regrowth, then you may just enjoy this underlighting biz.

*Speaking (“writing/reading”) of salons, have you added your favourite salon to the fruitybeauty Personal Beauty Army post?

When there is no permanent hair colour or highlights or tints in my hair it is so… thin. So fine. And if, like me, you already have fine hair, your levels of fineness and thinness and flatness reach levels that were previously reserved for uncooked angel hair pasta.

This is because, as we all know, hair colour adds plumpness to the hair strand. Some volume. A bit of sass and excitement. And I always forget this when I set out to get my natural colour back. What a pity.

Now that the first six inches of my hair is completely natural, with no colour whatsoever, it is arrogantly healthy but I find:

1. My hair needs more washing because my cute scalp oils have more effect, faster

2. My hair is flatter and even the usual root-boost/volume-crank-up products aren’t really doing much (or they do much initially, but by day two the effect has buzzed off to get a latte on Degraves St)

3. I use double the products (esp magic dusts and mousses) which leads to build-up and even – GASP – a dry scalp

4. Styles won’t hold, because the hair is too limp and pathetic and deserved of being bullied quite frankly

5. I eat more Lindor balls than I should.

Just one of the many wonderful magic (“volume”) dusts on the market.

I find it most amusing that every few years I bang on about wanting my “natural hair” back and then as soon as I have it, I immediately resent it for its overwhelming thinness and dullness… Of course the one VERY big plus to having hair that is not permanently coloured is that you can donate to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, which puts you in the Fabulous Saint category.

Incidentally, during some wonderful trips to Sydney and Brisbane for Pantene Beautiful Lengths and Look Good Feel Better last week, I got to chatting about this with my fellow Beautiful Length ambassador and hair dresser and the chap who did my wedding hair, Barney ‘Bananas’ Martin.

My fancy wedding updo, care of Barney.

I pretended not to be offended when he commented after blow-drying my hair that it was very fine wasn’t it, and perhaps I needed some colour back in there..?

“NO, Barney,” I said, unnecessarily loud. “I like having my natural colour back. Is healthy and shiny and the curls are behaving. Also I am lazy and care not for regrowth.’

“Just get some highlights underneath the top layer, silly!” he said in that fun British accent. “That would give you some volume and some texture, and you needn’t worry about regrowth because the top layes is still your natural colour.”

He had a point. It was large and red and wailing like some form of emergency vehicle.

“Almost like… underlights.” I said, trademarking it in my brain as I did so.

“Yes!” he said.

“And I suppose I could just have a colour similar to my own, couldn’t I. I don’t want obvious highlights at present.”

“Ocourse you can, you duffer. Anything you like. So long as it’s permanent.”

“Just some lovely, natural smudging on the under layes of my hair, right up at the roots, but concealed by my top layers,” I said, in a way that would be helpful and very explanatory should I ever be enthused to write the conversation out as a blog post. “Yes, that could work.”

Barney is as tired of super-obvious ombre balayage as I am, but we both agreed the balayage (“painting”) technique. also called smudging, is still terrific, in terms of how natural the finish is, and how non-traditional-foils-or-streaks-cap it is.

So, I’m going to do it and report back. What fun!

Is your hair flat and uninspiring at present?

Does it shit you?  Yeah me too. When there is no permanent hair colour or highlights or tints in my hair it is so… thin. (Post continues on in a never-ending loop.)