Ali_WildHair

Stylists shy away from high lift colours and base breaks and here’s why. ⤵️

They can feel unpredictable.

But honestly? I love them. When they’re used with intention, they can be one of the most useful tools in your colour toolbox.

My client Abi is a perfect example. 🤎

I love using high lift on her because it gives me the exact amount of lift and brightness I’m looking for without needing to tone afterwards. Even better? Her colour stays true throughout the entire 10 weeks between appointments. No waiting for the toner to fade, no unwanted warmth creeping through (unless that’s our goal), and no extra step just to get her where I want her.

But that’s not the only reason I reach for high lift and base breaks.

On other guests, they can be incredibly helpful for:
✨ Softening the line between natural and highlighted hair
✨ Blurring out highlights that have become too obvious or grown out
✨ Creating a more even canvas before your next colour service
✨ Adding brightness without automatically reaching for lightener
✨ Creating subtle dimension while maintaining a natural-looking result

The key is knowing when they’re the right tool—and when they’re not.

High lift and base breaks aren’t interchangeable with lightener, and they definitely aren’t a shortcut. They require an understanding of your starting level, underlying pigment, previous colour, desired result and, most importantly, what you want the hair to look like weeks from now—not just the day they leave your chair.

That last part is everything.

Good colour isn’t just about how it looks today. It’s about how it behaves between appointments. 🤎

Vacation hair (other than wedding hair) is arguably the most photographed your hair will be.

Let’s plan all your future hair appointments to work for you!

Thank you JoshBagshawPTBOVW for sending me great hair content on vacation! 📸
Galway girl 😍

Sept. 1st is release day! ✨

And now I can finally share what I’ve been keeping a little quiet…

I’m incredibly excited to officially join the SalonCentric Canada PRO GURU family! 🤍

To my guests — don’t be nervous! 😂 My role as a Pro Guru will not change my dedication to you, my love for being behind the chair, or the time I spend with my guests and co-stylists at the salon.

If anything, I’m excited about how much this opportunity will add to what I already love doing.

I’ll have the opportunity to expand my knowledge, share what I’ve learned throughout my career, learn from other incredible professionals, and step into a new space of education and connection within our industry.

I have absolutely no idea where this path will take me yet… and honestly, that’s the exciting part.

I’m incredibly grateful to SalonCentric Canada for this opportunity and so excited to see what comes next. ✨

“Someone somewhere has your selfie saved in their phone”

It’s actually me 😂

For her colour, the goal was to brighten her natural root by a level while also softening the existing foil lines. I used a highlift blonde to create a more diffused, seamless transition between her natural colour and blonde.

The result is a brighter, softer blonde that feels dimensional and natural — with a much more forgiving grow-out.

Cause you know, she drives over 200kms to see me so it’s gotta last 🤍

Growing out your natural grey doesn’t mean you have to live through the awkward stage. 🤍

This lovely new referral came to me wanting to continue embracing her natural grey and silver hair. She had been growing out her old foils, but the existing colour and warmth were making the overall look feel less cohesive than she wanted.

This is where a thoughtful colour plan makes all the difference.

I carefully picked out the old colour and used my new favourite Blonde IQ+ to help shift some of that stubborn, lingering colour without compromising the integrity of her hair.

I then used Redken’s new Shades ALK through the ends to help remove unwanted warmth before double-toning with Shades EQ.

The goal wasn’t to make her blonde — it was to create a cooler, more harmonious canvas that allows her natural silver to become part of the overall look.

And honestly? I’m obsessed with the result. 🩶

But this is my favourite part:

“My first time at the salon, and with Ali was absolutely excellent from start to finish. I felt very heard and understood in my appointment after having been disappointed in some other experiences elsewhere. I got exactly what I wanted 😊”

That is exactly what a consultation should feel like.

Being heard. Having realistic options explained. Understanding the plan. And creating a colour that works with where your hair is going — not fighting against it.

Grey transitions are a journey, and they don’t have to be an all-or-nothing decision. ✨

When opportunity calls, you answer. ☎️✨

Sometimes the biggest opportunities come from simply putting yourself out there, saying yes, and trusting that the work you’ve been quietly doing will lead you somewhere new.

I said yes to something really exciting recently, and while I can’t tell you exactly what it is just yet… I can tell you that I’m incredibly grateful, a little bit nervous, and VERY excited for what’s ahead.

September 1st. 🤍

Stay tuned. 👀

🏒 Hockey season is coming… and so is helmet hair. 😂

We spend so much time making sure the jerseys are washed, skates are sharpened and equipment is ready to go—but what about the little scalp underneath it all?

Sweat + a warm helmet + a hat + hours in a hockey bag can create an environment your child’s scalp isn’t particularly thrilled about.

A few simple things can make a BIG difference this season:

🏒 Keep helmets clean and let them fully air out between uses
🧢 Wash sweaty hats/touques regularly
✨ Consider a silk-lined touque to reduce friction and help protect the hair
🚿 Wash the scalp based on what it needs—not an arbitrary schedule
💨 Make sure the scalp is thoroughly dry before putting the helmet or hat back on
👀 Keep an eye out for persistent itching, redness, flaking, bumps, irritation or changes in the hair/scalp

And please don’t forget: your child’s scalp is skin too. It deserves a little attention!

Especially if your little athlete is practicing multiple times a week, their hair and scalp routine may need to change with the season.

Save this for hockey season & send it to a hockey parent who needs it! 🏒🤍