At 15 years old, I wanted nothing more in
life than chunky, pink highlights. ink Kelly
Clarkson circa 2002, but bright pink instead of
blonde. My parents didn't allow me to get the
highlights, but they did allow me to wear a clip-in
extension that never blended quite right. Looking
back, it makes me laugh. Dying my hair then felt
so consequential, as if I would spend the rest of
my days regretting pink highlights.
Over the years, I have loved seeing people
embrace all the color trends. While I've watched
everyone else have fun, I've unfortunately
gotten boring with my hair. I haven't played
with color the way I thought I would when I
craved those pink highlights. at was, until
I started working on this issue of AHP Indie
Stylist. e articles started pouring in, and I
felt inspired by all the talk of color and self-
expression. After much internal debate, I
decided on subtle, peek-a-boo pink highlights.
It's a take on what I always wanted in a less
extreme way. I'm happy to report my freshly
dyed hair represents who I am on the inside.
Hair color happens to have that eff ect on
a lot of people. It can be used to blend away
insecurities, emphasize natural hues, or
express someone's authentic self. ese days,
there are so many ways—both temporary
and permanent—you can help your clients
incorporate color into their lives. ink of this
issue as a refresher on your color knowledge.
Turn to page 50 for a quick guide to color
theory and the color wheel, then check out
page 22 for how to consult clients who want
to make drastic color changes. On page 42,
meet Atalaya Figueroa, this year's AHP Hair
Pro of the Year, who happens to be a color
and blonding expert. Finally, get the lowdown
on a potentially dangerous ingredient that
lurks in many hair dye formulas (page 24).
Inspired? Send me your favorite color
transformations at editor@ahphair.com and
maybe I'll feature them in my next letter. As
for my personal pink transformation: Check
out the video on AHP social channels
(@ahphair). My 15-year-old self is thriving!
JEN ANDERSON, Editor janderson@ahphair.com @editedbyjen
JEN ANDERSON
facebook.com/ahphair
@ahphair
CURRENT INSPIRATION
(clockwise from top right)
My new peek-a-boo
highlights.
The love is in the details.
Photo by Juliett Ironn
(@thothiana_braids)
Moscow mule nails are the
perfect, toasty shade for
cold days. Photo by Cassie
McLeod (@cassprostudios)
EDITOR'S
NOTE
