Using a simple two-step professional technique, L’Oréal’s trademarked glossing service colors hair safely.

The hair is said to be a person’s crowning glory. But what happens when hair loses its natural color and appears limp and lifeless?

“Insecure,” said digital content creator Amanda Shafira said on May 18 at The Tribrata Dharmawangsa, a luxury ballroom and meeting venue in South Jakarta. “That’s how I felt when the color of my hair started to fade and my hair looked dull and brassy.”

The 23-year-old sports long, wavy hair in a gorgeous ash brown hue that cascades down to the small of her back. She had her hair colored last December at a salon in South Jakarta.

“It took me seven hours to create this look,” said Amanda, “and I shudder to think that I might have to repeat the same process all over again.” She was not only worried about spending half a day in a salon, but also of her hair drying out and becoming brittle if she put it through the long bleaching process again.

Luckily for Amanda and others like her, L’Oréal Professionnel introduced its new signature hair treatment French Glossing on May 18 at The Tribrata.

But what exactly is French Glossing?

The treatment basically consists of three steps comprising a root touch-up, permanent dye coverage for strands that have lost their color and a glossy balayage (hand-painted highlighting) using an ammonia-free gel cream to neutralize the undertones and provide a glitzy finish.

Glossing it over

Amanda spent around an hour getting L’Oreal’s French Glossing treatment, which left her with hair that had regained its luxurious luster.

“I feel like an entirely new person,” she said with a big smile. “My hair looks beautiful again, while remaining healthy and shiny.”

“French Glossing refreshes the gorgeous look of colored hair as well as covers gray hair,” L’Oréal Professionnel brand general manager Hendra Purjaka told the event’s press conference.

According to a recent L’Oréal study, approximately 60 percent of the brand’s Indonesian customers color their hair to cover gray hair, while the rest color their hair to look more fashionable.

But why does colored hair lose its initial gorgeous hue and luster after a few weeks?

Blogger and Instagram celebrity Janet Abigail experienced this when her ash brunette hair color faded after a couple of months. “My hair then looked like that of kids that spend most of their day in the sun,” she said, laughing. “It also felt dry and frizzy.”

This is not the result of a coloring treatment gone wrong.

“In fact, it happens quite naturally,” said Indra Tanudarma, head of education at L’Oréal Professionnel. “Please don’t blame your hairdresser for it.”

Hair science

To understand why hair color fades takes a little bit of science.

As Indra explained during the press conference, natural hair color came from natural pigments consisting of pheomelanin and eumelanin.

“Eumelanin is brownish black, while pheomelanin is reddish yellow. The combination of the two results in our natural hair color,” he said.

But when the hair is exposed to sunlight or is chemically bleached, pheomelanin is oxidized, leaving only the reddish yellow pigment. This is why hairdressers can only dye hair with the desired color only after bleaching.

“However, maintaining the hair color requires strong commitment,” Indra said. “If you don’t treat it well, sooner or later your hair will return to its original [reddish yellow] undertone and lose its luster.”

But not to worry, this can be restored using the French Glossing technique, which has already become a favorite among some customers.

“[French Glossing] is a new item on my salon’s menu, and my customers love it, as their hair looks immediately more glamorous after the short treatment,” said Swan Dewi, owner of New Melati Salon.

Choosing the right color

Among the most popular hair colors in Indonesia are currently ashy tones.

“Many men and women believe they will look more chic and sophisticated in ashy hair tones,” Surya Anggraeni, owner and founder of Jepunayu Salon, said at the same event on May 18.

Before deciding on a hair color, however, people should check the color of the veins on the underside of the wrist to make sure that their preferred color will match them.

“If the veins on your wrists are olive green, you’re more suited to warm colors. But if your veins look purplish blue, you’ll do well with cool colors, such as ashy blonde, silver and champagne,” said L’Oréal Professionnel educator Inez Adelina.

People whose veins are in between these two spectrums usually look good in either warm or cool hair colors.

While some people might be tempted to color their hair at home, it’s best to think again. Although there are plenty of hair color products in the market, the process is quite complicated and requires professional skills.

“It’s definitely not something that you can do at home,” said L’Oréal Professionnel educator Rifandi. “You can easily buy a purple hair dye in the supermarket and try it at home, but it won’t result in the shade you desire.”

Dos and don’ts

Whatever the color of choice, hair maintenance is key to keeping it beautiful and healthy.

“People who have decided to color their hair should have a strong commitment for the extra care it entails,” said Indra.

One is to always use a shampoo that is formulated for colored hair. Those with ashy colored hair, for example, should use L’Oréal’s Silver Shampoo, which contains a deep purple pigment that neutralizes brassy undertones. In addition, they should also use the Silver Conditioner to maintain hair health.

“And remember to always squeeze out the water from your hair before applying conditioner,” added L’Oréal Professionnel educator Randy Satya Darma. “If you don’t, the conditioner will not replenish the [individual] strands of hair, but will instead drip down with the water [from] your hair.”

For the best results, use the Silver Conditioner once a week, applying it and then leaving it for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing. Don’t forget to spray a heat protectant before blow-drying or using a straightening iron.

Randy used an analogy referring to toasting bread in explaining the benefits of heat protectant. Bread that was sprayed with a heat protectant before toasting turned a light brown, but bread that was placed directly in a toaster would come out slightly burned.

“Just imagine if this was your hair,” he said.

People with very light or blond hair should also refrain from swimming regularly, as the chlorine in the pool water could very quickly strip off the hair color.

These dos and don’ts might seem a little intimidating, and many people might also refrain from coloring their hair because they are afraid that it will damage healthy strands. But is it true that uncolored hair is healthier than colored?

“Not necessarily,” Indra said. “Colored hair that’s well-maintained can be a lot healthier than natural hair that isn’t maintained.”

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