3 Foil + Shadow Root Tricks For Natural Brightness
Foiling & Hair Painting Education: Utilize Both Techniques For Seamless Blondes
Want to give clients a high-impact highlighting service AND achieve a naturally blended grow out? That’s what we thought! We had Kathy Nunez (@kathynunezhair) stop by The BTC House to teach her hybrid lightening technique—a combo of traditional highlights and hair painting—for creating maximum lift, plus her go-to tips for toning. Click here to purchase Kathy’s class on BTC University and keep scrolling for everything you’ll learn in this online course!
Takeaway Tips:
You can learn Kathy’s full technique in her 90-minute course, but we’re teasing these tips you need to know now!
Tip #1: Avoid Foil Slippage With A Thicker Formulation
To create those bright pops at the hairline, Kathy applies two to three back-to-back weaved sections right at the nape. Since they are so thin, Kathy will mix her lightener a little thicker. “Having the lightener on the thicker side really helps those fine hairs stick to the foil and avoid slipping,” she explains.
Tip #2: Start Low & Feather Up
When applying lightener to a section, Kathy will initially place product about an inch lower than desired and work to get the majority of it off of her brush. Then, she will inch the lightener closer to the scalp by feathering with her brush. This helps Kathy create a diffused blend while also avoiding any bleeding with her foils.
Tip #3: Tone On The Client’s Natural Level For A Seamless Grow Out
When formulating shadow roots, Kathy will tone with a shade matches or is slightly lighter than the client’s natural level. “You don’t want it to be a complete cover, more like a sheer transition from the highlight to their natural root,” she explains. Toning the client’s natural level will give them a seamless grow out AND make their next lightening appointment a breeze.
Slide For The Amazing Before & After!
Have Questions? Kathy Has Answers!
One of the benefits of watching a course on BTC University? Artists are able to answer your questions in REAL TIME! Here are some technical questions viewers had for Kathy during her livestream:
Question: How would you alter this technique for a client that needs gray coverage?
Answer: “After I am done rinsing my highlights I will go back and apply my root shadow. One of my favorite products to use for gray clients is the Kenra Color Studio Stylist Express Permanent Color. It processes in 10 minutes, so the client doesn’t have to sit for another 45 minutes.”
Q: What are some of the common mistakes with this method?
A: “I think it would be losing clean partings. I don’t really use a structured sectioning technique because I like to view the hair as a whole picture. For example, I consider the back one very large section and use clean partings throughout. So even though you aren’t taking a bunch of sections, make those sections as clean as possible.”
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