5 Foil Tips & Tricks From @the.blonde.chronicles

Ask A BTC Expert: 5 Common Foil Questions & Answers

Do you have foil questions? Blonding expert Carly Zanoni (@the.blonde.chronicles) has the answers! We reached out to the BTC fam to figure out what YOU want to know about foiling, and now we’re sharing five must-read tips on smart blonding placement, getting foils close enough to the scalp and more! Keep reading for common mistakes, helpful tricks and watch the IGTV for more juicy info below.

Learn how to cut your foiling time down to an hour or less. Click here to watch Carly’s class on BTC-U!

#1: How can you create the hand-painted ribbon look with foils?

Let’s start with what NOT to do. 😉 The most common mistake is over-foiling which creates a solid blonde with zero dimension, and depth is key for the hand-painted look. Instead, try these tricks for using foils to achieve high-contrast ribbon results: 

• Take chunkier, heavier weaves for the ribbon effect.
• Be intentional with foil placement. If Carly is doing a lived-in teasylight look, she won’t do more than 3 to 5 foils on either side, a few in the back and a money piece.
• Leave enough dark so that blonde will look brighter.

#2: What is your go-to partial highlight foil placement for more coverage?

Here’s how Carly creates a high-impact blonde look with maximum coverage, but only using a partial highlight placement:

• Money Piece: Apply 3 to 4 back-to-back weaved or sliced pieces around the face
• Apply a few foils above the ears on both sides of the head
• Work in horizontal sections on both sides, meeting up at the part

Here’s why: Carly suggests horizontal foils opposed to a Mohawk or diagonal foils if the goal is max coverage. Think about how horizontal foils lay on the head—all that blonde is laying right on top of each other. This creates a more solid look, while a Mohawk placement will leave more dimension.

#3: How do you get foils close enough to the scalp?

Try Carly’s simple tricks for getting the foil as close to the scalp as possible and keeping it locked in during the application process:

• Fold the end of the foil over a rattail comb before placing it on the scalp.
• Place the foil on the scalp. Use the hand that’s not holding the foil to grab the hair with max tension and pull it down over the foil.
• Shimmy the foil up closer to the scalp.
• Maintain tension to keep the foil secure as you apply lightener. 

Watch Carly’s Full Technique Below

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Hair Stylist & Educator (@the.blonde.chronicles)

#4: Sometimes I do a million foils, but no real brightness. What can I do?

If you’re struggling to get impact, consider the size of the weave. Tiny micro-weaves will typically blend into the hair, shifting the overall color without building dimension for POP. Instead, try using a heavier weave and add lowlights. Friendly reminder: Light doesn’t look like light unless it has some dark against it.  

#5: How do you prevent foils from slipping?

If you’re having trouble keeping lightener on the brush and in the foil, change up the mixing ratio and use a thicker consistency. Also, Carly suggests not using a lot of heat because it can change up the consistency of the lightener and cause foils to slip.

Watch The Full IGTV: Ask A BTC Expert 

 

 

 

 

 

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