Formulas > Celebrity Color > Idina Menzel’s Chocolatey Hue
Last updated: January 03, 2018

Idina Menzel’s Chocolatey Hue

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  • Formula A (highlight):

    L’Oréal Professionnel Majimeches + 30-volume developer

  • Formula B (new growth):

    L’Oréal Professionnel Dia Richesse 5.13 + 4N + 15-volume developer

  • Formula C (gloss):

    L’Oréal Professionnel Dia Light 8.1 + 15-volume developer

Actress and Broadway star Idina Menzel has gone to a few ends of the color spectrum during her time in the spotlight. Recently, she settled on a warm, chocolately hue courtesy of Master Colorist and L’Oréal Professionnel Ambassador Jason Bache. “One of the big summer trends for brunettes is tone on tone variation,” notes Jason. “Personally, I love this trend because it is a much needed step away from ombré. 

 

So for Idina, Jason wanted to create subtle dimension utilizing ammonia free haircolors and lightener for rich highs and lows. “Idina came in with a faded Level 6 that was starting to look a little too rusty. She told me she hated seeing red and wanted to be a deep brunette. She was drinking a cup of coffee with milk, so  I said, ‘If I could do whatever I want I would give you a deep brunette base with highlights the color of your coffee.’ Needless to say, she LOVED the idea,” notes Jason. Ready to indulge? Here’s the secret recipe!

 

“Idina thought the color was pretty, but way too light for her,” says Jason. “SO we went back to the shampoo bowl, I re-wet her hair and re-glossed.”  This time Jason used L’Oréal Professionnel Dia Light 7N + 15-volume developer. He allowed the hair to process until the highlights were a deep Level 7.  “The end result was gorgeous. She LOVED it, I LOVED it,” says Jason.

Who Did It

Colorist: Jason Bache

COLOR FORMULAS

  • Formula A (highlight):

    L’Oréal Professionnel Majimeches + 30-volume developer

  • Formula B (new growth):

    L’Oréal Professionnel Dia Richesse 5.13 + 4N + 15-volume developer

  • Formula C (gloss):

    L’Oréal Professionnel Dia Light 8.1 + 15-volume developer

FORMULA STEPS

1. Create partial highlights using Formula A, keeping all of the highlights ½-inch away from the hairline and part. Doing so has all of the dimension coming from the interior which creates a softer look. 

 

2. While the foils are processing, paint Formula B on the new growth. 

 

3. Next, starting in the nape, take a bold 2-inch section and pull Formula B through the ends. Skip over two inches and then take another 2-inch section and pull the formula through. 

 

4. Repeat this in a brick lay pattern through all of the hair not in the foil. 

 

5. When the color has finished processing, rinse thoroughly and shampoo. 

 

6. To get the “coffee with milk” shade, gloss all strands with Formula C.  

 

7. Process for about seven minutes, rinse, shampoo and dry the hair. *Note: At this stage, both Idina and Jason did not love the color. “Sometimes we have great ideas and solid formulas, but the end result is not what we had in mind,” notes Jason. “It happens. What’s important is knowing what to do next.”