Watch: Vibrant Fuchsia With Celeb Colorist George Papanikolas

Matrix colorist George Papanikolas (@georgepapanikolas) is our go-to for all things celebrity balayage—names like Fergie, Madonna and Hailey Baldwin are his regulars! That’s why he went on live on BTC’s Facebook at Matrix Destination 2018 to dish out his best hair painting tips, plus he demoed a vibrant fuchsia color application. Check it all out, then watch the full video!

George’s Fuchsia Color Formulas:

Formula A (base color)
Matrix SoColor Cult Demi-Permanent Flamenca Fuchsia + 10-volume developer   

Formula B (balayage)
Matrix SoColor Cult Demi-Permanent Bubblegum Pink + 10-volume developer

George used Matrix SoColor Cult to achieve this look! This all-new color line comes in permanent, semi-permanent and demi-permanent shades, so you’re ready to create anything behind the chair!

Get George’s Best Balayage Tips
1. Bright Balayage on Brunettes

• On brunette clients with a history of coloring their hair, it can be difficult to achieve enough lift for a bright balayage.
• Freehand painting will require more than one appointment to achieve pale and bright blonde pieces.
• Focus on creating thin ribbons of caramel and light brown tones at the root and gradually paint thicker pieces moving down the hair shaft.
• For bright blonde in one appointment, George uses his signature backcomb balayage technique to achieve eight levels of lift in one appointment (get the how-to for this technique HERE!). 

2. Strategic Placement
George recommends focusing on three key areas during the balayage process:

• Face frame
• Natural part line
• Ends of the hair

Why? This is where your client wants to see brightness.

3. Perfectly Pink Balayage

• The lighter you prelighten the hair, the brighter the fashion color will be.
•  Underlying brassy pigments will build the perfect foundation to give rosy shades depth. Prelighten to a yellow/orange haircolor for perfectly pink haircolor.

Watch the full video below!