The Sydney colourist who knows exactly what ‘Gisele’ hair means.

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• Hair, hair, hair!

He’s not the only one, obviously, but goodness me DAMIEN RAYNER (formerly of Valonz and Renya Xydis) at Dario Cotroneo in Darlinghurst did a cracking job of my balyage last week. All I needed to utter was the word ’Gisele‘ and he was in a trance of hair colourist ecstasy. He gets it, ysee. He knows.

Ysee, my natural colour had completely taken over, after the last remaining tips of balayage were snipped out a few weeks, and while I was enjoyed lovely healthy brown hair, I missed the excitement and danger of sunkissed highlights from the mid-lengths to the tips of my hair, which gave my hair some volume and some interest and looked especially marvelous when my hair was curly because the contrasting shades really stood out.

And DARIO, well he was like, “Damien is the best colourist in the galaxy. I will egg your house if you do not give him a go.” So fearing for my door and the destruction of several innocent eggs, I consented happily and popped in the chair ready for some life-altering balayage.

Which I was given…

DAMIEN is not only a true gentleman and five fat burritos worth of fun, but he knows his shit. He has been doing Real Important Like People’s colour for many years but more importantly, for those searching for the ultimate in lassiez-faire, soft and perfectly natural looking balayage, he has been doing this technique for years and years. He has the Special Paddle the best balayage technicians use, he used several different variations of caramel and blonde and he knew not to start any of the painted sections of colour any higher than my ears. Which I loved. (Some colourists will tell you they know how to do balayage, but are actually just doing highlights.) Balayage is a specific French technique for hand-painted highlights, and as DAMIEN said, it looks random yet is anything but. It is all done to highlight face shape, and add texture in just the right parts and begin and end and be heavier and lighter in specific areas so that YOU look as terrificly coloured - and yet perfectly, gloriously natural - as possible. Like you were in the sun six months ago. Not like you haven’t had time to do your roots.

Other places and persons I personally recommend for balayage include the humble yet spectacularly talented ALI at Wildlife in Surry Hills and the delightful JOHN at Oscar Oscar in Paddington.

Do you know a good place for balayage?
I’d especially love some options for those in other cities and states, because it’s greedy and selfish to just mention Sydney people, isn’t it.

(Shoosh. I will post a photo tomorrow. When hair is clean. And styled.)

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