Posted Friday, September 30, 2011 by Anita Rivas,

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A One on One Color Consultation with Tracy Cunningham of Redken

Tracey Cunningham has always loved working with hair; transforming dull, dry and over processed strands into luxurious and healthy tresses, by mastering the art of maintaining healthy hair undergoing the coloring process. Tracey soon became the go-to-colorist for celebrities, with a celebrity clientele list that includes Cameron Diaz, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Lopez– More on that later. HS Magazine had the opportunity to visit with Tracey and ask a few beauty questions, read further to find out if boxed hair dye is really bad for you and how to create the illusion of full and volumized hair.

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HS Magazine: Give us some advice on how to make the most of a hair color consultation? What types of questions should you ask your colorist, etc?

• Tracey: I suggest that clients bring a photo to show what their goal color is. As well it is essential that a client lets their colorist know the history of their hair (i.e. if they recently got it permed, straightened, or have recently changed colors for instance).

HS Magazine: What are some of the best choices for: virgin hair, a daring & drastic change and wallet friendly hair tips?

• Tracey: If someone wants to get color and has virgin hair, a gloss like Shades EQ can add just a touch of color. A few high lights can also be a away to incorporate color while keeping your base virgin. If one is looking for a drastic change, I just suggest you really think about what you want to do before you do it. A wallet friendly hair tip would be to have your colorist pick a color that is similar to your roots as you will not need to do as many touch ups if your regrowth isn’t dramatic.

HS Magazine: What is the worst thing anyone can do to their hair?

• Tracey: The worst thing you can do to your hair is to over process it. Damage is a laborious thing to reverse. Another tip that I avoid is to dye someone’s hair extremely dark if they have the intention to change it quickly back to a lighter shade. Lightening your hair is a lengthy process when doing it in a healthy manner.

HS Magazine: Is boxed hair dye really bad for you? Why?

• Tracey: Boxed hair dye is not bad for you. I feel that the best results for at home color is usually when the customer sticks to single process colors. Box dye can be helpful when touching up roots as well. But it is best to see a professional.

HS Magazine: The question we’ve been dying to ask; which celebrities have sat in your chair?

• Tracey: Charlize Theron, Drew Barrymore, Renee Zellweger and Gwyneth Paltrow. (The list is long, and longer.)

HS Magazine: Are there certain colors that work best per skin tone/eye color?

• Tracey: No, you can be versatile, ask your stylist what works best – first start with your natural coloring and then find shades in that family. Or if you are going for a drastic change the sky is the limit. There are many tones that one can pick in each of the color range. Collaborate with your stylist to find the best that fits your skin tone and eye color.

HS Magazine: The quickest and easiest way to make subtle changes?

• Tracey: I recommend doing a Shades EQ gloss.

HS Magazine: Can color be used to accentuate a haircut?

• Tracey: I suggest that your stylist use highlights where the layers are and around your face to frame it.

HS Magazine: Is there a way to use hair color to create the illusion of fullness on fine hair?

• Tracey: Using more monochromatic coloring creates fullness. I find that highlighting makes it look wispy and pronounces that someone with finer hair doesn’t have as many layers as someone with fuller hair.

HS Magazine: Last but not least, what hair color trends do you feel we will see more of this spring 2012?

• Tracey: I think there will be a lot of Red this spring.

HS Magazine: Thank you Tracey! We learned a lot and for more information on Shades EQ Gloss please visit: Redken.com