Dan's Papers -February 27, 2009 - Raving Beauty

The days may still be darker, and while you long for spring and signs of color you can give yourself a lift by making your hair a bit lighter and brighter.

Jim Clinton, colorist at the Vartali Salon, on East 57 Street in Manhattan, highlights in a way to give you a burst of color without busting your wallet. "I see a lot of woman with highlights just on the top layers of the hair." According to Clinton this is a mistake, and it tends to look like you just paid for the top layer. Since so many woman have modern, layered cuts, Clinton said, "It's critical to highlight the underneath layers so that when the hair moves. highlights are still visible."

Since I have medium, length-layered hair I was an ideal candidate. I had been holding off getting my usual half-head of highlights, or a full head of highlights until closer to the spring. But my hair color was starting to look increasingly solid and dull. When I talked to Clinton, he assured me I could have a burst of color, or what he calls "modified highlights" for just $100. This seemed not only reasonable and affordable, but his philosophy of where the highlights should be placed made sense.

Jim Clinton has been working as a colorist in high-end salons along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan for 21 years, and at Vartali for the past two. "This is the happiest I've been at any salon," he said. As a client I could certainly see why. The salon is a charming refuge on the second floor between Park and Madison Avenues. There is no blaring music, no factory or frenzied activity, I felt like I would be cared for and not lost in the crowd. The day I was there, Brooke Shields was having her hair colored. She was without an entourage, and I probably wouldn't have noticed, but I came inches away from her as I was entering the changing room. Vartali has a celebrity client list that includes the soprano Renee Fleming and many others. But the atmosphere, like all the stylists and management is laid back and even a bit humble - so refreshing anywhere on 57 Street.

One of the secrets to doing modified highlights, according to Clinton, is to take more generous sections of hair spaced farther apart. In addition to creating this technique for clients with layered hair, it's time efficient for clients who do not have hours to spend in the salon. In total, Clinton used 19 foils in my hair: 3 on each side, 5 on top and 8 in the back. The foiling took approximately 10 minutes and they stayed on for about 20 minutes.

In half an hour I was lighter, but most importantly my hair color was more dimensional. This technique works best when you are going just a shade or two lighter than the base color of your hair. And it's not just for blondes. You can give any hair color more dimension by using this method.

I was treated to a blow-dry by Antonio Carollo, a senior stylist, and my hair looked shiny and healthy; the difference was noticeable, but subtle and I couldn't resist the urge to shake my head as if I were in a hair commercial. The best part is that I would not need to return for three months.

Janet Flora writes lifestyle and beauty features, and is a former contributor to Make-up Artist and Health magazines. A creative writing teacher and fiction writer, she spends her time in New York and Sag Harbor.