Hair Foil Techniques and Tips: Do’s and don’ts

The right hair foil techniqueis a game changer in turning around a simple style into something outstanding.Dramatic results can be achieved using the right tips and tricks.
Bony Sasidharan, Creative Head, Schwarzkopf Professional India, highlights the importance of using the foil effectively with StyleSpeak.

When and how is the foil used?

During the colour development process, the foil helps retain heat. This allows the pre-lightener or highlifts to lift better and more evenly throughout the lifting process.

What should be the ideal width of the foil?

The foils must be atleast half an inch wideron either side than the width of the section to ensure proper locking and prevent the product from bleeding. This also ensure the foils are locked properly and they don’t come off while you rinse your global color.

Why should foils be clean and not crushed?

A crushed foil might result in an uneven application leaving patches that are difficult to correct later. You can use the colour application brush to smoothen these foils before you begin the application.

Can we reuse the foils?

No.It is not recommended to reuse these foils.

How does the foil affect the hair colour result?

1. Foils ensure you achieve maximum vibrancy while working with highlifts or lighters.
2. It also ensures the colours are kept moist, preventing colours from drying out, therefore resulting in even colour development.

How does the foil help with different hair colour techniques?

The foil enables us to be more precise and creative with our colour placement during the colour service. You can work with different shades of colours without mixing them together and achieve maximum contrast. There are coloured foils available in the market which can be used when you work with 2 or more different shades of colours on the same client.

When doing highlights, the foil keeps colours separated and acts as a shield so the colours do not seep or transfer on to one another or on the natural uncoloured hair.

Do’s and Don’t’s while using foils during the colouring process

1. Always use clean foils when you want hair colour to offer maximum vibrancy as the foil helps retain heat
2. Ensure the colours are kept moist to prevent it from drying out, resulting in even colour development
3. Lock the foils closer to the root to avoid foil slipping, and the highlights appear as regrown
4. While working with different colours on the same client, lock the foils differently
5. Before rinsing or while applying the global colour, ensure to lock the foils properly
6. Keep the foils wider than the sections for a neat application and cleaner results
7. Work with finer sections with the foils to achieve maximum lift
8. Ideal thickness of foils must be 18-20
9. Make sure the application is done on the matt side of the foil and not on the glossy side

Don’t’s

1. Don’t fold the foils too tight while working with prelighteners as it may lead to demarcation lines
2. Working with crushed foils may lead to patchy results
3. Do not work with foils that are too thin or too thick as it may impact the application process
4. Never re-use the same foils for another application
5. Do not put clips on the foils as it may lead to unwanted marks or patches on the highlighted sections
6. Never apply excess product in the foils as it may become heavier and begin to slip away from the roots
7. While doing highlights and global, don’t stick the global colour on the foils as it may lift that specific patch
8. Foils don’t reduce the processing time of colour
9. Do not use hairdryers on the foils instead use clamazone for an even heat distribution, however the colour needs to be developed to its fullest development time

The following hair foiling basic tips and tricks will make the hair colouring process smooth and effective.