Perfect hair colouring: how do you use a patina?

To enhance your hair colour, or to correct a hair colouring disaster, a patina can come to the rescue. Read on to find out all about it.

In what cases should you use a patina?

This corrective oxidant-free colouring technique places a light veil of temporary pigments onto the surface of the hair fibre to:

- correct any undesirable highlights after colouring: this is the rescue product to apply if colouring your hair didn't quite go as planned, or if your colour has changed over time . The patina helps to neutralise red highlights. These can appear when a slightly auburn natural base has been lightened. The blue and purple pigments in the product also work to combat brassiness on fairer hair. This is ideal to give a shine boost to ice blond hair, for example.

- add more shades to your hair: it adds depth for a more natural look and it prevents that flat single-shade look that hair colouring can often bring. It also means that you can personalise your colour to suit your complexion.

- revive the shine of your highlights or streaks: patinas enhance your highlights and boost your hair's shine .

How should it be applied?

At home

The products available in shops are ready to use like traditional hair treatments, on hair which has been washed and squeezed out beforehand. To spread out the patina properly, apply it strand by strand preferably using a brush, from the roots down to the tips. Then leave the colouring treatment to soak in for 5-10 minutes, depending on the instructions on the packaging and the intensity of the highlights that you want to neutralise. Rinse it out to enjoy your perfect new colour and repeat the patina treatment once a week if required. This is because its colouring effect will fade after a few washes.

At the salon

If you want to add different tones to your hair colour or refresh your fairer strands , enlist a professional colourist to do this treatment. Only a colourist can ensure optimum results by adjusting the application and how long the product is left on for depending on the intensity of the highlights and also your complexion. So visit your salon for a personalised application.