By Whitney Baker
Before her big day, a bride-to-be has so many details to consider: location, music selection, flower arrangements, seating chart, menu choices, and, of course, her personal style. She needs to pick out a dress and jewelry, as well as decide how to do her make-up and hair. When it comes to her hair, she not only needs to choose a style — keeping in mind her choice of veil — but also a color.
That’s where Rebecca Friedman can help. Co-owner of Goodform Salon in Hollywood, and a celebrity colorist expert, Friedman knows just how critical it is to achieve that perfect hair color — and most recently, as the exclusive colorist to Kim Kardashian, she’s helped one bride-to-be do just that.
With Kardashian’s wedding to New Jersey Nets’ basketball star, Kris Humphries, only two days away, Friedman reveals, “I just saw her the other day. I took her lighter chocolate brown color back down to a dark, minky sable, closer to her natural hue.”
In light of these upcoming Hollywood nuptials — a wedding that’s expected to be as grand as the royal wedding — this celebrity hair colorist offers a bit of advice to future brides. “Unless it’s in your personality to make bold decisions with your look, I wouldn’t recommend a shocking change before your big day,” she says. “You want to look at your pictures and feel timeless. I think most brides want to look like the most polished version of themselves.”
Of course, other factors, like season and location, impact a bride’s choice of hair color, as well. According to Friedman, “If you’re getting married in the summer time, or on the beach, beautiful, hand-painted highlights on slightly deconstructed waves seems fitting. On the other hand, for a winter wedding in the city, you may want to opt for a deeper, richer shade styled into a more-textured low bun.”
While a bride-to-be should stick with what she knows, single girls have the flexibility to be a bit more playful. “You are single and want to look your best — you never know who you will run into! Lightening up your color, or using multiple tones to add sparkle and dimension, is sure to make you feel flirty,” she says.
But remember: you should never change your hair color for a man. Friedman regards this reasoning as a big no-no and says, “The attraction should be there regardless of your hair color.”
A broken-hearted girl, however, should be a bit more cautious. “Wait until you’re less emotional or start slowly by adding a few face framing highlights or a gloss,” recommends Friedman. “You can always go more drastic later.”
After all, “in the throes of a heart ache, what seems like a good idea, sometimes is not — like eating a whole container of ice cream!” Friedman cautions.
At the end of the day, whether you’re a bride-to-be, a single girl ready to jump back into the dating world, or a girl with a broken heart, there is a ”golden rule” when it comes to changing your hair color: “Honor your personal style.”
Before making a color change, Friedman advises all girls to do their homework. “Find a very capable hair professional to [make the color change] for you. Be realistic about how achievable the target color is for your complexion and your hair,” she says.
Since the right hair color is different for every girl, Friedman believes that you should “play up what you have,” offering this advice to girls of every shade: “If you’re a redhead, add a fiery, copper gloss. Blondes can try painted-on, surfer-girl highlights with a few random low-lights. As for brunettes, they can stay multi-tonal by adding some sparkly toffee and toasted-walnut strands around their hairline and tips.”
According to Friedman, regardless of your base color, there are six important questions to ask your stylist before making a major color change:
1. What is a realistic level of lightness for me to achieve given my current hair color?
2. Will previous chemical treatments on my hair affect how light I can go?
3. What tones will best suit my complexion?
4. Will the texture of my hair change after I lighten it?
5. How often will I have to come in for touch-ups?
6. Do styling products for color-treated hair really work?
While the answers to these questions will provide you with invaluable information before making the big decision, the most important question to ask yourself is: Will my color change make me feel like my most confident self? Friedman says, “Wearing your hair color with confidence, no matter what color it is, really is key.”
We couldn’t resist asking Friedman one last question — something everyone wants to know: Do blondes really have more fun? She shows off her own confidence and answers unabashedly, “Well, as a natural and currently very blonde girl, I must be biased and say yes!”
To make an appointment with Friedman at Goodform Salon, please call 323.658.8585.
