Review: New season shades at Patrick Gildea Hairdressing

By Rachel McLaughlin • 5 years ago

Sep
2019

As the weather turns from warm to cool, I decided to do the same with my hair!

Patrick Gildea Hairdressing, Riverside Retail Park Letterkenny

I visited Patrick Gildea Hairdressing in Letterkenny this week to find out what’s hot in hair colour in Autumn 2019. Things are heating up too – as it turns out warmer tones are coming back.

But my own blonde balayage was losing lustre and losing its blend after summer (my own fault for lack of care!) and I was in need of a refresh and re-tone.

Plus, I was taking photos with the new collections at Stevens Jewellers later that day – so Rose Gold was on my mind. I started Instagram-scrolling for ideas and had a bank of photos ready to show my hair stylist of the day Claudia McLaughlin, who is a New Generation team member at Patrick Gildea. (By the way, students pay 30% less with the New Generation Stylists)

BEFORE: My hair before the new babylights and colour toning

Screenshots I brought in to the colour consultation – with photo No.1 as the hair colour goal

I learned a lot about colour transitioning during this visit. Basically, you can’t expect a dramatic transformation in a few hours. You have to work with your current hair and achieving a certain look could take a few appointments.

Claudia and Jordan McPhilemy (Style Director) taught me a lot about colour and toning.

“All blonds are lifted the same, it’s the toner that differentiates the end colour – whether you are grey or ash. Consultation is key – coming in with a photo can lead to a different result on another person’s hair. It depends on how well your hair lifts,” Jordan explained.

What I like about Patrick Gildea is that the stylists tell you exactly what they plan to do before they start and you feel in control. We agreed to do babylights to connect my darker ends to my roots, to apply a warmer semi-permanent root colour and to tone the hair with a bright pearly finish. Goodbye yellow! Claudia advised me that we can work towards more blush tones next time if I liked.

The colour book that is shown to guests at Patrick Gildea Hairdressing

Brondette is big these days, according to Claudia, who told me that a lot of guests are choosing more natural colours lately. Coppers and rose golds are also popular choice at this time of year.

For cuts, the trends are layers and shaggy cuts. “Bobs are huge,” says Jordan, “people love a structured bob with a peekaboo fringe to frame the face. They like the more textured lob too and are moving away from the one-length look that Kim Kardashian inspired.”

And because bobs and lobs are so big, the new Great Lengths hair extensions are popular at Patrick Gildea for those who want to bring back their length or thicken out their ends.

I just needed a trim, but the highlight of my Patrick Gildea visits is the Dyson experience. The Dyson Airwrap Styler is a luxurious way to get big bouncy curls that last so well. Check it out in action here:

Dyson Airwrap Styler at Patrick Gildea Hairdressing

After hair, I went to the Allure Beauty area of Patrick Gildea’s salon for makeup with Kim Kelly. Kim and Arlene – the two makeup artists at Allure – are so talented and are full of knowledge about all things beauty and skincare.

Kim made sure I had photo-ready foundation with a blend of three different shades and a great radiance underneath – thanks to Mac!

Beauty Therapist Kim Kelly doing my makeup in Allure at Patrick Gildea Hairdressing

I got a great smokey eye look, but Kim tells me that the natural way is very popular at Allure. “Women like natural and all the glow, inspired by Charlotte Tilbury,” she says.

“It’s nude lips, rose gold on the eyes, bushy brows and highlight. It’s all about the glow,” says Kim.

I love how makeup in Allure is never too heavy looking but it’s sculpted and lasts all day. And nothing beats having perfect brows created by a pro!

After hair and makeup was done, the finished look was a pearly hair colour that softly blends to a lighter end and subtle smoky makeup to match. I loved it.