Photography by John O’Donnell
Cut and Style by Mark Gagliardi of Eclipse Salon, Tarrytown
Makeup by Rosemary Pomilla, NY Prostyle, Dobbs Ferry
Home Color Kit
L’Oreal Couleur Expert Express Ginger Twist
(Light Golden Copper Brown) Two-step process
Overall color prep and application 15 minutes
Color processing time 20 minutes
Highlight prep and application 30 minutes
Highlight processing time 25 minutes
Total time over two days 90 minutes
Total cost $15
Halina says: “Believing it was too much work to do both processes in one day, I applied the overall color one night and the highlights the next day. I also pinned my hair up to add highlights so they would show when I wear my hair up. There are two applicators to choose from: one for subtle highlights, the other for chunkier highlights. Both are easy to use, but it’s hard to do the back of your head without help. And it’s messy. You need to have a dedicated towel because it will get stained. But I liked the contol I had over the color process.”
Professional Salon
Eclipse Hair, Body, and Nails, 98 N Broadway, Tarrytown
(914) 524-0835. Color by Matthew Gagliardi and Stacy Nault
Color and foil application time 45 minutes
Color processing time 35 minutes
Travel time to salon and back 50 minutes
Total time 130 minutes
Single-process color $75
Highlights and lowlights $115
Total $190
Halina says: “It’s a pleasure to be pampered and read a book or magazine while others are working on your hair. Obviously, it is easier for someone else to do highlights than to do it yourself, particularly on the back of the head. Colorist Matthew Gagliardi used a zigzag pattern with the foil so I could have a different look. If I part my hair one way, it looks more blonde; more copper if parted another. I’d never be able to duplicate that myself.”
Bottom line: “I preferred the more subtle, natural look I got from the kit than the salon. Even Matthew liked the results. He told me I had a job at his salon if I ever wanted to leave the magazine.”
