It’s the hair colour trend that has had millions of views on Instagram and TikTok – and for good reason. Dubbed the “Scandi hairline”, this clever hair colour hack is the subtle update to know about this summer, given its flattering hair- and face-brightening effects.
The technique involves lightening just the baby hairs and forehead hairline, with the hairstylist using a very fine comb to pick up the softest of the hairs around the forehead – otherwise known as the baby hairs – and colouring them a shade or two lighter than your natural hair colour. By concentrating the lighter hue on just this section of hair, it softens the roots around your face and makes your hair look like it’s been naturally lightened by the sun, lending a brightening effect to your face as well as your mane.
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“What’s great about this technique is that if you wear your hair up a lot, you can have a subtle change that isn’t lost in the style,” says hairstylist and colour expert Adam Reed. “It also works well when you wear it down, giving a subtle frame to your face.” Think of the way your hair lifted on family holidays in the sunshine as a child, as your hairline lightened. “It’s about smudging a tiny bit of a root so you never see it grow out, and that light halo of hair is relatively low-maintenance,” Reed explains. “The fade out is much less severe than regular root maintenance. Go for a colour that suits your natural base, and lift just the finest line around the hair to a lighter shade.”
A note of caution though: Reed points out the risk of over-processing the fragile hairs around your hairline. “It’s about respecting the hair, so don’t overdo it,” he says. “You only need to this do once or twice through the summer.”
