French-girl highlight: the subtle secret hollywood’s top colorists are obsessed with
The effortless chic of Parisian beauty has a new, meticulously crafted iteration. Forget the sheer, ethereal washes of the past – we’re talking about a distinctly cleaner, more impactful take on the ‘French-girl’ glow, and it’s rapidly becoming the gold standard for celebrity color.
Decoding the delicate lift
Travis Ogletree, founder of Treehouse Studio in Los Angeles, pinpointed the inspiration: a low-maintenance, ‘less-is-more’ approach he witnessed during Paris Fashion Week. It wasn’t the traditional, hand-painted balayage he was after, but a more precise, foil-based technique designed to deliver a subtle, sophisticated lift – something that genuinely feels intentional from the outset. He describes it as ‘editing in post,’ a deliberate refinement rather than a complete overhaul of the existing color.
“People don’t want to be coming back in constantly for glosses or chasing brightness,” Ogletree explains. “They want something that feels intentional from day one, and for me, foils consistently deliver that.”
It’s a strategy being echoed by industry titans. Jeremy Cohen, a New York City celebrity colorist with clients including Jennifer Lopez and Michelle Williams, confirms the method’s efficacy. ‘It’s all about the placement of the highlight,’ Cohen states. ‘Like those natural highlights you get from the sun when you’re a kid. They’re subtle but impactful.’
The key, according to both, lies in the strategic use of foils. This isn’t about mimicking a sun-kissed effect; it’s about creating a gradient, a more even lift than traditional balayage – particularly effective on clients with naturally light hair or those seeking a noticeable warmth boost. It’s a technique that’s proving remarkably versatile, extending its appeal across hair types, from brunettes desiring a subtle lift to blondes seeking softness, even blending gray with a graceful ease.
‘From brunettes looking for subtle lift to blondes wanting softness to clients blending gray, it’s more about the effect than the starting point,’ Ogletree emphasizes. ‘It brightens without shifting your identity too far from your natural color, and it works across all hair types since the placement is tailored.’
The result? A luminosity that begs the question: ‘Did she color her hair or not?’ It’s a deceptively simple look – almost childlike in its softness – yet universally flattering, and crucially, requires minimal upkeep. And that, ultimately, is the point.