L'Oreal Colour Trophy 2017 Regional Finalists
On Saturday 23rd April, I had the opportunity to participate in the L'Oreal Colour Trophy 2017 Regional Final for the South East of England.
Back in February, I was asked by my good friend, Melissa, to be her model for the competition. Melissa is a hair stylist and colourist at the Hair Lounge, Kelvedon and she had been nominated by her salon to enter into this worldwide competition. I jumped at the chance to model for her, in part because I would receive a free hair colour and also because experiences like this don't come around every day!
I went into the salon, and my lacklustre natural blonde was transformed into a glossy blonde with dark plum roots. I was obsessed! Fast forward to March, and we discovered we had been successful at the initial round and had been put through to the Regional Final where 35 salons would be competing. Considering 59,000 salons entered in 2017, I'm super proud that we managed to get this far.
What happened next was a few appointments for 'colour loading' to ensure the most vibrant colour was achievable on the day of the competition. I visited the salon and let Melissa go wild with my hair. The only rules were a) no cutting, and b) it had to be presentable for work.
I came out of the salon the morning of the competition with the most amazing purple - copper combination which was incredibly bright and nothing that I would have chosen for myself. As well as a new hair style, I felt as though I was a new person too!!
Melissa decided to go with this crazy, faux mohawk for the competition to showcase her skill in blending, colouring and styling. I felt like a bad ass rock chick and decided to go all black with my outfit, with chunky metals and boots to offset the height my hair gave me.
We bundled into the car, and made our way to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford where the competition was being held. I was a little shocked to be there, as I hadn't understood that the catwalk was slap bang in the middle of WWII aircraft and memorabilia! It was literally so cool to look at, and think about.
We got to the competition (with my hair in rollers!) and joined the queue with the other hopefuls and were assigned a station to complete our hair and makeup preparations for the competition. There were hair tools, cans of hair spray and people everywhere, it was a little overwhelming. When I signed up for the competition, I hadn't put much thought into the actual catwalk side of things and didn't consider I was 5'3"...a good foot shorter than most professional models. I turned up extremely excited, and ended up feeling tiny and a little chunky. Luckily, the girls who were sat in my row were incredibly friendly and we ended up chattering away all day between the rehearsals and backstage too. Backstage?! I'm a legitimate model now ;)
I was so so nervous for the catwalk, I mean I definitely do not have professional training in these sorts of things and have never been involved in anything like this. I was barely up the shoulders of the other models, and they were all so lithe and beautiful. I started to question what I had got myself into...however with some guidance from the L'Oreal team and the friendly models in my row I managed to pull myself together for the rehearsal and relax just enough to enjoy the main event.
At the event, there were hair stylist, customers, stockists, magazine and print journalists as well as hundreds of cast and crew members who were all there to make sure the competition went without a hitch. It was one of the biggest productions I've ever been a part of, and I feel so lucky to have been asked to participate. Below you will see a few more photos and videos from the event which I look back on now and feel as though I am looking at another person! I remember on the day every time it was my turn to walk out of the floor, I almost peed myself I was so nervous but then this wave of calm came over me and I walked out under the hot, bright lights and just did my thing!! It was so exhilarating!
Unfortunately, the competition was incredibly stiff and we didn't manage to make it through to the European Final, but to get down to the final 30 was an incredible achievement that most salons don't have the opportunity to get.
My Crohns Disease was pretty bad throughout the whole day, but Melissa and her work colleagues did everything they could to keep me calm and sane throughout the whole process and I know I wouldn't have made it through the day without the help of some of the models (thanks Lotti!!). It was a once in a lifetime experience that I am so humble and thankful for. Experiencing things like this with one of your best friends creates memories you'll never forget and I can't wait to look back on these photographs and videos in years to come to remind myself of everything spectacular I've had the opportunity to do throughout my lifetime.
Check our the L'Oreal Colour Trophy website to see the winning styles from all of the regions and to keep up to date with the European winners.
Disclaimer - none of the music is owned by myself in these videos, nor are the logos and branding of the L'Oreal Colour Trophy. All models in these photos and footage signed disclaimers for their images to be used for any photography and videography to do with the competition.
Back in February, I was asked by my good friend, Melissa, to be her model for the competition. Melissa is a hair stylist and colourist at the Hair Lounge, Kelvedon and she had been nominated by her salon to enter into this worldwide competition. I jumped at the chance to model for her, in part because I would receive a free hair colour and also because experiences like this don't come around every day!
What happened next was a few appointments for 'colour loading' to ensure the most vibrant colour was achievable on the day of the competition. I visited the salon and let Melissa go wild with my hair. The only rules were a) no cutting, and b) it had to be presentable for work.
I came out of the salon the morning of the competition with the most amazing purple - copper combination which was incredibly bright and nothing that I would have chosen for myself. As well as a new hair style, I felt as though I was a new person too!!
Melissa decided to go with this crazy, faux mohawk for the competition to showcase her skill in blending, colouring and styling. I felt like a bad ass rock chick and decided to go all black with my outfit, with chunky metals and boots to offset the height my hair gave me.
We bundled into the car, and made our way to the Imperial War Museum at Duxford where the competition was being held. I was a little shocked to be there, as I hadn't understood that the catwalk was slap bang in the middle of WWII aircraft and memorabilia! It was literally so cool to look at, and think about.
We got to the competition (with my hair in rollers!) and joined the queue with the other hopefuls and were assigned a station to complete our hair and makeup preparations for the competition. There were hair tools, cans of hair spray and people everywhere, it was a little overwhelming. When I signed up for the competition, I hadn't put much thought into the actual catwalk side of things and didn't consider I was 5'3"...a good foot shorter than most professional models. I turned up extremely excited, and ended up feeling tiny and a little chunky. Luckily, the girls who were sat in my row were incredibly friendly and we ended up chattering away all day between the rehearsals and backstage too. Backstage?! I'm a legitimate model now ;)
I was so so nervous for the catwalk, I mean I definitely do not have professional training in these sorts of things and have never been involved in anything like this. I was barely up the shoulders of the other models, and they were all so lithe and beautiful. I started to question what I had got myself into...however with some guidance from the L'Oreal team and the friendly models in my row I managed to pull myself together for the rehearsal and relax just enough to enjoy the main event.
At the event, there were hair stylist, customers, stockists, magazine and print journalists as well as hundreds of cast and crew members who were all there to make sure the competition went without a hitch. It was one of the biggest productions I've ever been a part of, and I feel so lucky to have been asked to participate. Below you will see a few more photos and videos from the event which I look back on now and feel as though I am looking at another person! I remember on the day every time it was my turn to walk out of the floor, I almost peed myself I was so nervous but then this wave of calm came over me and I walked out under the hot, bright lights and just did my thing!! It was so exhilarating!
Unfortunately, the competition was incredibly stiff and we didn't manage to make it through to the European Final, but to get down to the final 30 was an incredible achievement that most salons don't have the opportunity to get.
My Crohns Disease was pretty bad throughout the whole day, but Melissa and her work colleagues did everything they could to keep me calm and sane throughout the whole process and I know I wouldn't have made it through the day without the help of some of the models (thanks Lotti!!). It was a once in a lifetime experience that I am so humble and thankful for. Experiencing things like this with one of your best friends creates memories you'll never forget and I can't wait to look back on these photographs and videos in years to come to remind myself of everything spectacular I've had the opportunity to do throughout my lifetime.
Check our the L'Oreal Colour Trophy website to see the winning styles from all of the regions and to keep up to date with the European winners.
Disclaimer - none of the music is owned by myself in these videos, nor are the logos and branding of the L'Oreal Colour Trophy. All models in these photos and footage signed disclaimers for their images to be used for any photography and videography to do with the competition.
Great read - you looked beauts and did a fab job ❤️ Never change . #burgundyorgrey? 😂😜
ReplyDeleteYou look amazing, as always :)
ReplyDelete