Electric dreams: A new 'do for the festive season

With long tangly tresses, I knew it was time to go for the chop. My hair has quickly become unruly over the summer months, and I wanted a haircut that was fashionable, but also low maintenance. Luckily for me, that’s what’s ‘in’ at the moment.

Lara Tree, Electric Brighton’s principal stylist, said she’s seen people asking for more natural styles that are easy to handle, but more unusual colours, like blush blonde and pastel colours.

But the main thing, she said, is tailoring the cut for each client.

“It is working with you, your face and your hair type making sure the style works for you,” she said.

Taking a look at my locks, Lara agreed it could do with a drastic cut. She said by chopping off a few inches, it would take out some of the weight, bringing out the volume.

I was happy to follow her lead, and we decided to go for cut just above the shoulder, that would work well straight, for when I had the time to style my hair, but it would also look great with minimal effort.

We started with a hair wash, and a mask with a mix of protein and moisture to improve the condition of my hair. After the treatment and a relaxing head massage it was back into the hotseat to chop off those locks.

As she snipped away, Lara explained what the latest hair trends were, with people going for more natural looks in terms of texture, with layers making a comeback, and strong fringes being rounded.

But although people are opting for natural and easy to handle styles, unnatural colours are popular, with blues and greens, or even rainbow hair becoming more popular.

I decided not to go for a colour, as I’ve decided to give my hair a break from hair dye and am going for an 'ombre' look as the bleach grows out, but if you’re looking for an unusual colour, Electric is the place to go.

“I do quite a lot of crazy colours,” said Lara. “Pastel colours, blush blondes and apricots over the blonde.”

The Electric Brighton team are an award-winning bunch, and you get the impression they are very fashion-forward, and really passionate about what they do. Pioneering new styles and colours are a big part of what the salon is about.

But as well as experimenting and trying new things, they are also great at the basics.

Adding in a few layers and cutting the hair a bit longer at the front to frame the face, Lara explained the best way to style my new hair.

She suggested salt spray would be a great product to enhance a low-maintenance wavy style, giving volume and texture. She also showed me a trick with the hair curlers to go for a kink in the hair rather than ringlets, by using the outside of the wand and wrapping the hair around it.

Lara first of all styled my hair in a straight and sleek style to show me how my hair would look, and then a wavy, natural style. I loved both, and was amazed my how much healthier my hair looked.

It was quite a shock to have so much hair cut off - but it actually felt quite liberating. I was free of the tangly tresses!

I was also worried that my ‘ombre’ hair wouldn’t work with a shorter style, but Lara reassured me that it would enhance the colours, and she was right.

If you’re looking for a big change ahead of the festive season, whether it's a restyle, or a new colour, look no further than Electric Brighton.

Electric, which this year celebrates its 10th anniversary, was born in Brighton at its Ship Street salon, and now has salons in Reading, Oxford, Liverpool, Edinburgh and London.

To book an appointment at the Brighton salon, call 01273 202088 or visit: www.electric-hair.com