Prism lights: the understated balayage technique to try this summer

PRISM lights are the key to the natural, sunkissed look you want

The art of highlights is ever-changing. From striking two-tone ombre to natural negative space, every time you make a trip to the hairdressers, it seems, there's a new technique to try.

Hitting that sweet spot between fresh blonde and effortlessly natural is founder of Notting Hill's STIL salon, Christel Lundqvist. Drawing on her Scandinavian routes - she is originally from Stockholm - Christel has created a technique she calls 'PRISM highlights.'

If a sun-kissed look is what you're after this summer then it's the perfect colouring option for you.

Treatment and stylist

Wash, cut and PRISM highlights with Christel Lundqvist.

Price

PRISM Lights with Christel, from £260; Cut, from £60 with Jack.

General vibe

Christel's Scandi roots are apparent the minute you walk in the door. The look is minimalist with a palette of muted tones. Clean colours are punctuated with succulents, mis-matching wood and vases filled with beautiful blooms. Very Instagrammable. Yet, somehow, on a busy Saturday morning, the salon felt calm and almost zen.

As someone who normally hates chatting at the hairdressers (it's quiet time, in my opinion), I found I couldn't stop babbling away to Christel and the other stylists at STIL. Christel clearly hires staff just like her: kind, thoughtful and genuinely interested in the customer. So buoyed was I by my time at STIL that I found myself conversing with a woman on my tube journey home. Unheard of.

Experience

The process begins with a detailed consultation. Christel makes a note of your complexion and eye colour, she watches your skin to see if you flush when you speak. Time is taken to get to know you and for her to asses what she thinks will work. Then she goes through moodboards and swatch samples of hair to lay out her vision for your tresses.

Cristel is an expert colourist (she's won the British Hairdressing Awards Colourist of the Year Award three times) whooffers a range of different colour services at STIL. I was there to try her own creation, 'prism lights.'

The technique works by creating 'a halo of light' around the face with delicate handpainting of thin strands at the front of the hair and also from the root to the mid lengths. The whole effect is a blended, vibrant look with absolutely no chance of nasty root regrowth.

After Christel has painstakingly handpainted what she calls 'whisper thin' strands, it's off to the basin for a restorative head massage and wash.

Then it was time for the chop. Or, in my case, a blink-and-you'd miss it trim. We all know that when we normally ask for 'just the ends off, please', the scissors always find themselves about three inches north of where we actually want them to be. Not so at STIL. Again, they listened and, refreshingly, cut my hair exactly as I wanted.

As my hair was blow dried and, the blonde started to become visible, I couldn't have been happier. I looked like I'd been on a month-long holiday to somewhere sunny and fabulous.

Extras

Despite its laid back charm, you get the full luxury treatment at STIL. Handbags are popped inside protective bags, you're offered a range of beverages and all teas and coffees come with miniature Green & Black's chocolates.

If you're the type that lives for the head massage when you visit the hairdressers, STIL is worth it for that alone. As standard, customers can chose from a range of aromatherapy oils and are treated to a 10-minute long scalp massage. Pure bliss.

Overall rating

For blondes, particularly, this is one of the best salons in London for colour. Six weeks later and mine is still looking fresh.

To book an appointment, visit stil-alon.com. 2A Chepstow Road, W2 5BH.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in