From custard creams to iced gems, here's why it makes surprising sense to liken your hair colour to a teatime treat
When we heard about a salon’s new ‘Biscuit Blonde’ colour menu, the words gimmick and tenuous sprung to mind - but on further investigation it actually makes perfect sense. Hair lingo so often gets lost in translation - a tiny trim that turns into inches or Balayage that looks more striped than subtle, it’s tricky to find a common denominator. Take biscuits on the other hand and who doesn’t know the milky shade of a custard cream or the buttery tones of a Viennese Whirl?
“As a hairdresser I think it’s a great way to describe hair colour, especially blondes,” says celebrity colourist and Schwarzkopf Professional BlondMe Ambassador, Jack Howard . “Obviously, hairdressers know all the technical hair terms but the majority of the public don’t and they might be unsure of the colour you are describing. I always use makeup, fabric and food colours to engage and help my clients understand and so using a biscuit reference is a fantastic way to get clients more excited.”
The trend of biscuit barrel blondes
As well as helping open up the lines of colour communication with your hairdresser, it just so happens that these biscuity blondes that Muse of London salon have added to their menu are bang on trend for spring/summer.
“The new #BiscuitBlonde menu idea came from the influence of the blonde trends booming over social media,” explains Carly Price, head stylist at Muse of London. “Many clients are opting for biscuit blonde shades that combine creamy and golden hues and a mixture of both warm and cool shades to create the perfect flattering blonde tone that instantly brightens up the complexion.”
How to translate your biscuit into blonde
For two-tone: Viennese Whirl
The beauty of these sweet treat tones is that they incorporate all of the latest hair colour techniques. Viennese Whirl, for example, uses Balayage to create those swirls of natural-looking colour. Adapted to suit your complexion and initially designed for brunettes who want to go lighter, it’s a great way to add dimension and movement into hair. “Because it’s Balayage, we look at the client’s current hair colour, their skin tone and lifestyle and pick a shade that will work well for them - sometimes a high contrast blonde is not the best choice and so caramel tones can be a great alternative,” continues Price.
For brighter blondes: Iced Biscuit
Fashion followers, white blondes and for those with a pale complexion, Iced Biscuit should be your pick of the palette. Not for the faint-hearted or short on time, a full head of pre-lightening must take place before a super light platinum blonde toner is applied. With iridescent, silvery hues, the result is a clean and shiny finish. Just be prepared for the upkeep. With such a stand-out shade, you’re at risk of roots, dulling and brassiness ruining the effect so be prepared to take on some at-home hair colour top-ups or more regular salon visits to keep your icy overlay in tact.
For warmer blondes: Golden digestive
For a more low-key vibe, warmer blondes are your best bet which Muse of London group under the Golden category. Think digestives, shortbread or at a push a Hob-Nob, depending on your existing tones. Flattering for most skin tones, a variety of techniques can be used to lighten the hair and give it a golden glow. “The idea is to create an expensive looking golden blonde that’s warm looking but is infused with cool undertones for a non-orangey finish,” says Price.
For softer blondes: Custard Creme
Finally there’s Custard Creme, which the hair colourists translate as baby lights. Ideal for those who already have light blonde hair but want to add dimension, depth and shine through lighter, creamy blondes (read: the creamy filling), for pink and cool skintones, beige and ash blonde additions work best; for warmer skin tones and a dark blonde base, it’s all about flashes of buttery caramel tones.
What to do if your biscuit is chocolate coated
Who could forget Bourbon biscuits and choc-chip cookies? While Muse of London haven’t extended this menu to block brunettes (yet), for autumn/winter they introduced six Chocolate Crusade options. From White Chocolate Praline to Strawberry Ganache and Dark Chocolate, it also utilised colouring services such as glossing, highlights and all over tints.
Besides making us want to reach for elevensies, what we first thought was ridiculous actually seems a refined and well-thought out way to achieve the hair colour you’re striving for. Far easier than a celebrity mugshot, all you need to decide is just how blonde you want your biscuity base to be...
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