Here's how to strobe your hair, body and nails for spring
STROBING is the beauty technique you probably didn’t know you needed.
Still not fully au fait with what it means?
It might sound like something out of a Star Wars movie, and strobing, you could say, is a bit like having a magic lightsaber in your beauty kit.
It’s basically highlighting trickery — think of it as the more subtle, flattering sister of contouring — and though the trend started with faces, it’s now transcended to hair, body, and even fingernails.
Because strobing is all about achieving that elusive lit-from-within look, it’s the perfect trend to master for spring.
Time to get glowing...
HAIR HIGHLIGHTERS
Goodbye balayage and babylights, hair strobing is the hottest new brightening technique for tresses.
“The idea of strobing is to accent hair with subtle strobes of colour to illuminate the face,” explains Georgie Mathers, Toni&Guy technical artistic director.
“In the right places, it can diminish areas of width or widen a narrow face shape.”
You can now strobe your strands at home too, using quick-fixes like spray-on highlighting toners or brush-on ‘hairshadow’ (like eyeshadow for hair).
Find them in typical hair tone shades, or more daring statement colours.
“Limit the placement to a few key areas you wish to highlight,” Georgie advises.
“You can use the colour accents in so many ways — to add depth, create a root ombre effect, a colour top-up, or even disguising greys.”
* label.m Highlighting Toner, available in Blonde, Brunette, Red or Blue, €13.45 each. www.lookfantastic.com free p&p
* Batiste Root Concealer, available in five shades, €15.14 each
* Bleach London Balayage Hair Kit Beach Lights, €9.99, Boots. www.boots.ie
BODY BRIGHTENERS
Limb-baring season is approaching, and body strobing is the ultimate shortcut for honed and toned limbs. Michelle Obama arms, anyone?
“Highlighting the areas of the body where light naturally reflects gives an instant sculpted effect,” says James Harknett, tanning guru and Fake Bake ambassador.
“The easiest parts of the body to strobe for spring are the shoulders, arms and shins — just always focus on areas the sun would hit and naturally tan.”
James recommends using self-tan 24 hours before strobing, to up the contrast of your finish.
Don’t limit yourself to body-specific products — some of the best strobing sticks and palettes are designed for the face, but work just as well gleamed on to shins and shoulders.
* Iconic London Strobing Stick, €29.42. www.iconiclondoninc.com plus p&p
* Smashbox Spotlight Highlighting Palette in Pearl, €36, Arnotts. www.arnotts.ie
* Madame LA LA Bronzing Ball, €16.95 www.lookfantastic.com
MANI ILLUMINATORS
Sure, it’s subtle — but nail strobing is still a thing. Pearlised, sheeny manis were on repeat backstage for SS17, to top off all that healthy-looking strobed hair and skin.
“Highlighting, or nail strobing, gives you a dewy, shimmery, healthy finish to the nails,” says Jenni Draper, nail expert and OPI brand ambassador, who adds that even lengthened talons can be yours, with some clever strobing trickery.
“Using an iridescent polish will create highlights down the length of the nail, giving the illusion of longer nails.”
For low-key nail strobing, she recommends sticking to champagne tones for fair skin, golden tones for olive skin, and terracotta tones for darker skin. If you want to up the nail ante, make an impact with high-shine holographic or chrome finishes.
* Orly Colour Blast Silver Chrome Foil, €12.95, Boots. www.boots.ie
* NAILS INC Electric Lane Holographic Top Coat, €18, Brown Thomas www.brownthomas.com
* OPI Nail Lacquer in Altar Ego, €10.90. www.beautybay.com plus p&p
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