After seeing headbands coming down the runway in several Fashion Week shows, U.K. hairstylist and makeup artist Charlie Illi became inspired to recreate them with color “like hair accessories you don’t need to remove.”
With teammates at Brooks & Brooks salon in central London, Illi created attention-grabbing looks using strategically placed bands of color — an effect that propelled her to a grand finalist and a London Regional Award Winner in the U.K.’s 2025 L’Oréal Colour Trophy competition.
“This is one of my favourite color creations,” Illi says. “It’s technically demanding, but that’s exactly what I love about it!"
“You can place color in so many ways; it’s the person in your chair that makes it," she says.
Illi and the team used L’Oréal Professionel products. “My top tip for creating this look is to always start with a strong cut, as this will form the foundations of your look,” Illi says.
“This was achieved with back-to-back slices to get the perfect lift. Also, make sure you don’t apply the pre-lightener all the way through to the ends as this will create a panel rather than the desired band effect.”
Step By Step: Invisible Line
1. CUT
Start with the haircut to map out the lines. The secret to creating this one-length Roxy bob is to exaggerate the weight at the occipital bone with a short fade into the neck.
2. SECTIONING FOR COLOR
Divide the hair into four clean sections using a cross-bun technique, working one section at a time, keeping the partings parallel to the head shape for control.
3. PAINTING THE LINE
Lay the first 5mm section on foil and secure with masking tape, mapping the thickness of the color line. Pre-lighten the section with L’Oréal Professionel Pre-lightener (9 levels and 20 vol), then tape it over to prevent bleeding.
4. LAYERING UP
Lay the next section on top with a natural fall, avoiding over-direction and tension, then carefully freehand paint the line again. Repeat this process section by section to the top.
5. FINISHING
After processing, leave the color raw for maximum vibrancy. Wrap-dry the hair, then add a soft bend at the horseshoe hairline by lifting sections and blow-drying into a curve by hand.
“I wanted to create a terracotta shade by mixing mahogany, violet, orange and yellow on a undercoat of 8, which was the perfect level to support my color choices,” Illi says.
“If you want to create more delicate, pastel shades, I’d recommend lifting and pre-toning the hair before applying color.”