Pretty hair again: Galaxy Balayage + Organic Moist Treatment at 99 Percent Hair Studio (Katong MODA)

For an update on how well this colouring lasted and a discount code for 99 Percent Hair Studio (Katong MODA), read here!

Original review below.

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Back at 99 Percent Hair Salon (Katong MODA). 

I love this place and its simple, woody interior. And its warm and friendly staff!

So the pretty wine/purple I last had has since faded, leaving a bronze-blonde mix of sorts. I find the slight variations in tone quite interesting, and am pretty impressed with balayage and its effects!

As interesting as the streaks of blonde/brown were, it's time for an update for the new year. Here's one last shot of me with my brassy hair. On to pretty colours!

My wine/purple hair didn't last long because of my damaged hair cuticles. The colours washed out after slightly over two weeks (it was gorgeous while it lasted!). This time, Danson wanted to try a new brand of hair colour, an acid dye that is supposed to last slightly longer than the last brand I had. The chart says "semi-permanent", but Danson shared that this brand of semi-permanent dyes lasts longer than the semi-permanent dyes of the past. It's also ammonia-free, so yay for my hair!

I fell in love with the pastels (me, sucker for pastels). Danson saw how much I loved the pastels and suggested using some for select strands. Yay!

As usual, love Danson and his attention to detail. He showed me some hair samples so that I had an idea of the shade of colours he wanted for me. 

I didn't need a hair cut because my hair was still in pretty good shape from the last trim. And because my hair had already been bleached before this and was pretty light in colour, the violet highlights were applied immediately. I'm going to have violet in my hair!

Danson chose to do a darker look for me this time because I can't sport a bright style due to upcoming shows. The last time I tried a darker look for a new year, it lasted a total of a day before I decided that the dark look didn't work for me. I bought a home-dye and lightened my hair the next day :P

Second attempt at going darker for another new year!

After applying the violets on select strands (kudos to Danson's keen eye and skill!), it was on to spot bleaching on select streaks of hair for the pastels that I fell in love with. Can't achieve pastels without bleach, so what to do (the things I do to my hair for the colours I love).

Time to let the violet and bleach sit for a bit, while Danson prepares the colour for my overall hair - blue-black (part of the salon's organic dye range)!

The noob that I am, I was surprised when I saw this being brought to the work station. Blue-black? Isn't this... white? Jackie, the latest addition to the 99 Percent Katong family, promptly addressed my quizzical look and assured me that this colour will oxidise as we go along. 

Wow, the things I learn with every trip to the salon.

The white cream has oxidised and is now an ash blue-gray mix!

Danson marks out the foil pieces that are wrapped around the strands with bleach, for easier identification later.

Then it's time to let the colours and bleach do their work. I currently have violet, blue-black and bleach in my hair!

Waiting...

Danson comes round to check on the strands with bleach, to see if the bleach has worked its magic. Looking good!

Asian hair can never truly go full white, so I guess blonde is the best I can ask for. The strands are now ready for the pretty pastels!

The bleached strands were then wrapped with foil again to prevent them from getting stained by the blue-black in the rest of my hair. 

Folded foil pieces for violet, rolled foil pieces for bleach. I like this system Danson has going on (yes, I am easily amused).

Time for the wash! Jackie first washes off the overall blue-black...

... then, time to remove the folded foil pieces and wash off the violet. Check out the water. And poor Jackie's hands.

Finally, time to remove the rolled foil pieces to completely wash off the bleach.

Danson shows me more hair samples of the pastel colours he recommends for my bleached strands. He's going with green, a mixture of blues, and a spot of orange, just for fun. I love pastels, so the more the merrier! :D

Hello orange! Because orange doesn't quite match the rest of the colours used, Danson only applied it to a tiny bit of my hair for a pop of bright.

Then it's time for green...

... and finally, blues! See how Danson carefully applies his strokes to achieve a gradient effect? 

Yes, the man is magic. 

While the orange, green and blues slowly stew in their foils, it's time for the Organic Moist Treatment! My damaged hair definitely needs this.

But before we got started with treatment, Jackie wheels out a strange looking machine.

Time to apply the treatment to my hair! The parts in foil are the orange, green and blues, still taking their time to stick to my hair. Jackie explained that she won't be applying treatment to those strands as the pastels will take a while to set in and may be affected by the chemicals in the treatment.

See Danson who's right behind us? The talented man had so many customers that day, he was tending to at least two people at any one time. If you want your hair to be in his good hands, call early and book an appointment!

Meanwhile, the strange machine that Jackie wheeled out earlier will soon be ready for its performance.

So what exactly does the strange machine do? 

It's a hair mist machine that helps to seal the nutrients from the treatment into the hair!

So much mist!

The mist created such a scene that the kid behind me who came with her mom couldn't help but stare. She's quite cute, eh? :D

After misting, it was time to sit and wait while the treatment works its magic.

And then on to the wash, to wash off the treatment and remove the foil hiding the lovely pastels in my hair.

See that pop of orange? And the violets? And that sliver of green?

I love colours. Especially when they're in my hair.

Last steps to the treatment, before we're all done. 

Left: Leave-in spray

Middle: Serum

Right: Yoghurt hair mask (Jackie included this to further moisturise my hair after the treatment. This is also one of the salon's bestsellers.)

In goes the spray, mask and serum...

... then time for blow drying...

... and more blow drying (If I had the patience to blow dry my hair the way they do in the salon, I'd have pretty hair everyday. But, no).

Remember that serum in the earlier picture? Danson applied the serum to my right hand, and a bit of pharmacy-bought serum to my left. See the difference? The organic Rose oil felt slightly oily at first, but absorbed quickly, leaving my right hand soft and smooth. The pharmacy-bought serum didn't quite absorb and remained shiny for a looongg time. 

Danson explained that usual pharmacy-bought serums contain silicon, which is why they leave a coat of shine and feel slightly rubbery to the touch. The Rose oil is part of their organic treatment line, and is used as the last step in their Organic Moist Treatment. It can also be bought in store, at SGD44 a bottle.

I fell in love with the oil's fragrance and love how it leaves my hair soft and silky without the usual sticky feeling I get from other serums. I have a bottle at home and have been using it for the past few days since the colouring session. I only have three words for this product: I. Love. You.

Hello silky, colourful hair!

As expected, a very satisfying hair colouring session at 99 Percent Hair Salon (Katong MODA).

Three days after the colouring session, and my hair's still soft and smooth, thanks to the Organic Moist Treatment and the lovely Rose oil! 

I'm in love with the colours that Danson has chosen for me, and while miss them dearly when they eventually fade. Like he says, "深色的头发让你看起来很 classy". I'm definitely not freaking out over a darker look this time, because I'm in love with his skilled use of colours!

Another colour update in two weeks or so. 

Till then, 

:)