AAFW 21: Schwarzkopf Professional X We Are Kindred

An innovative hair technique was necessary for the show-stopper runway that was We Are Kindred, set in a dream home in Sydney’s Darling Point and merging luxury and effortlessness with ease. As such, Schwarzkopf Professional and Hair Director Travis Balcke centred the hair brief on an original technique, titled Wafting, for the occasion.

“The technique is effortless and achieves a really naturally beautiful look which looks gorgeous but doesn’t read as over the top,” Travis explained. “It’s the perfect everyday look when you want to achieve something elegant and beautiful but don’t want to look over-styled.”

“We Are Kindred is the kind of girl who doesn’t take fashion too seriously, so we interpreted that girl into the hair look as well, we wanted it to be something that was quite lived in and fabulous and fun, but also not taking things too seriously, and that’s where we came up with the style,” he continued.

The technique complemented the Bloom collection, created as an ode to the world’s beautiful gardens, and constructed with free-flowing silhouettes in eco-friendly fabrics. The runway event was, as such, an elegant garden party, capturing a bygone era and the dream-like quality of something both so fun and editorially engaging.

‘‘Schwarzkopf Professional and We Are Kindred share the same vision – to celebrate natural beauty in an inclusive way that speaks to shared values and celebrates what brings us together, rather than what sets us apart, and really celebrates creating a beautiful style with hair that reflects your personality and works with your natural features,” said Lizzie and Georgie Renkert of We Are Kindred.

The styling process started with the girls’ natural fresh texture, which was then nourished and conditioned with the Schwarzkopf Professional Mad About Curls Superfood Leave-In product, dried into the hair. The hair team then built volume, shaped the hair, let it set and finished with the hero Wafting technique.

“We used a combination of brushing the underneath of the hair out and then blending that with the Wafting technique through the top so you have the body from underneath with that mystery of texture,” Travis said. “It’s something that’s both glamorous and raw at the same time, so it has distinct movement in the hair.”

“In the underneath we wanted to build something that’s quite smooth through the parting and then it has a nice volume and width to it, and then the not too serious and more fun aspect comes into play,” he continued. “This is a modern style of back combing, it aerates the hair internally and it creates magic.”

The brand’s OSiS+ Sparkler was credited as a hero product, giving a sense of definition and separation as pushed up into the ends of the hair, elevating shine and tying the look together.

“The hair and the collection go so well together. It’s all about creamy, dreamy and light,” Travis said. “The hair reflects the fashion and the environment has been taken into consideration as well. We have so many different hair types so we just interpret that story into the different types.”

Turns out that unique, relevant hair techniques and garden parties wielded together are good for the soul.

Get the look:

Section the hair out.
Apply Schwarzkopf Professional BC Bonacure Hylaronic Moisture Kick Spray Conditioner to dry or damp hair, section by section. Comb the hair using a wide-tooth comb, this helps to evenly distribute through the hair.
Work section by section again, applying the Schwarzkopf Professional Mad About Curls Superfood Leave-In, scrunching the product into the hair.
Divide each section into smaller sections and twist into alternating directions to create slight bends in the hair
Sporadically use a curling iron (suited to the individual curl type). To flat areas, this helps to add definition and enhance natural curl pattern. Keep the curling iron away from the ends of the hair, to keep the natural look.
Apply the Schwarzkopf Professional BLONDME Wonders Glaze Mist to the mid-lengths of the hair, which will aerate, separate and texturise the hair, as well as give a natural separation and shine. For volume (only for very fine hair) apply Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ Dust It to the mid-lengths of the hair, use hands in scrunching motion to activate the product for a wax-like volume texture
Waft the hair. This is the easiest step, anyone can do it, and this is the reason you can get away with using minimal products and tools. Grab the hair in two from the front of the head, waft the hair in a waving motion, to aerate, separate and volumise the hair. This gives the appearance of an invisible, modern form of backcombing, as it basically will backcomb the hair for you. This step gives you a modern, undone finish.
For half-up hair only, add this step. Grab the hair from the temples, pull two strands to the back of the head tying the accessory or head scarf to secure. Don’t pull back too tight and soften the hair line by loosening some of the hair from the front and leave some shorter stands of hair loose.
For all hair styles, finish by applying Schwarzkopf Professional OSiS+ Sparkler to give a lovely, healthy shine to the hair.