About the colorist profession: Jonathan Turner and Sophie Gibson

We translated this short interview for you because it is truly vital and interesting.

What do you enjoy most about being a colorist?

Jonathan Turner: “The creative possibilities with color are endless and that's what I love most about being a colorist. They can always be developed, for example, during a photo shoot or just for a salon. Color allows us to be creative and take our skills to a new professional level.”

Sophie Gibson: “What I love most about this profession is the combination of creativity and the ability to give someone confidence and a new style just by changing their hair color.”

Where do you get your inspiration for flowers?

Jonathan Turner: “I have always been inspired by the world of fine art. Following the color palette in the painting can suggest interesting color combinations for hair. My favorite artist at the moment is Matthew Stone. It uses strokes of color in 3D. Look at his work – it’s very fascinating.”

Sophie Gibson: “For me it's a combination of social media, magazines and celebrity images. I like to follow new trends - be it hair color or fashion trends. I also observe nature - for example, the different tones of autumn leaves can be reflected in beautiful hair color."

What are your favorite coloring techniques?

Jonathan Turner: “I love working with my hands and using my fingers to blend colors to create a natural balayage look. It’s a great way to work and the best tool nature has given us.”

Sophie Gibson: “I love the free hand technique. It allows me to create a beautiful, bespoke color that is tailored to each client based on their style, lifestyle and face shape.”

What color trend do you dislike, regardless of its popularity?

Jonathan Turner: “This is highlighting. Natural hair looks so much better, so hopefully highlights won't come back anytime soon."

Sophie Gibson: “Ombre. I'm so glad this trend has gone out of style!”

Are there any trends or techniques you'd like to see brought back?

Sophie Gibson and Jonathan Turner: “A beautiful canvas of hair is full of highlights with bright fringe or tinted with shine throughout the entire length. Balayage is so popular now that it seems to have replaced complete bleaching of hair.”

What are the main challenges facing professional colorists?

Sophie Gibson and Jonathan Turner: “The fact that clients see colors on different online platforms such as Instagram or Pinterest puts a lot of pressure on colorists. People believe Photoshop and often come to the artist with unrealistic expectations. The images may be unattainable for the client's hair or simply not possible. We must be honest with clients and not give in to pressure, because we are the experts.”

What was your most memorable consultation with a client?

Sophie Gibson: “I have a new client who found me through social media. The first consultation with her lasted 45 minutes, as we had a lot of ideas, and in the end she wanted a bright, expressive color. She is a lot of fun to work with and I can be creative without worrying about her reaction because she trusts me 100%.

What work are you most proud of?

Sophie Gibson and Jonathan Turner: “This is our School Yearbook collection, which won us Schwarzkopf's British Colourists of the Year. This victory was our dream and we are incredibly proud of it. Creating the color collection took a huge amount of hard work, but it was worth it.”

What advice would you give to a trainee colorist?

Jonathan Turner: “Be confident! Play and experiment with color, as it can always be corrected. You are an artist - so don’t be afraid of anything!”

Sophie Gibson: “Listen to your client and take your time during the consultation to make sure you are both 100% confident that you are seeing the same result. It’s also important that you always back up your opinions with facts, so do your research.”