Michael Canalé is one of Hollywood’s most popular colorists, having worked with stars like Jennifer Aniston, Heidi Klum, Shakira, Penelope Cruz and so many more. With over 30 years of experience, this man definitely knows what he’s doing when it comes to hair color, and more importantly hair care and trends.
For a long time, Canalé recognized a “need” in the industry for new hair products. In his own work, there were things he was looking for and couldn’t find, so he decided to create new formulae to help care for color-treated hair and bring a revolutionary line to fruition.
In an exclusive interview with Her Campus, he shared his personal best hair care tips, trend insights and gave us the full details about his new product line.
Hair Tips & Trends
“Find a good hair dresser,” Canalé opens as his first piece of advice. “In the last 25 years, I’ve met a lot of colorists who are good at one or two things, usually balayage or highlights, but in our world right now you need a dresser that can do everything. So, I would search out good people.”
When looking forward to fall trends, he sees colored glosses being huge because of the semi-permanent color aspect. “A lot of glosses have pigment in them. They lay on the outside layers of hair, and give it a pretty color without getting too much into serious hair coloring,” he explains. About trends on their way out, Canalé says, “The balayage is going to be around for a while, but it’s moving its way to the Midwest. When styles start moving to the Midwest they’re going out of fashion.”
We also learned that sun is the biggest damager of hair because it’s a natural bleaching agent, which is why Canalé is so passionate about color, but also quality hair products. “Get a better shampoo than drugstore brand,” he advises. Cheaper shampoos, especially the all-in-one kind can severely damage your hair. According to Canalé, this is one area where you should pay the higher price for quality.
Celebrity Colors
We asked Canalé if he had a favorite color project, and of course working on Jennifer Aniston’s signature hair color for Friends was a standout. “I loved working on the ‘Rachel’ because it ended up being so important to my industry. Other than that, I loved working on color for Heidi Klum because she was just a great gal to work with.”
For collegiettes wanting the iconic “Rachel” look, he says it’s “all about the hair color,” and that’s where you should start. “It was a blended caramelized brown that we gradually took to a caramelized blonde. Without those signature blonde highlights in the front, the ‘Rachel’ look would have been harsh. The ‘Rachel’ solid is not as pretty as the ‘Rachel’ blended.”
New Products
For hair products that actually work, choose to shop from the man who’s an industry expert. His new line, Canalé, will be available for purchase August 1 on QVC. “When using my product, you’ll get 50 percent less damage than if you used any other product,” he explains, proud of the wonderful formulae he’s developed. The line features four products that are gentle but efficient, and seriously up your hair game.
If you have color-treated hair, you’ll want to keep up with Michael Canalé and all his incredible hair advice and innovations. Don’t miss his much-anticipated appearance on QVC!
