Exclusive: Patricia Nikole On Collaborating With Wella And Her Signature Style

Hair colorist and social media star Patricia Nikole has been appointed Wella Professionals Brand Ambassador in 2020. Known for her impeccable technique and her signature “painted hair” blends and natural looks, Patricia is one of the world's most famous hair artists, with around 1 million followers on her Instagram account, @paintedhair, and over 200k followers on TikTok.

Special Arabia had the pleasure to talk to Patricia, and we are thrilled to share this exclusive interview with you! So keep scrolling to know more about the latest hair trends and the best hair products she recommends. 

How do you describe your collaboration with Wella?

I have the privilege of working together with Wella Professionals on marketing campaigns, product co-creation, and consulting just to name a few. There are so many exciting things on the way!

Being a part of the #WellaFamily to me means joining a brand that really believes in listening to stylists and truly is on a mission to bring positive change to the industry through inclusion, innovation, and education. I am so proud to work with a brand that shares my own personal values!

Also, Wella has the most amazing stylist community ever through all of their talented artists, educators, and Passionistas.

On April 25, 2021, Wella will be hosting its first ever We Create virtual event, a global celebration of the hairdressing craft through a jam-packed agenda of shows, seminars, and intimate conversations – open to everyone out there who is, loves or is inspired by global hairdressing community. Registration to We Create is completely free and is Wella’s gift to the industry, so go ahead and register here. 

What is your signature style?

High contrast hair painting with seamless melting; I love this style and application due to the incredible blend and low maintenance; it’s a client’s dream hair that’s suited for their busy lifestyle as well.  My go to product lately to achieve these looks is lightening my clients with the NEW Blondorplex lightener from Wella Professionals; I love that I’m able to achieve up to 7 levels of lift while simultaneously constructing bonds inside my client’s hair by utilizing the BlondorPlex Technology inside the lightener. Also, I can ensure that my client’s hair remains healthy and has the benefit of up to 97% less breakage when paired with Wellaplex No.2  after the lightening service. It’s a game changer!

What is your favorite thing about this industry?

One of my favorite things about this industry is how passionate and inspirational our hairdressing community is. There are so many talented artists that make it a priority to elevate their craft and elevate their client’s experience behind the chair. Our industry is built on making others feel beautiful; I’m proud that this career has so many opportunities and is full of purpose and fulfillment.

3 Major Trends This Season?

1. Low maintenance hair - Beautifully painted and/or foiled looks created with strategic placement to achieve modern, multidimensional results that are low maintenance in nature as well.

2. Melted Pastel- Pastel tones are being used lately to complement a balayage or hair painted look. I love using the NEW Color Fresh Masks from Wella Professionals to give my clients a zero damage and low commitment, customized look! The Pearl Blonde and Lilac Frost Color Fresh Masks are some of my favorites.

 3. Large Money Piece Face Framing - Clients these days are often requesting bold, lightened pieces around the face with the goal of maximizing brightness. The Money Piece Face Framing techniques are radiant and complement the overall look of the client with their hair being the main feature.

4 Must-Have Hair Products you recommend?

1. I absolutely LOVE Wella’s Koleston Perfect hair color! Koleston Perfect ME+ is such a versatile line; I use it to achieve up to 100% gray coverage on my clients and also for my glossing services to infuse tone and shine throughout the hair. Also, the ME+ technology reduces the risk of developing a new allergy to hair color; it’s incredible!

2. One of my favorite recommendations for clients to use in between salon appointments is Wella Professionals INVIGO Color Brilliance Color Protection Shampoo; It is a pH-optimized nourishing shampoo perfect for locking in color/maintaining color retention.

3. Using EIMI Thermal Image Heat Protection Spray is ideal to protect your client’s hair when styling with hot tools.

4. “EIMI Perfect Me is my absolute favorite for styling;  I use it on every single client when preparing their finished looks. I love that when using Perfect Me, my clients’ hair has incredible shine and manageability with the added benefits of being moisturized and protected as well”.

What is the first thing you will do once the pandemic is over?

Go to Disneyland, reconnect with all of my hairdresser friends (I miss all of them so, so much!) at the future hair shows, and visit Europe again.

A tip or piece of advice you always give to your clients?

Lightening in sessions is key and patience is required when striving for lighter looks. There’s nothing worse than irresponsibly damaging a client’s hair beyond repair by lightening too fast and/or lightening on hair that has compromised integrity. The journey to lighter hair is beautiful; I always make sure to remind my clients to embrace all of the beautiful tones achieved throughout their lightening journey.