Jennifer Aniston's Highlights: Tips From Colourist Michael Canale

by Annie Tomlin 0

From her role in Friends to her star turn in Horrible Bosses, Jennifer Aniston has won over fans with her comedic chops — and that famous head of California-girl highlights doesn't hurt her popularity, either. The man behind her always-coveted hair colour is Michael Canale, who regularly does colour for more A-list stars including Heidi Klum and Penelope Cruz. When he's not working out of his Beverly Hills and Malibu salons, he holds monthly appointments in six US cities — and yes, he's taking new clients if you're making a move Stateside. Can't make it to see Canale but want to get Jen's look? We've got the colourist's cheat sheet to recreating her look.

Get foiled. To create natural-looking highlights, Canale uses foils instead of the hand-painted balayage technique. "I don't like balayage at all," he says. "I can do the same thing with foil, with more control. That’s how I usually end up with Heidi Klum’s and Jennifer Aniston’s colour."

Keep reading . . .Go bright, not light. For the most natural-looking highlights, Canale aims for brightness, not lightness. "Brightness is a sun-reflecting type of colour," he explains. To create bright highlights that glisten in the sun, your colourist should work with thin groupings of hair rather than big chunks.

Watch the eyes. Highlights that play up the face are the most flattering, says Canale. "With Jen, I basically make colour that grows out well, and I also make colour around her face that brings out her eyes and softens her features." Brighter colour near the temples looks natural while framing the face at the same time.

Work with your own colour. Though it might seem obvious, the foundation of a natural look is, well, natural. "Work with your own colour," Canale advises. "Enhance the colour you already have and stick to the tones that God gave you." Take a few pictures of hair colour to the salon, he suggests. A good colourist will be honest about what will — and won't — work for you. In the long run, you'll require less maintenance when roots begin to show.

Appointments: Canale Salon, 0011 1310 273-8080. Highlights begin at US$320.