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Balayage with Lorena Severi

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'Picasso,' says the lady sitting to my left, her head a cloud of cling film and cotton wool, as she nods at the woman standing behind me. 'Picasso,' agrees the young man on my right. They nod sagely to each other as I look at my unkempt locks, lying forlornly on the floor.

The object of such high praise is Lorena Severi, and while Severi is neither Spanish nor surreal, she is an artist of exceptional talent.

With a resume brimming with names such as Catherine Zeta-Jones, Cate Blanchett, Penelope Cruz, Carla Bruni and Sophia Loren, the word 'hairdresser' doesn't quite cover what it is Severi, a former world champion of unisex hair design, does. The Italian has spent decades honing her skills and passing them on in the worldwide salons that bear her name.

I have come to the Philip George in Central to discover what Severi and the Balayage colouring technique are all about.

Developed in the 1970s, Balayage is a low-maintenance highlighting technique that is applied freehand, so there's no need for foil or painful surgical-looking head caps. The concept is to give hair depth and dimension, with a natural, sun-kissed look, but the broad colour range has won fans among the neo-punk crowd, too.

Suitable for all hair lengths, Balayage is now one of the most sought after highlighting treatments. And Severi is a master.

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