Forget the cakes, Alison Hammond has already served up this season’s showstopper before the series has even begun. At last, we’ve been given our first look at the new line-up for The Great British Bake Off – and it’s Alison’s glossy ‘crème brûlée’ highlights that look particularly delicious.
Yes, a new photo of the Bake Off cast was unveiled last night, and we’d go as far as to say that Alison’s glam team deserves a Hollywood handshake. Her smokey eyes look gorgeous, while her hair has been styled into bouncy curls that perfectly show off shiny new highlights.
‘Alison’s hair looks incredible,’ agrees celebrity hairstylist and SHRINE key opinion leader Ashley Lee. ‘What really stands out is the combination of that rich brunette base with these soft caramel ribbons running through it.’
He explains, ‘There’s enough contrast to give the hair movement and dimension, but nothing feels stripey or over-highlighted. Paired with the big, glossy waves, it feels really glamorous but still very soft.’
The colour feels particularly fitting for the occasion. As Ashley points out, it brings together all the rich, caramelised tones you’d expect to see on top of a crème brûlée.
‘It’s that perfect mix of creamy caramel, warm toffee and soft golden tones. On Alison, those warmer pieces work beautifully against the depth of her brunette and really catch the light around her face.’
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It’s this brightening effect that makes highlights especially flattering on mature women. ‘As we get older, going lighter doesn’t necessarily mean going blonde. A few carefully placed warmer highlights can soften a deeper base colour, and can make the overall look feel fresher and brighter,’ Ashley says.
If you’ve been craving a hair makeover but aren’t ready for a drastic change, highlights are always a brilliant way to refresh your look. Alison, of course, has kindly given us the best inspo-pic we could ask for.
‘When getting highlights, take a reference picture with you,’ Ashley says (thanks, Alison!). ‘I’d avoid anything too harsh or overly uniform. Keeping different tones and plenty of depth through the hair tends to give a much softer, more expensive-looking result.’
To replicate Alison’s look, Ashley recommends keeping a rich, glossy brunette base and adding fine caramel and golden-toffee pieces through the mid-lengths, with added brightness around the face.
‘The key word is blended,’ he says. ‘You want the colour to melt into the brunette so there are no obvious lines and it grows out beautifully.’
Bake Off fans already know that Alison is no stranger to an iconic moment in the tent (disappearing oven door, anyone?). This season, we have a feeling her hair might just steal the spotlight.
