For Maya Hartleben, the star of Hair Me Out's newest episode, a drastic hair change is more than physical. It represents a significant turning point in life, which is why she decided to trade her long blonde hair for a short copper bob.
Inspired by Netflix's The Queen's Gambit, Hartleben visited Spoke & Weal Salon in New York City, where stylist Akeem Ray and colorist Liz Rhodes chopped and colored her hair to resemble that of Beth's in the hit series.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
"I hope that — with being in a pandemic, sitting at home, being unemployed — having a new look will give me some motivation to put myself out there and try new things," Hartleben says. In the past, Hartleben has tried blunt bangs, extensions, and even teal-colored hair dye, but this look would be her most drastic transformation yet.
To start, Ray cut his client's hair into a chin-length bob that she would be able to wear straight or wavy. Then, Rhodes dyed her cut a bold ginger shade. "I started by adding richness to her roots so that her hair isn't too light," she explains. Rhodes used the balayage technique to add sun-kissed highlights to Hartleben's hair after applying color to her roots. "This will make it look like she's a natural ginger," Rhodes says.
After a few glosses, Hartleben's color was complete, and Ray finished her haircut by adding textured bangs for a "punkish" effect that left her almost unrecognizable. Click play to see her full transformation.