Anya Goy has always been surrounded by rainbows. There was one in the sky the day she was born, and one painted on the ceiling of her childhood bedroom. She even said her wedding vows in a multicoloured dress.
So it’s only fitting that Goy has grown up to become a rainbow hair specialist.
“I’ve always been a rainbow fairy. People think it’s something you will grow out of, but I only get worse with age,” the talented colourist explains. This enthusiasm fused beautifully with her love of colouring other people’s hair… and her own.
Anya wore a rainbow wedding dress when she got married - now she has hair to match. (Image supplied)
These days, Goy — who trained with esteemed hairdresser Vidal Sassoon — is famous for her vivid hair creations, which you've probably seen on social media or her website Rainbow Hair Colour.
It's not every day you meet someone who makes rainbows for a living, so we seized the opportunity to ask Goy anything and everything about creating (and maintaining) a head full of beautiful colours.
What's the biggest misconception about rainbow hair?
"'Wait 'til you shampoo it - then the colours will go all muddy'. The truth is, the colours run into each other much less than you would expect. With correct colour placement you can even use colour blending to your advantage. Following the proper home hair care routine also makes a massive difference."
Image supplied
How long has the demand for rainbow hair been going, and have you seen it increase in popularity?
Although bright hair colours have been around for a century (the earliest record of pink hair was in 1914), Goy says the first full-spectrum rainbow hair creations emerged online in 2006-07. Hair artists like Ursula Goff, Melanie Dawn Harter, Megan McKay, Lizzy Davis and Goy herself were among the first to use all the colour at once.
Pravana's Vivid professional hair products, celebrities embracing brightly-coloured hair, and YouTube sensations like Guy Tang and Rebecca Taylor have changed the public's opinion of rainbow hair, Goy adds, and the proliferation of rainbow trends on Instagram have only added to the popularity.
"We now have a flood of rainbow hair inspiration, which in turn clients see and bring a Pinterest board of ideas into the salon for their next colour adventure. I don’t see this trend slowing down any time soon," she says. (Post continues after gallery.)
Anya Goy's amazing rainbow hair creations.
What are the things every woman needs to know before she even thinks about rainbow hair?
"If you need to shampoo your hair every day, or spend a lot of time in swimming pools or swimming in the ocean, rainbow hair may not be suitable for your lifestyle. These colours require special care and are best suited to those who only need to shampoo once or twice a week," Goy says.
It can also have an effect on your behaviour and how other people respond to you. "If you are shy it can give you more confidence — it’s a talking point and people will ask questions. They'll also recognise you ... you can’t be rude to someone and expect them not to remember you," she adds.