Quif Centre Stage 2025 winner Amelia Wilmott reveals why great colour is never just about hair, why wearable warmth is her signature, and why managing expectations is essential for today’s colourists.
What do you love most about being a colourist?
I love that it’s never just about hair, it’s about the person in the chair and creating a colour that really suits them and a colour that’s personal to them.
What is the most important question you ask in a colour consultation and why?
I always ask what colour jewellery they wear, look at skin tone, eye colour and clothes as it helps me work out whether warm or cool tones will suit them better.
What do you think will be the next big colour trend?
I feel warmth is here to stay and it’s all about wearable warmth that enhances skin tones. I also feel vivids aren’t going anywhere but they’re definitely evolving. We’re seeing more muted, softer vivids and panels of vivid with a natural base, so clients don’t have to fully commit.
What colour trends are you glad to see the back of?
I’m happy to say goodbye to a flat/dull, full-head of colour that brings harsh root regrowth. Ditto chunky highlights!
Are there any colour trends you’d like to bring back?
I think we’ll see more 90s honey blondes and a move away from the platinum cool/ash tones. I’d like to see colour blocking making a comeback, and strategically placed contrasting colours.
What are the challenges facing colourists right now?
Clients bringing in pictures from social media or AI, which look great but may not be suitable for them. My motto is always to lower expectations initially and then over-deliver on results – that way everyone leaves the appointment happy.
What colour techniques are you known for?
I’m known for bold/vivid colours, seamless blends and editorial finishes.
What colour creation makes you most proud?
My look for the Quif Centre Stage 2025 Competition. It was the first time I had independently built a concept from a mood board and brought it to life on a model. Seeing the idea come to fruition, being a finalist and going on to win, was a huge moment for me.
What advice would you give to a trainee colourist?
Sign up to that education class, put yourself forward and enter that competition. You learn so much from challenging yourself.
What is the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from being a colourist?
Don’t be scared to say no, every day is a learning day, you’re constantly evolving in this industry and it’s okay to make mistakes, we’re only human.
#COLOURINSPO
- FIRE STARTER
My fire-themed look from Quif Centre Stage 2025. I was so proud of this look, and to win with it was an extra bonus. - COCKTAIL HOUR
When I created this look, I thought, ‘this is giving fruit punch’! I used a root melt into ribbons of colour to create the effect. - FEELING FOXY
I added a soft money piece with a multi-dimensional copper, then on the ends I hand-painted ‘fox ends’ to give it something extra.
