Aura Friedman: Two-Day Color Intensive — October 25–26, 2026

Virgin to platinum. Platinum to anything.

Two days of blonding and creative color with celebrity colorist Aura Friedman, live at Pony Studios in Oakland. Day 1 builds the blonde. Day 2 paints on it. Take both, or the day you need.

Sunday, October 25 & Monday, October 26, 2026 · Pony Studios, Oakland

We source every live model. You bring your hands and your questions.

Why this class

• The colorist herself. Not a brand artist teaching a product line. Aura teaches the way she works on set.
• Live models, not mannequins. Real hair, real lift, real toning. Pony books every model for both days.
• A small group. Hands-on seats are capped by the number of models each day, so Aura reads your work, not a room of thirty.
• Technique first. Reading lift, formulating, placing. Skills that work with whatever lightener your salon carries.
• It doesn't end Monday. Both days stream live and replay on the Pony Education app.

Meet Aura Friedman

Aura is behind Lady Gaga’s pink, Natasha Lyonne’s reds, Pete Davidson’s double process, Selma Blair’s bleached blonde, M.I.A.’s ombré, and Caroline Polachek’s splashlights, with work for Nicki Minaj, Leighton Meester, and the pages of Vogue, Variety and Paper. She came up through Bumble and bumble and works with K18 as a stylist ambassador and contributor. See her work at @auracolorist.

Day 1 · Sunday, October 25 — Virgin to Platinum: The Double Process

The service every client asks for and most stylists dread

Live demonstration: A full virgin-hair transformation, from consultation and sectioning through lightener application, managing lift, and toning to platinum or pink. Watch how Aura reads the starting canvas, protects hair integrity, and decides the final color.

Hands-on: Lightener in your hands, in small groups on live models. You practice controlled placement and even saturation while Aura reads your lift. Day 1 practice is planned on a section of each model’s head; groups are set by enrollment.

You leave knowing: how to plan and execute a double process from virgin hair, how to judge lift before you tone, and when platinum isn’t safe today.

Who it’s for: Working colorists comfortable with lightener who want to own the platinum client.

Day 2 · Monday, October 26 — Platinum to Anything: Creative Color

Vivids, formulation, and placement

Day 1 is not required. Pony pre-lightens every Day 2 model, so you can book Monday on its own.

Live demonstration: Aura’s approach to vivid shades, formulation, and creative placement on pre-lightened hair, with a possible root refresh depending on the model.

Hands-on: You paint pre-lightened live models, two attendees per model, with time for feedback on color choice, placement, saturation, and finish.

You leave knowing: how to formulate vivids and place them with intent on a blonde base, so the color looks designed, not dyed.

Who it’s for: Colorists who can already lift clean and want to add vivids as a premium service.

Choose your experience

• Both Days Hands-On · Double Process + Creative Color — $1,000: Both demonstrations and both hands-on sessions. The full arc, virgin to platinum to vivid.
• Day 1 Hands-On · The Double Process (Sun 10/25) — $500: Sunday’s demo plus hands-on lightener work on live models.
• Day 2 Hands-On · Creative Color (Mon 10/26) — $500: Monday’s demo plus hands-on vivid placement on pre-lightened models. No Day 1 needed.
• Day 1 Look & Learn · The Double Process (Sun 10/25) — $150: Sunday’s demonstration, front row.
• Day 2 Look & Learn · Creative Color (Mon 10/26) — $150: Monday’s demonstration, front row.

Hands-on seats are limited by the number of models each day.

Also in the works: an optional curly-ish pixie cutting demo before the color on Day 1, followed by makeup and an editorial shoot. A textured pixie, taken pink. This addition is not yet confirmed.

Class details

• Dates: Sunday–Monday, October 25–26, 2026
• Location: Pony Studios, Oakland, California
• Educator: Aura Friedman
• Level: Intermediate to advanced stylists with foundational color experience
• Models: Pony sources all live models for both days. You do not need to bring one.

Confirmed arrival times and a preparation list go to registered attendees before class.

Questions?

What should I bring? We’ll email the confirmed tool and preparation list before class.

Can I take Day 2 without Day 1? Yes. Every Day 2 model arrives pre-lightened.

Is there an online option? Both days stream live on the Pony Education app, and the replays stay there. Subscribe at ponyeducation.live or on the iOS app.

I booked the original class. What now? Daniel Moon withdrew shortly before the dates, and we rebuilt the weekend with Aura Friedman. Your ticket carries over. Reply to our update or email Brett Foreman to switch to a single day, or to request the credit or full refund offered after the educator change.