As we are ending this month at a balmy 9 degrees in the forecast, February is just around the corner, which means we are THAT much closer to spring and all the warmth it brings … hopefully. Which, in turn, means a change of color might be on the radar for some of you. In talking to one of our salon owners, Nicole Gillick comments on just how developed and technical the hair coloring process is after all. She calls it the “Catch 22 of Today’s Hair Coloring”, if you will.
She states:
“Today’s world of technology driven, fast paced, instant gratification has most definitely changed the way salons color hair. Long gone are the days of the hour and a half color appointment, the conveyer belt of mix, apply, rinse and repeat methods. Long gone are the days of simple and generic coloring. And long gone are the days of uninspired color work from uninspired colorists. For those and so many other reasons, I say ‘Praise Jesus!’ —- BUT — these new and exciting times have ALSO brought their share of challenges to today’s colorists. It’s no longer simply your job to add some dimension or cover the grey. Today’s color clients demand so much more, blonde to brown, black to pink, white blonde with a dark root, grey coverage in fiery red and so forth. But that doesn’t have to be a BAD thing. If the colorist can provide a thorough consultation and the client is open what the stylist is saying or suggesting, you’re destined to a perfect color appointment. That’s it, it’s that simple… right?“
The amount of formula to lightener to base to hair is one of extreme precision. There is actually a decent amount of math and science involved in the hair coloring process, which some find very satisfying and others find rather confusing. For even a hairstylist, it is an art form that takes time and practice. But we take that as a challenge to better encourage ourselves everyday to strive towards greatness.
Nicole goes on to state a few tips and tricks to help both colorist and clients alike! She states:
“Clients, here are 6 things for you to consider.”
- ” 1. It’s your job to find yourself a reputable salon and colorist. With all the review sites out there, it’s not hard to do. Look for the salon’s responses to lower reviews, as well as great reviews, because nobody is perfect.
- 2. Once you have made an appointment, it’s important that you allow the colorist to do their job. Don’t freak out if they are discussing the appropriate path with other colorists; two minds are better than one. And if they go back and forth with providing different options, it’s just to help YOU better achieve the look you are wanting. After all, there are so many different ways to achieve the desired look and it’s not as easy as it looks.
- 3. BE HONEST and thorough about your color history. Colorists NEED this information to make the best decision about the process.
- 4. Ask questions! But also be willing to hear their answers! Base your expectations off of what the colorists feels is realistic.
- 5. Share with them your time restraints and budget.
- 6. If you enjoyed the experience, but didn’t get exactly what you wanted, call the colorist or salon. If you can respect the difficulty involved in coloring hair and the colorist, more often than not, they are happy to make an adjustment. At the end of your appointment and at the end of their day, all they want is to have produced a beautiful color that makes you feel beautiful.”
“Colorists, this part’s for you! It’s YOUR JOB to manage your client’s expectations! Here are 6 things to consider.”
- ” 1. Look at pictures to determine the desired look. No good colorist is afraid to use pictures for inspiration.
- 2. What is their hair color history? Assume even the things they forgot to mention!
- 3. Is the look achievable today? No one wants to hear “no”, so be ready to offer new inspiration and provide a clear idea of what the journey will look like.
- 4. Avoid over promising, under promising and over deliver by producing a beautiful color on HEALTHY hair.
- 5. EXPLAIN EVERYTHING! Your exact approach and why, cost breakdown, time they can expect to be there, if you work as a team let them know why, giving them the why, why, why, why, why sets you up for success.
- 6. And finally, guarantee your work! No matter what! If you formulated incorrectly, own it and fix it! Nobody is perfect, don’t try to sell them anything. They should feel great in their color.”
So all in all be bold, be brave and be gracious when it comes to coloring your hair, including everything that entails. The ups and the downs are all just a part of learning how your hair takes color, from both you AND your colorist. But what better way to live life than to change up your coloring every now and then? It makes for a GREAT conversation starter, we can guarantee that!