5 Things To Know Before A Color Appointment

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Often times I come across clients who have felt misunderstood by their previous stylists. Sometimes this is caused by lack of communication, a not-thorough consultation, unrealistic expectations and/or dishonesty. It is up to you to provide all the necessary information to their stylist for them to complete the service to the best of their ability. Here is a list to help you go prepared to your next color appointment and maybe even give you a little insight into planning out future color and style changes.

Budget:

• Cost of Service:
  Depending on your location, a color appointment can cost from $120 up to $600. There are many salons that are moving toward an hourly structure so your color can be as customized to your needs + desires as possible. Keep this in mind when deciding what you are willing to spend to achieve your desired look.
  
• Specialized Services:
  Unless you are getting a root touch-up, hair or color appointments just aren’t what they used to be. Stylists are starting to specialize in things more than offering traditional foils and the full range of hair services. You have babylights, balayage, foilayage, tip outs, color corrections and more! You’ll need to do your research on your stylist (or schedule a consultation at the salon you wish to visit) before scheduling out your appointment to see what services they provide.

Quick Tip – don’t focus so much on the processes necessary to reach your desired look. There can be multiple techniques that can be used to achieve the goal and it is up to your stylist based on their specializations, expertise and your hair’s canvas itself.

Maintenance Schedule after your Color Appointment

• Realistic expectations:
  What is your lifestyle and how does it line up with your goals? Do you have young kids and keep your hair up all the time? Do you have limited free time to make it to the salon on a regular basis? Is the cost of the service within your maintenance budget? These are some of the questions you need to ask yourself when looking for a style/color change. Your lifestyle and desired look will help you with your budget and maintenance schedule.
  
• If you are going lighter…
  your maintenance can be between 4 weeks up to 1 time per year. (Yes, really!) Bleach retouches (on scalp) require a minimum of every 4 weeks in the chair.

• If you are going darker…
  your natural roots will be visible around the 4 week mark. (If you are going down a few shades (levels) darker, you may even see it sooner than 4 weeks.) In order to avoid a lighter stripe down your part, you will need to be in the chair every 4-6 weeks. You can possibly push it to every 8 weeks depending on your hair growth.

Quick Tip #1 – the more light and bright you want to be = more frequency at the salon.

Quick Tip #2– the darker you go from your natural the more noticeable your roots will be = more frequency at the salon.

Inspiration Pictures

• Realistic expectations:
  What is your lifestyle and how does it line up with your goals? Do you have young kids and keep your hair up all the time? Do you have limited free time to make it to the salon on a regular basis? Is the cost of the service within your maintenance budget? These are some of the questions you need to ask yourself when looking for a style/color change. Your lifestyle and desired look will help you with your budget and maintenance schedule.

• If you are going lighter…
  your maintenance can be between 4 weeks up to 1 time per year. (Yes, really!) Bleach retouches (on scalp) require a minimum of every 4 weeks in the chair.

• If you are going darker…
  your natural roots will be visible around the 4 week mark. (If you are going down a few shades (levels) darker, you may even see it sooner than 4 weeks.) In order to avoid a lighter stripe down your part, you will need to be in the chair every 4-6 weeks. You can possibly push it to every 8 weeks depending on your hair growth.

Quick Tip #1– the more light and bright you want to be = more frequency at the salon.

Quick Tip #2– the darker you go from your natural the more noticeable your roots will be = more frequency at the salon.

Note: Check out pictures in my transformation section to use as inspiration pictures for your next appointment.

Hair History

• Minimum five years history:
  Most stylists ask for your last three years of hair history. However, hair grows on average ¼”- ½” a month. That means it will grow 3-6” a year. If your hair is to your collarbone, that’s about 1-1.5 years average. If you have longer hair, you may need to know 5+ years of hair history. This includes any artificial color, artificial blonding, at-home coloring or lightening (including products like “Sun-In”, Sunbabe, etc.), henna, if you are a swimmer, what medications you are using, what water you have at home, etc.
  
• Honesty is the best policy:
  All of these things can have an impact about how the color takes to your hair or what chemical reactions could possibly occur. It is always best to be up-front and as honest with your stylist. If you aren’t, it will show up later in the form of chemical reactions like scalp burns, melted hair and inconsistent results. On the positive side, if your stylist knows you’re taking good care of your hair at home, they will feel more comfortable using certain products and techniques on your hair. Not to say that it will be simple (previous hair color and lightening can be cause for substantial color correction appointments), but it will be for the benefit of you and your hair; especially if one of your goals is to keep length.

Quick tip – understand that your hair history may take you longer to get to your goal and might not be possible in a single color appointment. If you have darker color throughout your ends and want to be platinum blonde, you may never get there. Take this into consideration if you are someone who likes to change their mind frequently (and dramatically).

Products

• Know your labels:
  What products are you currently using at home? Depending on the product, it could contain ingredients that may interfere with the coloring process. A lot of products contain filler ingredients that make the hair “feel” silky and healthy but actually sit on top of the hair and cause buildup or even breakage to the hair. Also avoid products with an excess amount of oils. These will also inhibit the coloring process.

• Take-home budget:
  What is your budget for take home products? You may have heard the phrase “You wouldn’t put a bumper sticker on a Ferrari.” The same could be said for using low-quality products on the investment you just made on your hair. Your shampoo and conditioner need to not only protect the beautiful color you just had done, but to also keep your hair healthy and have it stay healthy after the chemical processes that just took place. You’ll need to have trust that your stylist will provide you with the right products (and tools) for your hair type (and color service) and you’ll simply need to follow through. Some of my biggest success stories behind the chair happen with and because of proper at home care

Quick tip – most ingredient lists read like a recipe; there is more of the ingredients at the beginning of the list and there are minor amounts of the ingredients at the end of a list. Example, a shampoo may say it is a Quinoa Protein shampoo, but if it is at the tail end of the ingredient list, there is a trace amount only enough to write it on the label.

Note: Check out recommended haircare products in the link below

Some other things to Keep in Mind for your Hair Color Appointment

• What do you love about your hair?
  Your stylist wants to know what you love so they don’t alter that part about your hair. Love where your hair parts? Tell them. Love your curls but also wear it smooth? You best let them know. Love having length around your face? Tell them. Love having little pieces fall out at your hairline when you pull your hair back? Tell them that, too. Love how bouncy it is and how you flip it to one side. You bet they want to know. All of these things are taken into consideration when a stylist will cut or color your hair.
• How would you like to improve your hair?
  Do you dislike how heavy it is that it feels weighed down? Do you dislike your style but don’t know the tricks to learn how to style it differently? Does it get frizzy in the heat and humidity? Does it take too long to get ready in the morning? Is your style not as versatile as it needs to be for your lifestyle? Stylists are also there to help educate you so you can replicate the hair you want at home.

Remember, effective communication is crucial to achieving the best results. Trust your stylist’s expertise, and don’t hesitate to express your preferences and concerns before or during your hair color appointment.

Wondering how to arrive for your scheduled hair or color appointment? Here’s a quick checklist to calm your nerves on the day of!