When I became a hairstylist I knew that no matter what I was doing in the salon that the health of the hair had to be my #1 priority.
Healthy hair is the foundation for any style or color. Without healthy hair, you will never achieve your desired look.
I get a lot of requests for BIG changes in hair color at the salon, and while I always do my best to give you your desired look, I am very honest about the process it will take to get you there and what will need to be done in order to make sure your hairs' integrity is maintained throughout that process. For some, it's simple and can be achieved in one visit but for others, it can be a longer journey. It all depends on what we are starting with, what has been done to the hair in the past, products that are used for at home care and how drastic of a change it is.
For example, if you have been coloring your hair darker and now want to be a pale blonde, the process can take a few visits to the salon to accomplish. Color is much harder to remove than natural pigment and trying to remove it all at once, if you hair isn't strong enough to withstand that kind of processing, will result in hair breakage, limpness and the loss of elasticity. The journey from dark hair to blonde hair can take several months, but that doesn't mean the in-between stages have to be painful to get through.
Another example is wanting to go darker after being blonde. Blonde hair is missing the supporting pigment and underlying tones needed to support a darker hair color. Going more than 2 levels darker than your blonde will require an extra process in the salon to replace those missing tones before applying the darker shade. If this step is skipped your color would look dull, hallow and muddy. It would also fade from your hair at an accelerated rate.
I know it's not always easy to hear that you can't achieve your desired results all at once, and I understand that sometimes the process to get you there can be costly, but I promise you, if I am giving you this advice during your consultation, it is because I have your hairs' best interest in mind. I will always do whatever I can to get you as close as possible to your desired look in one visit, but the health of your hair will always be my #1 priority. Healthy hair is always in style.
Here are a few tips if you are considering a BIG change in hair color:
1. Be honest with your stylist about what you have done to your hair in the past, even if its been years and the color has faded, those color molecules are still living in your hair strand and can affect the process. (Once we begin our service with you, the hair always tells us the truth...but by knowing in advance we can make the most informed decision of how to get you to your desired look in the safest, easiest way possible.)
2. Book a consultation prior to your color appointment. This will allow us to talk about the process, come up with a plan and ensure we have enough time during your first visit to do everything we need to. Sometimes, with very damaged hair, a series of in salon conditioning/reconstructing treatments are needed before we can even begin the color journey. Color corrections extra take time.
3. Trust your stylist to give you their expert advice on how long it will take to achieve your look. Some stylists will over promise and under deliver, often times leaving your hair damaged and still not where you wanted it to be. We always want to please our guests, so know that if we are saying it will take more than one visit to the salon to achieve, it's because it's not possible in one sitting while maintaining your hair health.
4. Be open to the process! There are many beautiful shades that live between dark brown and blonde and the journey allows you to explore them!
5. Don't skimp on at home care. Using the wrong products can actually prohibit the process because they build up/coat your hair strand, making it harder or impossible for our color or lightener to work properly. Some will strip your hair of color, literally washing your money down the drain. Be sure to ask/take your stylists product recommendations to support your color, style and hair health along the journey.
Thank you for reading, love! I hope you found this post interesting and educational!