Recently I have posted two stories of inspiration photos on Instagram, letting my followers know that achieving those looks takes time. My salon guests trust me to help them achieve these looks because I give them a thorough consultation with realistic expectations. We talk about cost, maintenance and the long term realities of their particular inspiration goals. This is very important to me because, I feel it’s my responsibility to educate my guests. I want them to be aware of the time, cost and maintenance. This gives them the power of knowledge, the opportunity to redirect and more importantly, it avoids a disappointing end result.
Let’s start with realistic expectations- if your natural color is dark brown and your goal/inspiration photo is an all over platinum blonde, you must know this cannot be achieved in a typical two hour color appointment. If you have been coloring your hair at with box dye and your inspiration is a rooty blonde, your appointment may be considered a color correction. Again, it is likely, this will take longer than a two hour appointment. So, here’s my advice when deciding to change things up from your regular color service… talk to your stylist or colorist before your next appointment! Be honest with your hair history. Be prepared for things to not go exactly as planned. She/He will also let you know if it is possible to achieve your desired look in one appointment or over several sessions. If you trust your stylist/colorist, listen to their advice, suggestions and strategy. They know and understand what it can take to get you to your dream hair.
Moving into cost- these transformations require expertise and time! Expertise and time cost money. Professional stylists and colorists invest in ongoing education and their pricing will reflect that along with their experience. While it is impossible for a stylist/colorist to give an exact price when it comes to achieving your dream hair, she/he should be able to give a close estimate. A thorough consultation is key. Take the time to ask all the questions you need to clearly understand the process. If your stylist/colorist is not able or unwilling to answer your questions, move on to someone who will.
Maintenance is the final piece of this hair puzzle. When investing in professional color, it is important to invest in your haircare products. Professional haircare is PH balanced, sulfate free and geared to maintain the health and beauty of your new color. Shampoo and conditioners recommended by your stylist/colorist assure the longevity of your new color while protecting freshly colored hair. I know it adds to the end cost of your color service, but think of professionally recommended haircare as an investment into your new, gorgeous color.
I hope this information is helpful and creates a better understanding of what it takes to achieve the looks found on Pintrest, Instagram and other social media. Once the journey has started towards your inspiration, tag me (on IG @solocapellistudioline and FB Solo Capelli Salon and Studio Line) to share your new look. We value your questions and thoughts, so please use the comment section below…
