This blog shares my approach when working colour correction specifically on Box/Retail Colour. This is not something I shy away from and neither should any Professional, once you apply a methodology to your approach. Admittedly the colour work I do today is primarily colour correction. It is something I love to do and allows me to bring together my intimate knowledge of the chemistry in the colouring products, how they interact with the hair’s chemistry and my own experience. I also enjoy a challenge.
I have often been told that colour correcting Retail colour is more difficult than colour correcting Professional colour and personally (opinion alert) I do not think that is true. There are certainly some differences in how the colours have been applied which can influence how you will approach the correction but colour is colour and it does not matter if it is Retail or Professional. If you haven’t already do check out my blogs on Oxidative Colour and What’s In Your Box please do.
The challenges I have discovered when working with Retail colour may not be the obvious ones. Here are my keys steps for you to consider:
- Consultation; I spend plenty of time with corrective clients to fully understand what their ideal result could look like. I like to work with moodboards rather than actual shade charts as these can be misleading. This is where Pinterest is very helpful, especially if you create a board together and a nice gesture to share with them to check out again at a later time. This collaborative activity can also help to put these clients at ease as they can be dealing with a variety of emotions from being defensive to nervousness. From the consultation I want to understand; lifestyle and hair motivations as these will inform my decisions around product choice and techniques. I assess the skin, hair, make-up clothing and accessories as these will inform my shade directions and suitability for the client. And last but not least I discuss budget and effort not only for the correction but also for the future a nice segue into my next point.
- Expectations; new Retail clients also need extra time to adjust to a Professional experience. Once the consultation is complete, I then spend time explaining how the transformation will take place which could take hours, one full day or over a longer period of time. I am also very transparent about the steps involved to achieve the agreed look, what that will cost and how much time they should allow for each visit. I find offering a plan reassures them that they will be able to manage and evolve their new look in future; it is inclined to bring them back for to me subsequent services. If I have done my consultation correctly the agreed budget, time and effort should not feel beyond their expectations.
- Lightening; the majority of my first-time Retail clients want to be a lot lighter from a dark artificial colour base. This is a more challenging process than lifting natural hair as you have a lot of the robust artificial dye in the hair; darker the colour = the greater the number of dyes. This will involve working with a lightener/bleach and patience. Many express concern at using a lightener/bleach, I educate the client about chemistry limitations and reassure them up front of all the care steps I can take from working with quality products, using ‘plex’ components to help maintain the strength of the hair and correctly shutting down the chemistry after the service. I also project some of the responsibility back to them, I agree to leave to their hair in good condition when finished if they agree to bringing it back to me in equally as good condition.
- Address the build-up; as the colours have been self-applied there is a tendency to over-lap which means there are even more dyes in the lengths and ends of the hair than there should to be. You need to allow for this. This is where taking a strand test will identify where the build-up has occurred, try to harvest the strands from a few different sites on the head as in most cases the build-up will not be consistent. It also flags up if different colours have been applied in the past; like a red band showing a previous experiment with a red colour that was quickly covered up. I like to do this on the day of the consultation, send a photo of the results and follow-up with a call to discuss options. Once you have identified how the build-up is distributed; systematically tackle the areas with the greatest build-up first, these usually need more time and even more product. Once you have them up to the level of lift you need then you tackle the next build-up area and so on until you finally (if needed) are working on the untreated hair. Do check out my blog Bleach: The Art Form, for some tips and tricks when working with lighteners/bleach.
- Skin test; during the consultation I carry out a skin test using the actual products I am going to be applying throughout the transformation. This should happen at least 48-hours before the day of the colour correction and is an important step to reassure the client that the sensations they will feeling throughout the process are just that, sensations and nothing more. It also confirms for me that the products I will be using are a safe match for the client.
A few additional things for your consideration; these in-depth consultations that take time, on average 30-40mins; I book an official appointment and charge for my time. Keep detailed records of the consultation, the process, the products, timings, aftercare recommendations and client reactions/feedback ideally with clear before and after photos. Not only good for reference but also great for your personal reflection as we are continuing to learn as Professionals.
I would encourage taking on these large transformations, not only do they stretch us as Professionals, they are a great opportunity to gain a new and very loyal client in the future.
Caroline
