Color Charmer

When Ricardo Rojas colors a client, he naturally takes a personalized color-approach. He currently favors gold blondes, ombre and baliage highlights: "I love a sexy, sun-kissed look." Shadowing him for a few hours reveals how he focuses on a clear consultation first. As an ambassador for Wella Color Charm, Rojas balances lifestyle and physical characteristics with ample discussion about home care. What else comes to light:

Consultation Cue: Rojas welcomes photos, which clarify color language.

Due Deliverance: Clients appreciate a time-saving service. To fix a Natural Level-8 with Level-12 highlighted ends, Rojas used a tint bottle to apply Wella Color Charm 9G with two parts 20-volume to the roots and through select strands. As soon as the application was over, it was time to rinse and add baliage highlights. "Color should be fast," he says, "Only gray coverage should go to 35 minutes, max. Treat the hair like fine cashmere."

Recession Response: Lowered his prices. "At the end of the day, I want my clients to come back. Salons need to offer more at good prices and be flexible enough to meet clients in the middle."

Celebrity Stop-in: Quentin Tarantino. "He got Color Charm 3N."

Rojas' Reveal: He rinses all this own color before an assistant shampoos. "It's critical to make sure all the color is out or you just ruined your own work."


Ricardo Rojas uses a Plexiglas panel to support strands during baliage. "Work a tiny bit off the roots and keep the consistency slightly sticky." Photo by Victoria Wurdinger.