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The client sitting in your chair provides the initial information you'll need to create beautiful hair color for her. So take a good look! Determine the client's natural level. Next, plan with the client what results you want to achieve. What level does the client want to have? With these two pieces of information, you'll know where you're starting and where you want to end up.
maintenance considerations
Maintenance must be included in any discussion of your client's color goals. Inform the client how often she will need to come to the salon for her color service.
Generally, with each two levels of lift, the maintenance increases proportionally. For example, a natural level 4 processed to a level 6 would be considered low maintenance; a level 4 processed to a level 8 would be medium maintenance; while a level 4 processed to a level 10 would be high maintenance. When you are doing multiple color services, such as color retouch and highlighting, the maintenance would be considered high.
depth and tone
In its simplest form, color comprises two basic components: how light or dark it is, and how warm or cool it is. With hair color, first determine whether you want to go lighter or darker. You will find that the once daunting color swatch book has shrunken considerably!
Next, determine whether you want a warm, neutral or cool result at the level you've chosen. What underlying pigment will be exposed at that level? Does that underlying pigment support your end result? If not, look to your color wheel and find the color that is opposite, or complementary, and base your selection on neutralizing, enhancing or negating the underlying pigment's effect on your desired end result. Depending on the color line you are using, you will now find that your choices have narrowed to just a couple of swatches.
gray area
If gray coverage is involved, determine the not only the total amount of gray on the client's head but also how it's grown in. Are the gray strands concentrated in one area, in patches or sprinkled throughout the hair?
Because gray hair contains no pigment, it requires a special formulating consideration. Depending on the amount of gray, most color line manufacturers recommend that at least half of your formula should come from their "neutral" or "natural series" in order to get solid coverage results. I'm most familiar with Wella, which is the line we use at our salons.
Let's say your client is 50 percent gray and wants a level 7 rich golden brown result. Using Wella Koleston Perfect permanent color, your formula will be one-half 7/0 and one-half 7/73. Remember, you can have what amounts to two heads of hair on the same head, so you must formulate for each unique situation. If you use the same formula on 100 percent gray patches as you do on the blended areas, you will not get consistent results.
client care
When performing color services, do not forget to take care of your client. After applying an all-over color or retouch but before processing, take the time to clean up excess color around the hairline to avoid staining the client's skin. This special attention will go a long way to show that you care. After foiling in lowlights or highlights, clip the packets out of the client's way so they don't interfere with vision; be careful not to disturb your foils. This will allow the client to look around, visit with others processing or read a magazine with ease. Small details have a big impact on clients.
Author Joelle Ray owns Samuel Cole Salon and Salon Moxie in Raleigh, North Carolina. Ray trains her staff to be experts in color.
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