Whether craving bold streaks or requesting the most natural color looks, clients need your guidance and expertise. Pigments are rich, technology is gentle and the entire color spectrum is in play this season!

Help clients to consider all of this fall’s diverse color options by conducting a full consultation at each visit, and stay on celebrity watch—because your guests certainly do!

“You’ll see the likes of Katy Perry and Lady Gaga wearing their colors with vibrant flair,” states the Farouk Systems Fall/Winter Trend Report. “Nicole Richie sets the trend for all-over brilliant color, and celebrities like Lauren Conrad and Rachel McAdams prefer peekaboo hints of color throughout the hair or clip-in extensions for color without commitment.”

Trends of the Season

1. The new brights. No-developer hair color like Rusk’s Deepshine Direct and Farouk’s Bright Pastels addition to the CHI Chromashine Conditioning Intense Demi- Permanent collection not only cut service time but offer guests a range of intense, but versatile, shades. Demystify brights for the more timid client by sharing your product knowledge. “I make swatches to show the color from its most faded to its brighter version,” says Farouk Systems Creative Artist Albert Luiz, who says that all ages can wear bright tones. “Older clients tend to look good in pastels, so I leave the formula in the hair a lot less time and rinse well with shampoo to mimic a muted, faded appearance. For those wanting bolder color, I leave the color in for the full amount of time, rinse with very cold water and shampoo lightly to maintain brightness. When we started seeing pinks and lavenders on the red carpet, it opened the gates to say, ‘It’s fun for everybody.’”

2. Shine and shadows. When delivering the traditional richness of fall mahoganies and chocolates, it’s key this year to use color placement to play with light’s mysterious effects while calling upon the latest color care products to give the hair luster and gloss.

3. Beachy winter. Clients have a hard time kissing sun-kissed hair goodbye, so why force it? “We are shifting to a more natural, sun-kissed effect that clients can wear year-round,” says Matrix artist Michael Albor, owner of The Loft Salon in Boston. “This trend is best achieved with the balayage technique for a smooth, seamless gradation of color.”

4. Sombré and bronde. To update the lingering ombré, offer clients a “sombré” of softer color transitions, suggests Sexy Hair Master Artist Dawn Atkinson. “When going for a lighter shade, choose a base no more than three levels lighter,” she explains. Atkinson also expects to do a lot of “bronde” looks—a strong base of brown at the top with natural highlighting techniques, and then deep, natural shades of brown underneath where the sun does not reach.

5. Secret panels and vivid ends. Do you have clients who would go for brighter shades if their workplaces were less conservative? Just hide the color! Place bright streaks in spots that require a deliberate toss of the head to reveal. Or drench only the ends in the bolder shades, Luiz suggests. “A professional can wear her hair up for her day-to-day look,” he says. “After work, she can let her hair down and reveal the color on her ends.”

6. Guy color. Men young and old are interested in looking their best for the holidays, which means trying a color service or keeping current color vibrant. To brush up on the latest techniques, take Wella’s two-day “Color Me Male” course with Jason Schwind, available at The World Studio NYC and The Studio LA.

Biz Builder: Positive aging. You’re hearing this phrase everywhere for good reason: it strikes a chord. “Some of the most infl uential women in fashion are now in their 60s,” says Schwarzkopf Artist Marlies Möller. “This mature market has very specifi c needs, and it’s not just about conditioning and covering gray/ white. “This group needs specially formulated products, as well as warmer hues that will look beautiful and natural with maturing skin.”

Biz Builder: Color correction. Home color disasters seem to proliferate at holiday time, right? Making time for a DIYer’s emergency can earn you a grateful client, and a product like Malibu C’s new CPR Color Pigment Reducer can give you the confi dence to perform the service. “With color correction, we never know exactly what we are starting off with,” says Malibu C Educator Malissa Peterson, who specializes in color correction and has tested the product on more than 20 different hair color brands. For instruction, watch the video at malibuc.tv.

Biz Builder: Service/retail crossover. “Offer a promotion that ties service to retail to make sure your clients’ hair color will last longer and look beautiful throughout the holiday season,” suggests Scruples International Creative Consultant Charlie Price.

Biz Builder: Gifts—from you! Your loyal hair color clients run up big tickets throughout the year. Consider thanking them with one of the beautiful holiday gift packages you have in your retail section.

Excerpted from MODERN SALON HOLIDAY 2014, an exclusive custom edition with CosmoProf and Armstrong McCall to help salon pros plan and grow holiday business. See the complete digital edition at modernsalon.com/holiday.