Ready for a life-changing shift in your hair color business…and your income? Imagine if you could offer clients a highlight service—application, processing, shampoo, condition and style—in just 30 minutes. It’s happening now at top salons such as Daniel Mason Jones’ Muse Salon and Spa near Atlanta, thanks to the new Instant Highlights system from L’Oréal Professionnel.

Jones, who frequently does 20-30 cut and color clients a day, declares himself an evangelist for Instant Highlights.

“You can add ‘pops’ of color around the face for those clients who don’t think Level 10 is light enough,” he says. “You can open up the negative space on an existing highlight client. You can accommodate a walk-in or last-minute-decider if your schedule is packed. You can highlight a time-pressed client who hates sitting around the salon. And best of all, you can add as much as $100,000 to your annual income with these additional services.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the business of Instant Highlights

ABOUT THE L’OREAL PROFESSIONNEL INSTANT HIGHLIGHTS SYSTEM

Instant Highlights is a three-part, heat-based system that produces up to six levels of lift. It includes:

• Instant Highlights Crème Lightener with new Pro Heat Technology, created to work in harmony with heat. This formula is designed to be used with 20- or 30-volume Majicrème Developer. It will not swell or crack while heating or processing.

• Instant Highlights Heating Iron, a specially-designed heat tool that generates a 284-degree temperature. The tool self-regulates every 0.2 seconds for an even, controlled lift.

• Instant Highlights aluminum foils, crafted at 18 microns thick with premium aluminum purity for precise and easy lightening.

Here’s how it all works:

• Section the hair for the desired technique.

• Apply Instant Highlights Crème Lightener to each section, leaving hair in between two separate pieces of the recommended aluminum foil for highlighting. Secure the foil sections by folding in the top corners. Do not fold the hair. Apply up to 15 foils before heating.

• Pass the Instant Highlights Heating Iron over each foil section in a continuous up and down motion for up to 30 seconds. (DO NOT USE A FLAT IRON. Only the specially-designed heating iron can be used for Instant Highlights.)

• Rinse immediately, or process for an additional 10 minutes maximum.

• Rinse, shampoo, condition and style the hair.

10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT INSTANT HIGHLIGHTS

Daniel Mason Jones offers these tips for working with the Instant Highlights system:

• Add L’Oréal Professionnel Smartbond to your formula for strong and protected hair during technical service.

• Assure clients the heat tool is safe. “We would never jeopardize the integrity of our guests’ hair,” he says. “This technology is tried and tested.”

• Work in diagonal/angled sections to cover more ground more quickly.

• Do not fold the foil with hair inside to ensure proper heat distribution. Fold in top corner to secure your section.

• Foils will become quite warm so keep them away from the client’s scalp and skin. If necessary, you can protect the client’s skin with strips of cotton.

• If clients are on the fence regarding the service, tell them, “It’s equivalent to the cost of three glasses of wine, and it’s the best three glasses you’ll drink! You’ll see the results right away and you’ll be in and out of the salon in no time.”

• Toning can be done after the highlights process if desired, but a gloss should always be done to complete the service.

• This technique is not advised for corrective color so be sure to do a thorough consultation.

• Instant Highlights charges should mirror your highlighting fees. “My highlighting services include face-frame, partial and full highlights,” says Mason Jones. “So if I’m doing an Instant Highlights face-frame, for example, I will charge the same price as a regular face-frame highlighting service.

HOW-TO: FIVE MINUTE FACE FRAME HIGHLIGHTS

Here’s how Daniel Mason Jones created a face-illuminating boost for an existing, Level 7N highlighting client using just five foil packets!

FORMULA

10g L’Oréal Professionnel Instant Highlights Crème Lightener + 20g 20-volume Majicrème Developer + Smartbond Step 1.

SECTIONING

Begin with a profile parting taking care to isolate pieces for face frame.

APPLICATION

• Create diagonal back slices beginning on either side of the profile parting, securing with recommended Aluminum Foil for Highlighting. Apply the lightener formula.

• Do not fold foils. Place one foil underneath each isolated highlight and another on top. Secure by folding the top corners. Foil all sections before applying heat.

• Work towards the front of the head. Repeat in both sections. Here, three sections were applied on the heavy side and two on the light side of the client’s part.

• Return to the first foil. Pass L'Oréal Professionnel Instant Highlights Heating Iron over each isolated foil repeatedly in a smooth, continuous, up and down motion for up to 30 seconds or 15 to 30 passes.

• Stay over an inch away from the scalp.

• Repeat the heating iron passes over foiled sections.

• Rinse thoroughly. Do not shampoo.

• Apply Smartbond Step 2. Process for 10 minutes.

REMOVAL AND RINSING

• Wet, emulsify, rinse and shampoo once with L’Oréal Professionnel Post Shampoo.

• Condition and preserve color radiance with a Serie Expert Powermix Color in-salon treatment.

See L’Oréal Professionnel Instant Highlights in action:

LEARN THE BUSINESS OF EXPRESS LIGHTENING

There’s more to this speedy service than product and placement. It’s also an exciting new business opportunity! Learn how top artists are creating a conversation around express lightening and find out how to incorporate this service into your menu, marketing, pricing structure and more.

Learn more aboutL’Oréal Professionnel Instant Highlights.