Feb 24, 2010

Hairdresser Notes - Hair Color Re-Do's

Re-do’s: Part One


There are many challenges we face in the hairdressing industry today but the one that is a huge concern and keeps growing is the “re-do’s” in hair color. I cannot begin to count how many emails I get or stylists as well as salon owner that ask me to teach how to stop re-do’s from happening, hence why this post and a few to follow.

Not Listening; The minute the client sits in your chair we instantly go around and behind the chair and start touching the hair and looking at that client through a mirror, and as we touch and look while the client is expressing either their desires or dislikes we are too busy conjuring up what our approach will be, so in fact because we are so busy thinking we aren’t fully listening to Key information that is being said.

Communication; There must be a verbal and visual understanding between stylist and client to successfully produce the desired end results. I cannot stress enough how important it is to see and use visuals (pictures) of hair colors the client loves and wants, not hair color swatches which are meant for the stylist to look at in their mixing areas. Remember trying to reproduce a color from the swatch book is never a true match unless the individual has white mono-fiber hair which I highly doubt. With visuals from magazines and having the client pick and point to their own interpretation of reds, blondes, brown’s etc is the best way to see what they see even if their red colors are actually violets to you, this way it is a clear visual understanding, using non-hairdressing language, words that are attainable example; desire is to have soft caramel highlights the color of Kraft caramels (everyone know that color).

Skills Level; 90 % of the time a hair color re-do is not based on the technique chosen to do but how well the stylist knows the line of hair color product and formulating. It is shocking to me through my years of educating how many people formulate off memory, the 1 to 10 possible formulas that are being done on everyone because it worked on Mrs. Smith. Understanding a hair color line should be like knowing your spice rack, and that each individual that sits in your chair has their very own DNA - chemistry there for we customize. A hairdresser must also know color theory basic fundamentals and each and every single component in a hair color line and what it can do and deliver to successfully color hair.

31 comments:

  1. Great post! love the information and will file it in my HCC file xx

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  2. This is blog is favourite, i is full of goodies and so much insight I love all the advice and shard ideas

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  3. i have told a few colleagues about this blog and how wonderful it is, great post

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  4. i hate redo's , and do everything you said
    the touching the hair thing is exactly rght and I am one of those stylists that from now on will tie my hands up ;]

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  5. great post! love the kraft caramel
    idea

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  6. I love your philosophy, brilliant!

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  7. great post, and you are right swatches do not belong on the salon floor

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  8. what a fantastic educational post! I bet you are a great teacher and hairdresser

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  9. excellent information , super idea's now if only my co-workers would put away the swatchbooks

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  10. To be successful in this business, it is crucial the consultation is understood between the client and the operator!

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  11. Great post made me think about how we all should do things differently in the beauty business today.

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  12. i agree with all the comments made on this post, so great we have blogs like this to remind us of the why's we choose this industry.

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  13. comunication on all levels , see, hear, touch , you rock!

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  14. love this post, and your blog!

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  15. the connection between stylist and client has to be there from the start, in the consultation, then there would be probably no redo’s, nice posting hcc x)

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  16. your right on hcc and as a salon owner, there is nothing worse than a re-do not so much the money but the fearful possibilities that the clients don't come back

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  17. even us non-hairdressers appreciate blogs like this, =}

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  18. there is nothing worse than a redo , I always feel bad, and try to figure out the break down of communication I had with the guest , ekkkk

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  19. It really is amazing how different we all see colors, in 10 years of being in this business I have learnt to listen and ask them to bring in pictures, and hopefully I can meet what they want by my knowledge of the product = formulas.

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  20. The dreaded re-do,, hate them even if you did everything right and the client still wants it fixed sucks!

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  21. Great post as always HCC

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  22. sometimes red-dos are the clients fault when they change their minds as your drying the hair,, this is when i want to scream

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  23. love this post and look forward to part 2 of your point of views +)

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  24. nailing a consultation is the key to a successful outcome.

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  25. Redo’s will happen due to client or our own mistakes, we just have to keep learning. Love what you said about know your products we work with so true1

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  26. a true professional follows all the step, missing just one can result into a unhappy client

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  27. 90% of the time a re-do can be avoided when all your skill levels are there, nice post!

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  28. can't wait for more posts like this =)

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  29. as always educational and enlightening, your blog and posts is something I look forward too reading Thx.

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  30. Top notch insight and info ty.

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  31. I'm using a new color line which I do not like (Framesi) but because I'm commission I must use it. I've had some results that I was unhappy with, I'm wondering if you have any advice on how to get better with a color line without risking your cliental? Thanks!
    Ali

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