I can’t tell you how many clients in my hairstylist career come in frustrated, asking me to fix bad hair color. This particular problem is what pays many hairstylists’ mortgages. I’m going to be honest; trying to fix bad hair color is not my favorite thing. Generally, corrective color takes a long time, it’s tedious, damaging to the hair, gives clients sticker shock, and rarely does it come out Pinterest perfect. One would think a hairstylist would like a service that would fill an entire day, earning them tons of money and making them a hero because they saved the day.
The Truth About Bad Hair Color
Why do I not like fixing ad hair color? Because most hairstylists don’t want you to know that we can be destroying the hair’s health most of the time. That’s assuming the hair was healthy before. Managing too orange, yellow, dark, light, etc., etc. requires an understanding of how to introduce color back into the hair and what counters the unwanted tone.
To add insult to injury, VERY FEW HAIRSTYLISTS KNOW HOW TO DO CORRECTIVE COLOR! I mean, let’s be honest, who did the bad hair color in the first place? Unless it was at-home-bad hair color and some girl at Sally’s Beauty Supply who is most likely NOT A HAIRDRESSER told you to buy something, and you thought she knew what she was talking about because she worked there. Don’t feel bad; that’s a common misconception.
I’d like to give you a set by step process on how to fix bad hair color, but it’s difficult for a licensed professional to master without in-depth training In hair color. My best advice is to search out the right hairstylist for you. This may take some time to find a stylist you feel confident in, but I promise it will be well worth the wait.
How to Find a Hairstylist to Fix Bad Hair Color
- Schedule a consultation before your schedule the service. To fix bad hair color, there needs to be a well-thought-out plan that requires a thorough consultation so that the hairstylist understands the history of your hair and desired hair color.
- Be honest with the stylist. Please don’t be embarrassed about what happened to your hair. Believe me, we’ve seen and heard it all before. Tell the stylist at the consultation everything that has been done to your hair. This is important because as we go in and begin removing hair color or adding hair color, there will be layers that we will encounter. It’s common for people not to tell us that they colored their hair black a few years ago, but if the hair is long, some of the black pigment will still be on the ends of the hair. Hair grows about 6 inches a year so think about how many inches your hair is and go back over the years to consider what may have been done over those years.
- Discuss the process. Many times when we are fixing hair color, it’s not going to be perfect after the first appointment. The stylist must manage your expectations by explaining the process for the first appointment and any other appointments that may be needed after.
- Discuss YOUR BUDGET. As I’ve already stated, many stylists make a lot of money by fixing bad hair color. It can be costly to do it right, and nothing is worse than checking out and getting a whopping bill you weren’t expecting. It’s embarrassing for the hairstylist and you. A hairstylist would never forget that you may have a budget and design a plan that works around your budget. This could require less of a fix at the beginning but something that you both work towards over a few months. This is something I recommend to my clients because it is not only better for the monthly budget but also allows time for the hair to recover from appointment to appointment. I’ve had a lot of clients who find they like their hair at some point during the plan choosing to enjoy a particular stage for a longer time. If a stylist says they can’t design a longer-term plan around your budget, ask why? If you don’t get a reasonable answer, find one you feel comfortable with.
- Discuss aftercare. For almost every corrective color I do, I have an at-home care system to repair damaged hair and maintain the best result. Usually, this includes a reconstructing system like Kinactif’s Nutri Care Line.
- Make your service appointment and get excited about your new beautiful hair color!
Things to know
- In some cases, bleach removing artificial hair color can be very evasive to that hair. Color Removers work to remove artificial pigment with much less damage to the hair. I use KIN MASTER Color Remover. It reduces artificial pigment without affecting the hair’s natural pigment without bleach. It does not change the hair’s natural characteristics and is gentle, causing little damage. It can be used for a total hair color change or a slight color correction. It’s one of my favorite tools in my toolbox.
- High-volume bleaching is generally not needed to achieve great results. Many stylists will use a 40-volume peroxide to remove hair color fast. While this speeds up the process, it also damages the hair. Lower peroxide can be used; it just takes more time.
- Heat can damage your hair further. It’s sometimes necessary but, in general, not needed, and your hair will be happier without high heat to process bleach.
Don’t Give Up!
I’ve had clients show me a picture of a hair color they would love to have, and with the right plan of action nine times out of ten that can be achieved . If you would like to book a consultation with me to fix bad hair color or for any hair color service simply book your consultation online!
One more piece of advice, you may not want to return to where the disater happened, but I always recommend that clients advocate for themselves. Make an appointment with the stylist to explain what you’re not happy with. The stylist may be very competent but a miscommunication took place and many times can be worked out.
Cheers to beautiful healthy hair color of your dreams!