Ready to change up your hair colour but can’t quite decide which colour is right for you? Colour consultations are a great way to connect with your stylist so that both of you can understand exactly what you’re looking for, and avoid having things go awry on your precious locks! Here are a few tried-and-true tips for rocking your colour consultation and getting the colour you’ve been dreaming about.
First things first.
Stylists want you to go home happy and looking your best. If this is a first-time visit to your colourist, be sure to look at their portfolio to ensure that their colouring style and techniques match what you are looking for. The easiest way to do this is to visit your colourist’s social media page and online portfolio, or by speaking with others who’ve experienced their work first-hand.
It’s important to avoid communication gaps when speaking to the colourist, so be sure to clearly explain important and relevant lifestyle factors and how they tie in to the colour you are seeking. The colour consultation is a critical part of the salon visit, so be sure that you feel confident after your conversation with the colourist before jumping in to the colour application process!
Use pictures.
Changing your hair colour is a commitment, and you are at the mercy of the colourist to get the exact shade that you are describing. It’s always great to bring several pictures as a visual reference to show your colourist, especially if the technical and descriptive words escape you. Keep in mind your skin tone, eye colour and natural hair colour when selecting photos. What looks great on one person may not translate the same way on you, and could result in a total disaster. And remember: adding bright highlights or dyeing your hair blonde won’t necessarily make you look like your favorite celebrity!
Using terminology.
Do your research before using technical terminology with your colourist. With so many hair colour terms and techniques floating around nowadays, it may be difficult to explain exactly what you’re looking for, especially if you’re not used to using these terms on a daily basis.
A few words to keep in mind during your consultation are tone (the base of your hair colour, i.e. ash, gold, beige), depth (how light or dark the hair colour is), warm colours (colours that have a dominance of reds, yellows and oranges), cool colours (colours that have a dominance of blues, greens and violets), permanent colour (alters the natural pigmentation of the hair; lasts in hair until natural hair comes through as new growth), demi-permanent colour (creates minimal change in the natural pigmentation of the hair; lasts about two months), semi-permanent colour (does not alter natural pigmentation in the hair; lasts about 6-12 shampoos).
Try it on.
These days, there are many tools online that allow you to virtually try on different hair colours, however these may not be as accurate as one would like. Colour consultation tools are a new way to bridge the gap between conversation and visualization. Imagine being able to physically try on the colour first and see how it looks with your complexion and eye colour. FRINGE.BENEFITS is a great way to try colour before you commit and discover which hue will best enhance your natural features. These gentle, clip on fringes from COLOR.ME by KEVIN.MURPHY are available in COLOR.ME salons, and allow you to have a hands on, personalised preview of the colour in person. This ensures that there are no surprises with your colour once its done!
Next time you sit in the chair and are hoping for the latest shade you saw on the runway or in your favourite magasine, give it a test run first. Try it out, then let your colourist take the reigns on what they do best, and you’ll be guaranteed to go home happy with your new, beautifully-coloured locks!
Want to try FRINGE.BENEFITS for yourself? Be sure to check out our salon locator at www.kevinmurphy.com.au to find a COLOR.ME salon near you!
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