Let's talk about Hair Color.

    Most of us have, at least at one time, colored our hair. Probably going hand and hand with that, we all have hair color disaster stories. It may be because of a box color done at home, or a stylist that didn't exactly understand what you were trying to say. I am going to try to help prevent a(nother) disaster from happening to you.

Box Color Disasters

Your hair came out too dark/the wrong color/in the right light has a slight tone of puke green.

    Hair Coloring Rule #1- Color canNOT lift color. In general terms, once you darken your hair with color, you can no longer lighten it again without using bleach, even demi or semi permanent color.

   Solution- Run, don't walk, to a professional. You need to highlight your hair and then go over it then with the right color. You may want a conditioning treatment after this.


You have been coloring your hair at home a dark color and now want it lighter.  
    Same as above. See your stylist. This is not a disaster but trying this at home can actually lead to said disaster. You roots will color to the light color, but your ends won't lift very much. Obviously not a good look!

Your hair turns out too light.

   This is not so much as disaster. It is much easier to darken hair than to lighten it. Just color your hair again, but I still recommend going to a professional.

Disasters are more apt to happen when color is done without a professional hair stylist. Once a disaster does happen it costs a whole lot more to fix the problem than it would have to just do it at a salon in the first place. At a salon the stylist doesn't just put one color on your hair, they mix several different colors to customize the color for each client. Box color is much more damaging to your hair than salon color, because they have to make it the highest strength to make sure it will work on everyone from a blond to a black haired person. Because of all of these reasons, I never encourage anyone to use a box color.


Disasters at the Salon

Lack of Communication

   Usually a disaster that happens in the salon is the result of a lack in communication. Everyone has different terminology. For example, what a blond might call dark a brunette might call light. An easy way to prevent this from happening, is to bring in pictures of cuts and colors that you like. That way you both know exactly what each other is talking about. Check out Google Images if there is a specific celebrity's style that you are looking to find. Or go to ukhairdressers.com, one of my favorite sites to find different hair styles.

Something Goes Wrong

    A) The highlights come out too ashy or too golden 

    B) The color is too dark or too light

    C)Too red, to warm, to ashy, ect.

In any of these cases I suggest giving the stylist that originally did the color the chance to fix it. They will usually fix it for free, within the first 2 weeks after the original service. At least go to the same salon. Going to a different salon they will charge you for a whole other service. The original stylist should know the exact formula they used and will then know how to tweak it to make it right. If after this time they don't get it right, then try to have someone else fix it.

Your Hair Has Major Breakage

   It is expected, that when you have certain services done, some breakage may occur. Your stylist should have warned you, before coloring your hair, that this may happen. If you choose to continue with the service that is at your own risk. But if you go in to the salon with perfectly healthy hair and have it severely damaged, talk to the owner/manager of the salon and ask to have a complementary deep conditioning treatment. Next time, in this case, go to another stylist.



If you experience a disaster at a salon that you really like, but feel bad going to another stylist, DON'T. You pay good money to get your hair done and you should go to a stylist that you like. If someone doesn't do your hair how you want it done, find someone who does. I promise that the stylist understands. It may feel weird to you but us stylists get over it.

I wish you all good hair days!

<3 Andi