Stylist's Maintaining Standards=keeping clients!

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS: B2MR: Regular postings of fresh new topic's.

I have decided to touch on some of the issues that. Salon owners and managers encounter. Stylists need to address. Clients can often be effected by. What it it ? Quite simply a poor or bad job. Accidents can and do happen things can go wrong, But excuses are easy to fall back on.
Blaming the product. The client . Blaming the salon owner team work mates! How about taking responsibility for your self and your actions. Raising your won personal standards of skill and knowledge, taking responsibility being accountable. yes stepping up!
Some of those reading this may well be thinking. What gives me the right to raise these issues?
Sadly because it happens to often and needs to be addressed. If it's not you great  well done you but bet you know a stylist who this addresses?

So what are these poorly done services.

Lets start with what is so basic and yet can be a huge problem for some. Bad or wrong formulation. Poor application of product.

Bad formulation can be the cause of. Poor or thin deposit. Hot roots can be caused by a wrong assessment during the consultation or wrong choice of formulation. Also colour and Developer and timing.
Consultation correct assessment will improve this along with understanding of the colour wheel. maybe take the time to read the technical manual that came with your colour chart it's normally the black stuff! Assessing Grey issues. This includes the amount of N series required in formula . When the colour is thin with poor deposit then  wrong formulation is the only answer nothing else!
Either not enough N series in formulation or wrong developer  poor timing! all down to stylist technician!
Never put the shade chart on a clients lap and say what colour do you ant to day !  Good Consultation and assessment is the key.

Mudding browning out colour.
Again when this situation arises the stylist has to look in the mirror and take responsibility. This is caused by applying a formulation to the roots. Having chosen formulation developer mixed applied for either lift  or Grey issue. This formulation should not be left for 20 mins in the bowl then applied as as the refresher! this product has oxidised in the bowl. Its of no use.
The mid lengths and ends will in most cases be previously coloured so they need colour balancing. applying the root formulation will over process and will cause dull muddy or brown out your colour. Not to mention longer term issues!

Banding. Normal and Grey hair issues:
Yes maybe a repeat of topic! But banding is poor application of the product either over lapping or not enough application of product. [watch how much product on your brush and thickness of sections]
When related to Grey issues banding is normally wrong assessment of formulation in most cases when considering Grey hair coverage the normal rule is [25%  of the N series would be required in formulation if 25% Grey in any given two inch section seen during consultation assessment.]
So what ver the percentage of Grey in any area you need that amount of N series in your formulation!

Yes two things to remember you may be 70% Grey on the top section and 40% at the back different formulations required!  That being both the N series and indeed developer choice. It's not just mix and slap it on!

Hot roots.
How many times have I. Do I see this. That colour with bright roots. They can be. Red. Copper. Bright orange. This arrises with both home colour and in the salon.

Cause Wrong formulation wrong developer. build up of colour through over processing mid lengths and ends

You know the look. A fashionable Brunette. Natural deep Reds. visually the roots are bright hot more lift than colour deposit. The regrowth has not taken the colour it's just lift bright tacky looking.  [Also happens with Grey issues again N series in formulation choice of developer]
Hot roots is caused by wrong choice of colour wrong developer. amount or ratio of mixed formulation!

All this leads to stylist error ! not the product.
Colour Balancing Combing colour through.

Again Mid lengths and ends of colour need to be colour balanced a formulation to refresh Not lift and deposit .Do not apply old left over colour from root application. Mix less to start with .Think salon wastage!!
I have and do see so many stylist combing colour through sort of slapping on mid lengths and ends working in a little.
One needs to take section and apply colour evenly down the hair shaft full cover is essential.
So all of the above issues are caused by poor application and wrong assessment. No excuse it's the stylist technician who need to stand up and be counted !!

Highlights. Lowlights.
So may different forms of this technique from caps to foil to papers.most of the issues that arise stem from formulation and application.
Cap Highlights.
Biggest issues over lapping product on hair already highlighted leading to breakage. Try to use a cap on hair that is to long! use of wrong toner!

Foil and papers.
Where to start so many issues on this maybe weave and sections. Uneven weave and not thinking about placement of foils or papers. ket is to make sure that you don't create a root looking issue and your sectioning is even and clean. working to the plane or curve of the head!

Bleeding.
Again the stylist has to take responsibility for this. Caused by sloppy application. untidy work. Application of two much product. to root area. foil or paper squashed either squeezing product into roots or folding paper or foil so tightly no room for expansion of the product especially Bleach.
If adding heat the product will expand more and quicker before then drying out as the moisture evaporates. [ A thing i think not required it's formulation and timing].
Adding heat to the formulation lift process can also create beading sort leopard spots.Cause the product dries out and does not expand giving even lift.

Blobs.
Big patches of bleached hair random caused by two much product application the products spreads out drawn toward the scalp by naturally produced heat. it seeps out of paper or foil expands and creates blobs. Stylist error.
Breakage.
Caused by overlapping Bleach or product and over processing hair it will stretch and break off when being combed out. HAIR IS VERY FRAGILE WHEN WET! especially after chemical service.

Poor lift wrong Tone.
Well this goes back to grass roots formulation and timing. poor lift will with highlights normally  cause problems with to much warmth.
Possibly to Orange or yellow if this is the case an assessment to re apply more lifting formulation normally bleach decolouriser. Or toning to control pigment exposed.
To many stylist when toning reach for the ash toner! you have to assess the tone you have and work out what is needed to neutralise that unwanted tone. Ash,Violet, Beige. consult the colour wheel . it's about balance. Orange normally requires Ash toner. Yellow normally requires Violet toner.

Poor uneven lift when lightening previously coloured hair.
This topic could be classed as corrective if you don't have the skill the knowledge seek help or don't take it on. get the skills first.

In this case one would have to  colour or lift from the ends to get an even degree of lift down the full hair shaft. It takes time and patient and application of different formulations working into the roots.Remember the roots in this instance will always lift very quickly.
See previous [ Posting Colour case review on Highlighting a solid colour ]

Hair colour case review: Solid colour to High lights.

Welcome to BACK2MYROOTS B2MR:
Regular postings of fresh new topic's

Well this past week end was crunch time.
I have been colouring my wife's hair a solid colour for quite a while. I have played with shades and tones and formulations. As we all know a colour can and will look different just by using a different level of developer.
Well sadly the Grey is creeping in. The re growth is appearing quicker and the depth of deposit and so longevity of vibrancy was getting lost.
Time to think a little lighter. Time to think high lights and low lights a mixture of shades. being the long term goal.
As you can see below: When first done this colour looks rich warm healthy looking:

Well I knew and know from experience this is not a quick or easy task, nor can one take short cuts!  No not because it's my wife although that plays a part! But because this colour and so degree of deposit has built up over time so to get an even lift  down the full shaft of  hair i would have to start lifting from the ends in running a couple of different formulation.
I like to use papers for high lighting and find the best ones that don't slip and will stay right up to the root without bleeding are Hi Lit Wraps By W.R Rayson. They come in various sizes are waxed paper so bio degrade with time. I will post a link at the end of Article.

Although an older shot from my archive: This shot below gives a very good example of the issues being faced. Roots and faded washed out colour.

I decided on my course of action my goal was to lift to a golden blonde at this time so that in the future we can high light and low light still adding some warm shades. But for now it's breaking up a solid colour but with even lift. Fine highlights and low lights.

I would run 20 vol bleach decolouriser from end to mid lengths and 10 vol decolouriser mid lengths for now no root application for they will lift and go to light to quickly.
Once applied i left them on with visual timing as the correct shade was reached so i took them out a rinsed with water. Once this was complete and I was happy with the shade the full head was rinsed really well and then dried off.
Now a root assessment  to blend them in the lift achieved i Decided on two formulations her natural level is 7 but around 7G  so i used a 9N with 20 vol for the roots 1 part colour 1 1/2 developer  knowing the violet under tone would control anything to yellow This was applied only to the roots / regrowth.

Formulation.
I also used a Demi formulation of 9B for deposit only just to add a burnt honey tone through the newly lightened hair. so yes i put in a second set of high lights over the first but ended up with target shade and colour no banding and even lift. Taking us on the road to a lighter all over effect without it look yellow dull or drab.

The 9B has a green base at a level 9. So when applied over the existing copper it will neutralise to some degree thus creating a burnt honey tone. controlling the copper.
The process:
From now on it will be some lift with a low volume bleach decolouriser and some low lights of different shades depending on time of year . Less root issue and multi tonal shades for life and texture.

As promised here is some contact for the Hi Lite wraps.I am in the Uk and have found them very helpful with regard to service.

hi lite wraps at work right to root

This collection of shots is to show the advantages of the Hi lite wraps the model in shot was having blonde high lights this is not part of the discussed above colour process. These wraps are so easy to use very light and fold over very easily. They are easy to manage when sliding them in to the roots clean neat section's is the key working off of sections working with the shape and curve of the head and always taking into account the hair line and growth patterns.
When removing they pull out with ease with out snagging or any discomfort to the client.

many papers very neat to work with.

right to roots no bleeding




For any one interested in the Hi-Lite wraps. I have also found this company so helpful they are based in the United states who knows maybe we can get them into the UK or Global.
http://www.sparenity.com/

I supply this information because of the out standing service they have given me not because of financial gain. Mike B2MR
A special note of thanks to Lien Le and Fran Martin.