How to Prepare for Your Hair Service

How to Prepare for Your Hair Service

Written by Ayesha Cobb, Hairstylist at Urban Betty

Have you ever been nervous to get a huge hair change? Like going platinum, getting a pixie, or trying a fashion color? You create this idea on how it’s going to look on you and have a picture in your mind on the outcome; but, it’s hard to put what you want it into words and you end up with something you didn't want or maybe even the price catches you off guard. We all want to avoid these situations.

This is why it is so important to schedule a consultation with your stylist. Consultations should happen every time you sit in a stylist’s chair. You can either schedule a separate consultation or have it done in the beginning of the service. Here are the list of things that you need to know in order to achieve the hair you want.

Prepping the Hair

It's ideal for mild or extreme color changes to prepare the hair for the chemical service. This can include deep conditioning the hair a week prior to the service, using heat tools less, as well as using sulfate-free shampoos. These keep your hair healthy. We definitely have tools we can use in the salon to keep your hair in amazing condition, but it doesn't hurt to do that extra step before. On the day of your chemical service, do not come in with freshly cleaned hair; your natural oils create a protective barrier, which cause less irritation to the scalp.

Bring Pictures

You’ve heard the saying, “pictures are worth thousand words”. Most hairstylists are very visual. While we do have an amazing imagination, what you describe may not match with what you see in your mind and what we see in our mind.

To save confusion, try to narrow down the number of photos that you show your hairstylist. A motto to go by is if you can't find an example of the hair you want or the color you want, it may not exist. Also, take into consideration that some images are highly photo shopped or have some type of enhancement such as added extensions or wigs. We are always willing to help you find the image of the style or color you want!

Consider Your Hair History

Think about all of the things that you’ve had chemically done to your hair in the past 5 years or even medications. These can affect the outcome of your hair. When we refer to ‘natural’ or ‘virgin’ hair we mean that the hair hasn’t been touched by a chemical. For example, if you colored your hair red five years ago and then you decided to color your back to your natural brown. This doesn’t make your hair "natural hair" as there is the old red underneath all of the brown. And after a few more months, let’s say you go to the salon for a nice golden blonde balayage. We lift (lighten) your hair but it doesn’t budge past orange. So, the best option is to cover it up with a lighter brown and come back in for another blonding service. You leave feeling disappointed, because you thought you were going to leave with golden hair. This scenario actually happens quite often!

Long story short—you need to provide your hair history from the past 5 years to your stylist, so that they can tell you the accurate amount of time it will take to reach your hair goal.

Expectations vs. Reality

Let’s say you find a picture of hair that you want and it’s some celebrity or Instagram model with thick, long, luscious, ice platinum hair. Here are some things that you should take into consideration:

Does she have the same skin tone as you?
Is your hair as thick as hers?
A lot of her hair could possibly be extensions
The picture could be photo shopped or filtered
It may have taken a long process (months or even years) to get her hair to that point
Her natural hair color may be different than yours
Her hair might react differently than yours (due to hair history, etc)

We are all unique individuals, you may not leave with the hair you want in the same day. Sometimes it can be a 3-month or even a year process. Also, you are not that same model, so your hair may lie differently. Knowing and thinking about these things can help you choose wisely and give you realistic expectations on the finishing result. Take in the input that your stylist makes; we always want what's best for you.

Price Point

Always be prepared to spend a couple of hundreds for any chemical service, such as color, blonding, curling and straightening treatments, highlights, balayage, etc.

We want to keep your hair in the best condition, so we use the highest quality products in the salon. Also, it make take many steps to get you to your goal. You might think that going from blonde to brown is a one-step color, but actually we have to fill the hair first, and depending on the porosity of your hair, it could take multiple fillers before we can apply the brown. Just always leave a little extra wiggle room when it comes to paying for a chemical service.

Up-Keep/Maintenance

Everyone wants to keep their hair as healthy as possible. When you leave the salon after you're all styled out, your hair looks, feels, and smells amazing. How do you stay this blonde, vibrant, or healthy after leaving? Using the products that your stylist recommends will help with keep that 'salon feeling' and health to your hair.

We recommend products because we have used them and trust them; the recommendations genuinely come from our passion for the care of your hair. Colors and toners inevitably fade, heat damage happens, and hair dries out. Investing in good products to prevent this from happening too quickly is important because you paid good money for your hair!

This sums up everything that you need to know in order to prepare for your next hair service. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog, see you next month!