Client asking about colour stripping

[courtjb91]

I don't do colour just extensions but I have a client who wears extension shade 1b (darkest brown/off black) she's of middle eastern decent so her hair is naturally dark and she has been box dying for years. She wants to go an dark auburn colour.

She's been to several salons and they have advised her of bleaching slowly so a few colour appointments ect.

She's got it into her head that her hair just needs stripping and she doesn't want to bleach it because of damage. I've told her salons know best ect and to go with their advise. She keeps messaging me again and again going on about finding someone to strip her hair.

I know you can't really advise to non colour professionals but I feel like if I explain why she can't just strip and be done with it she'll listen as she trusts me. Can anyone briefly explain why she can't just 'strip her hair' without using bleach as she's doing my head in xx

 

[AcidPerm]

Sorry, but it sounds like your client might be more clued up than the staff in the salons she's visited.
I would never recommend using bleach to remove years of box dye. It will likely just melt the hair.

She needs to find someone experienced in more modern colour correction methods. Tell her to keep shopping around until someone suggests using a colour reducer.

 

[ColourBoy]

Sorry, but it sounds like your client might be more clued up than the staff in the salons she's visited.
I would never recommend using bleach to remove years of box dye. It will likely just melt the hair.

She needs to find someone experienced in more modern colour correction methods. Tell her to keep shopping around until someone suggests using a colour reducer.

Um, really?

Of course, as a salon professional you may use a colour remover at first, and then proceed with bleach. As she is naturally dark, been colouring her hair to an off black shade.. but the colour remover will never lift her hair enough for she wants, without at some stage using bleach. You're hardly hearing the whole story of these said consultations at salons.. so I would hardly consider her 'more clued up than the staff in the salons" because as the original poster has asked, and suggested, she can't just "strip her hair". Which is correct.

So maybe have a proper think before you respond with an attitude to someone purely trying to offer a modicum of advice to her client [emoji106]

 

[courtjb91]

Maybe I didn't explain properly. She doesn't want any bleach on her hair at all and just wants someone to 'strip her Hair' as she keeps saying but I couldn't imagine she would get to the colour she wants without bleach and just a colour remover.

I'll just tell her as i have been that i'm sorry but I have no clue and to go for more consultations x

 

[ceecee71]

Maybe I didn't explain properly. She doesn't want any bleach on her hair at all and just wants someone to 'strip her Hair' as she keeps saying but I couldn't imagine she would get to the colour she wants without bleach and just a colour remover.

I'll just tell her as i have been that i'm sorry but I have no clue and to go for more consultations x

Hey Court,
I hate it when clients get like this, it's so hard to get them to listen, even if you know exactly what they should do! I would say to her "The best thing to do is go to a few salons for a consultation. Choose one that offers to take strand tests so they can see what a colour remover will achieve and also what prelightner will achieve and choose a salon who uses Olaplex." I'd advise against attempting that colour change without Olaplex.
If she doesn't want to pay for a proper colour correction she should stick with her box colours, as she may have no hair for you to extend if she goes cheap! Xx

 

[AcidPerm]

Um, really?

Of course, as a salon professional you may use a colour remover at first, and then proceed with bleach. As she is naturally dark, been colouring her hair to an off black shade.. but the colour remover will never lift her hair enough for she wants, without at some stage using bleach. You're hardly hearing the whole story of these said consultations at salons.. so I would hardly consider her 'more clued up than the staff in the salons" because as the original poster has asked, and suggested, she can't just "strip her hair". Which is correct.

So maybe have a proper think before you respond with an attitude to someone purely trying to offer a modicum of advice to her client [emoji106]

The client wants dark auburn, not bleach blonde.
The colour reducer will remove artificial colour.
The peroxide in the box dyes will have already lifted her natural colour a couple of depths lighter.

Therefore, she won't need bleach to reach her desired colour.

And you accuse me of having an attitude?

 

[Reidebot]

Those box dyes will have lightened the hair underneath (they still use developer). Bleaching can definitely have a chemical reaction with box colours due to metalic salts (causing it to heat up and more). Although you can still have a chemical reaction with strippers or colour removers but it's probably less of a risk to damage her hair. I would still do a test strand though.

 

[Reidebot]

Um, really?

Of course, as a salon professional you may use a colour remover at first, and then proceed with bleach. As she is naturally dark, been colouring her hair to an off black shade.. but the colour remover will never lift her hair enough for she wants, without at some stage using bleach. You're hardly hearing the whole story of these said consultations at salons.. so I would hardly consider her 'more clued up than the staff in the salons" because as the original poster has asked, and suggested, she can't just "strip her hair". Which is correct.

So maybe have a proper think before you respond with an attitude to someone purely trying to offer a modicum of advice to her client [emoji106]

Firstly, stripping it back will help show the hairs true colour. If it is light enough underneath then there is no need for bleaching. If she has been box dying for years then her hair will be lighter especially since DIY people tend to over lap. Colour remover doesn't have to lift. It has to shrink the colour particles and open up the cuticles in order to allow you to rinse the colour out. It may take a few goes as there is years of buildup. But colour removers and strippers can do a lot. What brand do you use OP?

As for the not being clued up comment. The fact that she realises that she needs a colour stripper rather then bleaching is a good sign. But if the stylist is still concerned could they maybe talk her into something like olaplex to prevent hair snappage? A client who knows about stripping is more then likely going to research whatever you tell them anyway. If not then maybe she isn't the client for you.

 

[courtjb91]

Firstly, stripping it back will help show the hairs true colour. If it is light enough underneath then there is no need for bleaching. If she has been box dying for years then her hair will be lighter especially since DIY people tend to over lap. Colour remover doesn't have to lift. It has to shrink the colour particles and open up the cuticles in order to allow you to rinse the colour out. It may take a few goes as there is years of buildup. But colour removers and strippers can do a lot. What brand do you use OP?

As for the not being clued up comment. The fact that she realises that she needs a colour stripper rather then bleaching is a good sign. But if the stylist is still concerned could they maybe talk her into something like olaplex to prevent hair snappage? A client who knows about stripping is more then likely going to research whatever you tell them anyway. If not then maybe she isn't the client for you.

Thanks that's helpful. It's not me doing it as I haven't touched colour since i left college a long time ago hence why I have no clue, wish I carried on with a career in hair as I got into the extensions many years later and now in September I'm joining the juniors at our salon on Mondays to redo everything!

But anyway thanks for the advice, I will have a look online and reviews for salons in our area and try to find her some recommendations x

 

[ColourBoy]

The client wants dark auburn, not bleach blonde.
The colour reducer will remove artificial colour.
The peroxide in the box dyes will have already lifted her natural colour a couple of depths lighter.

Therefore, she won't need bleach to reach her desired colour.

And you accuse me of having an attitude?

OP: "She has been box dying for years" suggests to me that even with a colour remover, I highly doubt she'd reach a level 6, maybe 7 without bleach. Especially when #1b in extensions is about a 2 or 3 in professional colour..

 

[AcidPerm]

Interesting views. I guess we're reading different things into 'dark auburn'.

As the client is naturally about a 2, I was assuming that the client wants a 'dark auburn' so that it gives it a reddish cast and doesn't show too much banding growing out, therefore, it doesn't need to lift any higher than a 4/5 for dark auburn.

I agree that if she wants it much lighter, that's unrealistic.