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Tracey xox

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Attached is a colour that client has shown me!
we’ve gone round in circles and I honestly don’t think she really knows what she wants?
I’ve spent so much time looking up, double checking things and everytime I do her hair it’s too, light, too dark, too ash (which she asked for) blonde is too high up to the parting, then too low! And I’m slowly losing the will to live!
I’ve explained everything, why we tone, why it has to be bleach (previously box dyed dark brown) so I’ve lifted to what i’d say is level 9, her hair won’t take any more bleach, we do 3/0 & 4/0 on roots as 5 was too light for her, but I just can’t get the right mid colour, any ideas on which colour touch colours to use?
I’ve been combing the dark down and then doing a mid toner and end toner to neutralise the yellow,
 

Attachments

  • 2A68B4C0-2198-4799-AA5A-FD1897F9634E.jpeg
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Ok so now she’s sent me this pic as what she now wants???? 🙄🤔
 

Attachments

  • 83591BA6-F85B-4E79-9E69-FBB3C27D8448.jpeg
    83591BA6-F85B-4E79-9E69-FBB3C27D8448.jpeg
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You need to establish what she likes about that person's hair, and what she doesn't like about her own. Don't be afraid to use photos of her hair from previous appointments to compare them with goal photos.
More often than not our clients just like the whole picture, not just the hair colour.

Sometimes they don't realise that in fact they're hair is very much like the photo.
This could be down to the fact that we're sometimes guilty of just doing what the client wants, instead of advising them what would be better for them.
It looks as though what your client is after is actually a more neutral cool blonde.
Everyone these days think they want "cool" or "ash" but in fact they don't, because they find it "too dark" or "drab"
I'd consider keeping it a little bit warmer.
Using cool colours all the time will give you a flat result eventually. It may be worth adding a bit of gold or neutral to your formula to keep some brightness.
But if you dread doing her hair that much then your other option is to kindly suggest that she finds someone else to do her hair, as you've tried on several occasions and she doesn't seem to be happy with what you can achieve.
 
Than
You need to establish what she likes about that person's hair, and what she doesn't like about her own. Don't be afraid to use photos of her hair from previous appointments to compare them with goal photos.
More often than not our clients just like the whole picture, not just the hair colour.

Sometimes they don't realise that in fact they're hair is very much like the photo.
This could be down to the fact that we're sometimes guilty of just doing what the client wants, instead of advising them what would be better for them.
It looks as though what your client is after is actually a more neutral cool blonde.
Everyone these days think they want "cool" or "ash" but in fact they don't, because they find it "too dark" or "drab"
I'd consider keeping it a little bit warmer.
Using cool colours all the time will give you a flat result eventually. It may be worth adding a bit of gold or neutral to your formula to keep some brightness.
But if you dread doing her hair that much then your other option is to kindly suggest that she finds someone else to do her hair, as you've tried on several occasions and she doesn't seem to be happy with what you can achieve.
Thank you,
I feel very much like I’m getting sucked into changing what we’re doing at each appointment and she’s very impatient to get to the end result-fast!! Yes she kept asking for ash so I was trying to double tone, then like you say went too dark for her, I’m thinking of maybe trying illumina now 10/81? As that will be not warm, but not ash? What do you think? Does illumina last any longer than colour touch? I’ve not really used it much but when I have it’s a lovely colour,
 
Than

Thank you,
I feel very much like I’m getting sucked into changing what we’re doing at each appointment and she’s very impatient to get to the end result-fast!! Yes she kept asking for ash so I was trying to double tone, then like you say went too dark for her, I’m thinking of maybe trying illumina now 10/81? As that will be not warm, but not ash? What do you think? Does illumina last any longer than colour touch? I’ve not really used it much but when I have it’s a lovely colour,
10/81 is definitely ash.....
If you want to keep it cool, but bright I'd be looking at using 10/38 + 10/16
 
So i feel like I’m doubting myself everytime I see her now!
we did the darker roots tonight, and the toner on the ends, 10/6 & 10/81 as she seemed to like that last time, but now she thinks the blonde is too dark?? I have said I feel that maybe the dark roots (3/ & 4/)have washed into the blonde when we washed the hair, and had dulled it slightly, is that possible or has the toner made it darker as it’s ash? she’s going to wash it again tomorrow, I really don’t know what else to do?!
she looks at photos and thinks it’s going to be exactly the same, I’ve told her I will now colour the roots but I will not do any more bleach on the previous colour, I don’t think she see’s how blonde she actually is? And I’m getting lost as she keeps asking for platinum (used to be ash) is that even achievable after someone box dyed their hair dark brown almost black?
Send help!!
I’m thinking maybe like you said she needs to go see a blonde colour specialist as clearly my knowledge isn’t enough?! 🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️
 
Clients now look at Instagram and think they can have their hair transformed in one appointment. It’s so frustrating when you get a client like this. And every hairdresser has been where you are when you start thinking your knowledge just isnt enough when in fact it’s not the case. it’s the customer pushing the goal posts so far and ending asking for what is often the impossible for their hair.
Explain these are edited shots and in reality on a normal day without the camera flash and hair serum and gloss enhancing technology her hair will most likely look dull and grey. 😁
Maybe visit it from a different angle - forget about what she wants for a second and see what you think would look beautiful
if she is really blonde try suggesting pulling dark right through in places to make the blonde ‘pop’ Blonde on top of blonde blends and can look flat . Where as blonde on top of chunky lowlights can brighten it up amazingly.
try finding your own pics and guiding her to what you think will look best with her hair and something that is more achievable.
I used to be a mobile hairdresser for a bit and I think it was a lot easier then - now there’s too many options and toners to carry! If I had a client wanting anything too complicated id recommend a salon. I couldn’t be doing all that hair washing over the sink! 😂 They’d always come back.
best of luck!
 
Clients now look at Instagram and think they can have their hair transformed in one appointment. It’s so frustrating when you get a client like this. And every hairdresser has been where you are when you start thinking your knowledge just isnt enough when in fact it’s not the case. it’s the customer pushing the goal posts so far and ending asking for what is often the impossible for their hair.
Explain these are edited shots and in reality on a normal day without the camera flash and hair serum and gloss enhancing technology her hair will most likely look dull and grey. 😁
Maybe visit it from a different angle - forget about what she wants for a second and see what you think would look beautiful
if she is really blonde try suggesting pulling dark right through in places to make the blonde ‘pop’ Blonde on top of blonde blends and can look flat . Where as blonde on top of chunky lowlights can brighten it up amazingly.
try finding your own pics and guiding her to what you think will look best with her hair and something that is more achievable.
I used to be a mobile hairdresser for a bit and I think it was a lot easier then - now there’s too many options and toners to carry! If I had a client wanting anything too complicated id recommend a salon. I couldn’t be doing all that hair washing over the sink! 😂 They’d always come back.
best of luck!
Thank you for your kind words,
Yes bleach and toners are a long way off the highlights I’m used to doing from 20 years ago! And she’s come to me as didn’t want to pay salon prices! 🙄
I’ll have a think then and see what would be ideal, in an ideal world she’s have coffee & caramel colours lol
 
Thank you for your kind words,
Yes bleach and toners are a long way off the highlights I’m used to doing from 20 years ago! And she’s come to me as didn’t want to pay salon prices! 🙄
I’ll have a think then and see what would be ideal, in an ideal world she’s have coffee & caramel colours lol
I’m afraid a lot of clients now want the impossible at bargain basement prices! I have just done a full price restructure after clients wanting big colour correction jobs and expecting to pay no more than a 1/2 head foil price😩I sat down and worked it out, after consumables, I was earning significantly less than the minimum wage per hour, and as self employed, we get no sick or holiday pay. I have always tried to be more than fair, but when I actually started thinking about it, I have 30+ years experience and did a 3 year apprenticeship to learn my trade, along with the crappy wages that go with that, and the constant “updating” training costs, yet I am actually earning significantly less than a cleaners hourly rate. I’m going to get tough- don’t undersell yourself 👍🏻
 
I’m afraid a lot of clients now want the impossible at bargain basement prices! I have just done a full price restructure after clients wanting big colour correction jobs and expecting to pay no more than a 1/2 head foil price😩I sat down and worked it out, after consumables, I was earning significantly less than the minimum wage per hour, and as self employed, we get no sick or holiday pay. I have always tried to be more than fair, but when I actually started thinking about it, I have 30+ years experience and did a 3 year apprenticeship to learn my trade, along with the crappy wages that go with that, and the constant “updating” training costs, yet I am actually earning significantly less than a cleaners hourly rate. I’m going to get tough- don’t undersell yourself 👍🏻
Yes I’m definitely upping my prices for this kind of job! I keep an eye on comparing my prices with others local to me, and generally have raised rates slightly every year, but these big colour jobs I feel like I’m losing out on, I think I need to look over the prices too! Great tip 👍🏻
 

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