Consultations are the key to happiness when it comes to salon services. This is why many professional salons and stylists require consultations prior to booking a color/highlight appointment. No longer is a color service, “Just a Color.” Today there is such a wide array of approaches, techniques, and products used when coloring and highlighting hair. A color or highlight on one person may take one hour to achieve their desired goal, when it may take six hours or greater to get another person to the same goal depending on their hair history. The same applies to the individual stylists. Some are quick and some take more time. This doesn’t mean they aren’t great colorists, it just means they require more time to achieve a goal. Consulting with a professional stylist is an opportunity for both you and the stylist to determine if each is the right fit for one another.
Factors to consider when consulting with a professional are appointment availability, desired service/result, hair history, maintenance, and cost.

Availability: It is important to discuss availability to ensure you both have a compatible schedule.
Some stylists may have a higher demand and/or they may only work at specific times and days of the week. This might make their availability more limited. Individual stylists work at their own pace, so the duration of service times can vary for each stylist. If you can only dedicate a specific amount of time to your appointment it can be helpful to share this with the stylist in advance.

Desired result/service: Communicating your goal/desired result can sometimes be difficult. Using visual aids like pictures can be extremely helpful for a stylist to understand what you want. Finding pictures taken in natural light and without the use of filters can be helpful in maintaining realistic expectations. When a stylist has a greater understanding of your inspiration, they can use this to determine if they will be able to achieve your goal and if you both are the best fit for one another.

Hair history: This is a big one in the consultation. It is imperative to be as transparent as possible when communicating your color/chemical history. Color is creative and artistic, but it is also chemistry. Inform the stylist of all your allergies, medications, and sensitivities as well as any resistance to color you have experienced in the past. Be as detailed as possible when describing all previous color/chemical services, whether they were in a salon or at home. If there’s one thing most of us remember from chemistry class is that not all chemicals play nice together and neither you nor the stylist wants any surprises. Color and chemicals can last in the hair for years. Depending on the length of your hair, what was done in the past 5 years or more is likely still in your hair even if it isn’t visible anymore.

Maintenance: Due to the complexity and customization of services, some processes may require more maintenance visits than others. Depending on your hair history and desired result, maintenance visits could be every three or four weeks or once or twice a year. This is a big difference and telling of the importance of discussing maintenance during your consultation. This way you know what you are getting into and how frequently you will need to return before you schedule your first visit.

Cost: Pricing is often a deciding factor for many people when determining what look/service is the best fit. Prices can vary from salon to salon and in many cases, from stylist to stylist within a salon. Prices can vary due to numerous reasons, salon location, type of salon, complexity of service, and stylist expertise, to name a few. If you have a budget, it is important to communicate it to the stylist. This will keep both you and the stylist from consulting for a service that is out of that price range. If your goal or the maintenance will put you out of that range, stylists will often recommend alternative services/looks or fellow stylists that may be better fit.

Understanding all the factors of a service is vital to your happiness and a harmonious relationship with a stylist. Taking the time to consult with a professional stylist prior to the service avoids any disappointment from the stylist not having enough time, or the expertise to achieve your goal. Understanding the maintenance and cost ensures you make a fully informed decision and avoids the dreaded sticker shock at check out. The world we live in today is faster paced than ever. It’s the stylist’s desire to give you the opportunity to relax and have peace of mind. Consulting prior to booking allows your time in the chair to be less focused on what’s going to happen and more on living in the moment.