Correcting clients' at-home hair colour disasters

As the credit crunch continues to bite, more people are opting to colour their hair at home rather than spend the money visiting a salon.

But while a block colour may be possible, it's a mistake waiting to happen - and that is when salons can come to rescue and offer their expertise.

Award-winning colourist Lisa Shepherd, from Lisa Shepherd, Midlands, says colour correction is the most requested service at her colour salon in Kidderminster.

As more and more people opt to colour their hair at home, she expects all salons to see a rise in clients coming in for colour correction services.

So what do you do if a client comes in, in need of correction? Mark Leeson says that it is not a time for tut-tutting - instead colourists should see it as an opportunity. 

"Every client and their colour is different and we need to reassure them that we can fix it - maybe not in one appointment, but over a period of time.

"We go through a thorough consultation to determine their base shade and what exactly they have applied to their hair. It is important to know this before trying to rectify a problem."

Appearances matter

It is also imperative to look at the physical state of the hair too - is it fine and at breaking point? Can it take any more colour?

"Once a solution has been decided on, it's important the client realises the damage they may have caused and the importance of looking after their hair," Mark adds. "Recommend products and treatments they will need to use to nourish it back to a healthy condition."

"When faced with a client suffering with a colour problem, it is important to find out the full details before even proposing a solution," adds David Larcombe for Kadus.

"People only tell you what you ask, so be sure to question them about what they've done, what products they've used and what other chemical services they've had done recently.

"Only after you have got a clear understanding of what might have gone wrong can you advise them about the solution."

Lisa Shepherd's top 10 tips on colour correction

1. Don't commit to telling your clients exactly how the end result will look - colour correction is purely visual and can only be worked on while you're moving through it.
2. Be realistic and don't over-promise. Sometimes colour correction takes a number of appointments to correct and make perfect.
3. Stay with it at all times. Never walk away from colour correction, it can literally change in front of your eyes.
4. Don't panic and always stay calm. This can be an emotional experience for your client and they need your continual reassurance.
5. Don't be afraid to charge. Colour correction takes time and a serious amount of skill.
6. Do carry out a thorough consultation. You need to know everything that's been used on the hair that has created the disaster to start with.
7. Be honest. If you don't think it can be done then say so - don't make an already bad situation worse.
8. Make sure your priority is always the condition of the hair, no matter what the client wants.
9. When I colour-correct I mainly use a demi colour, never permanent, otherwise it can look too harsh.
10. Take your time - and don't quote the price or the length of time it will take over the phone as you just never can tell until you get started.