Corrective Color or Not?

For great hair color call Christopher StephensVery frequently, at Christopher Stephens Salon, we get phone calls from potential clients seeking to get a color service, but they're not exactly sure what they want to do. For example, they may want to go from very light to dark, or from very dark to much lighter. Whether a repeat client or a client that we are unfamiliar with, we always require an in depth consultation to determine the best course of action. These types of colors are not so easy as a lot of people think and they fall into the category of Corrective Color.   

"What exactly is a corrective color anyway?" you may ask. "Is that just a term that salons throw around like some sort of scare tactic to get you to cough up big bucks?" Some may think so, but that is not the case. Typically, the average person thinks that just because they have been coloring their hair dark brown for three years and are now bored with it, they can just pop into a salon and walk out as a platinum blond with no effort, no consequence and for very little money, not taking into consideration the that it is a very long process to remove dark colors, it's very damaging to the hair, in some cases, to do such a drastic change and many situations require more than one visit, not to mention the cost....

We pride ourselves in our craft and strive to not only give you the best possible results, but to also save the integrity of your hair and not destroy it. Generally, corrective color can be quite serious and most likely will have to be done in steps so that your hair remains in the best possible condition. It is hard to present a single definition of what constitutes a corrective service, so let’s see if we can sum it up in a sort of “hair-color nutshell”.

Corrective color usually means change…
Sometimes a corrective service is needed when a client decides to make a drastic change. That’s cool, that’s what we’re here for. Whether you’re a lifetime brunette fantasizing about blonde locks, a blonderexic yearning to be a sultry brunette, a regular girl that's just dying to become a fiery redhead, or, God forbid you need help to fix the mess that you and your girlfriend did after a couple of margaritas, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s what you need to know:

The basics…
Not to sound like a broken record, but most corrective services will need two or more steps. I must stress that, because sometimes single visit corrective colors are not possible. Additionally, most corrective services result in a noticeably different look for the client. The vast majority of corrective color services requires a series of steps, over a few appointments. Every corrective service is dramatically different, so a complimentary consultation is required to get the best end result for you.

When you want to go light…
If you have all over permanent or semi-permanent color on your hair and you want it a lighter shade but without highlights, you need a color cleanse to remove the old color. Permanent and semi-permanent hair color cannot be removed without using some sort of color remover. This can be quite harsh on the hair structure. We would most likely recommend that you begin with fine highlights in the early stages of correcting.

When you want to go dark…
Say your hair is light, either naturally or highlighted. You were hoping you could  go significantly darker. Depending on the porosity of your strands, we would saturate your hair with two different formulas on the same day for a longer-lasting end result and less fading. The first step will put warm tones in your hair to create a base that supports the additional process. The second step will balance or enhance those warm tones to give a rich and even end result. Not following this process could create green, blotchy or muddy end results. That is less than desirable.

When things are just totally out of hand and you need some major help…
Let's go with the scenario that your hair is a hot mess! It’s already blotchy, green, faded, orange or a little of all of the above. Did you do it yourself or were you the victim of someone posing to be a professional colorist? Professional salons take this process of corrective hair color very seriously. All you need is a little bit of time consulting and some patience with the process. With commitment from you and professional colorists, you can get that fantastic new color you are looking for.

But remember, corrective color is more expensive. And, as we have explained, it can be quite the process. So, now that you know what to expect, we have one question: What are you waiting for?

Leave a comment

All comments are moderated before being published