Learning By Heart - Blog from Modern Salon Learning

Communication comes first, strand testing comes second and not making promises you are unable to keep will keep you our of trouble.

Many ethnic clients look wonderful in deep auburns, cherry, burgandy and red-reds. You should be able lift level 1's & 2's to level 4's with any number of coloring products and 40 vol developers.

If the hair is not previously chemically relaxed and is more like a level 1, essentially natural black, you are probably going to have to prelighten with a bleaching product. Level 4 to level 5 will give you a great canvas for a second application of color.

If you over lighten and remove too much natural red pigment, you are going to look orange.

OK what I am saying here is that highlighting with reds is perfectally acceptable for many ethnic clients and is a good learning platform for an inexperienced stylist.

Hispanic hair that has not been relaxed is very forgiving when it comes to breakage. You could bleach it up to near pale yellow if you have lots of time on your hands. This would be a good platform for a more tawny gold to red gold blonde.

Afro American Hair that has been relaxed is fragile. If you are bleaching for blonde on this type of hair I think you are heading for breakage.

Consider the following. If you must have a blonde, Use products that are designed for high lift and require the least amount of processing time. These are probably going to be off the scalp powder bleaches. Read the manufacturers instructions. If they don't specifically allow for higher developer volumes, stick with 20 volume. Obviously, we are talking about a foil application off-the-scalp.

Start at the nape and work towards the apex and crown. If too much time elapses, process only this much. Process the top and crown using another scession to prevent any over processing. The nape and back of the head will usually take longer to process.

Make a record card of file on your computer and patch test your client always.

Strand testing a client is not a sin nor does it make you look inexperienced. Bleaching that 1 small subsection of hair will answer many of your concerns before you ever start. You could even do a patch test and a strand test while working another client; however, make certain that you have all of the time and materials on hand before you start this process.

Listen to your gut, if a client is asking you to do something that your strand test tell you not to, don't do it. A client release form is always handy to have around. One safe and profitable solution would be a hair extension of precolored hair.

I hopr this helps. Years ago I ruined 2 different heads of hair using color. It probably hurt me worse than it did my clients. I made a swatch board of hair that I collected from several haircuts ranging in levels.

I virtually colored and bleached hundreds of strands taking notes on timeing and tonal results. Time and money well spent.

A client will smell fear on your like dead shrimp. You are always in a much better position when you are confident in what you are doing.

I am very good a many things hair; however, to this day when ever I get a job outside of my expertise I refer it to someone better qualified.

To repeat a point for another poster's reply, confidence is essential. There's a lot of truth behind the saying "Fake it, til' you make it."

That confidence comes from higher education, experimentation and, unfortunately and most commonly trail and error. If you have obtained a position, find out the brand of color your employing salon uses. Then watch for classes from that company (call the company itself or check with you local distributors). The company's educators are a valuable resource. Call the technical hotline for that company, that's what they are there for.

Secondly, I always save swatches from different types and colors of hair that I cut off other clients (or off the same client, if they are thinking of a new color but aren't 100% sure, nothing convinces them like seeing a great color on their own hair). There are always tubes of color that only have a smidgen of product left in them. Utilize them, you don't need much to make a formula for a swatch. Buy a cheap notebook at Wal-Mart, and keep notes and tape the swatches in there, soon you will be able to "predict" results, not just "hope."

Thirdly, I applaud you for caring more about maintaining the quality of your clients hair, than in your own pocketbook. I mix Moroccan Oil in with all of my bleach for highlights, pre-lightening, etc. The hair is in much better condition, the powdered bleaches are smoother and more consistent, and several clients who used to have to be toned come up to a much nicer shade on their own.

I hope this helps,

Dawn
New Dawn Hair Design

get your basics down!!!!! know your color wheel inside and out, know your levels systems inside and out!!!!!! i''ve been a colorist for 20 years and i use to teach color for redken for 13 years. it always surprised me how people who claimed to be great colorist didnt even no the basic, like the color wheel!!!! i do believe once you know this, u can take any challenge that is thrown at you. really go out of your own way to learn them, its not hard. my motto is "the difference between a good colorist and a bad one is....a good one never panics cause we know how to fix it and a bad one doesnt." school doesnt teach you enough about the chemistry of hair color but usually the color line that you use will. condition of hair is the same.....once you know the basics its easy. you'll know what treatment you can use...just never stop learning and the confidence in yourself will come.