Only your hairdresser knows…you’re lying

Only your hairdresser knows…you’re lying

So I’ve been doing hair for around 17 years now, and I think I’ve seen everything that a client can bring to the chair.  I’ve seen young women come in with orange roots and white ends.  I’ve seen red roots and black ends.  I’ve seen green, mauve and violet hair, colors that usually are reserved for flowers.  When I see these colors I feel very bad for the person of which these hair are attached.  Normally when the color mistakes are so apparent the truth is impossible to ignore.  The client usually admits that they had a few drinks with their bestie, found an old box under the vanity and thought it would be a great time at 3 in the morning to “streak” their hair.  I don’t have any issues helping these clients.  They made an honest mistake at home and need my help.  Usually they have learned from the mistake and are willing to go through the steps to fix the situation.

Then there are the liars.  I know this is harsh, but usually when you ask someone a direct question and they knowingly misinform you, that’s a lie. Some of them may honestly be so deceived by themselves or by marketing they may not know any better.  But we need to know the truth in order to perform the right service.

Here’s the normal situation as it goes:  A client is looking for some sort of chemical service, usually a major change; let’s say going lighter or blonde.  We will take a close look at the hair during the consultation and figure out what we need to do to get as close to the desired result without damaging the hair.  It is at this time when we’ll ask the client their past history.  If we see ANY sort of banding, we know some sort chemical affected the hair.  It’s a pretty simple fact, hair grows approximately 1/2 inch a month.  If there is a any sort of line of demarcation, we know there was something “done” to the hair,  and we can tell when it happened by how far it is away from the scalp.  When we ask the client why this band exists, they can’t give a reason.  When we’d tell them that something had to be put in their hair to create this band they will not admit to anything.  I’ll repeatedly ask the question and they’ll repeatedly plead their innocence/ignorance.  So  here’s some information everyone needs to know.

Anything, from a box color to a” highlighting” shampoo that causes any visible difference in your hair color has permanently altered the hair structure.

“Sun-In” or anything like that, especially highlighting shampoos and conditioners have any variety of alkaline chemicals that diffuse your natural pigment.  Beware of these products since they may contain sodium hydroxide, which is a relaxer.

Any color from a box that is made from 2 or more components that are mixed together have some sort of peroxide component.  Peroxide oxidizes your natural pigment, so if there is any alkaline in the formula, you will get lift.

Many box colors say that they last 24 shampoos.  Simply put, if your color is changed by a box and if you grow out roots, it is not temporary.  The hair structure has been permanently affected.

When hair is colored, it is permanently affected till it is is cut off.  You may cover blonde hair with brown pigment, but it still behaves as blonde hair, with all it’s inherent damage.

So when a client lies to me, they may not know that they have introduced chemical into their hair.  But there is no reason to hide any details, and ANYTHING that you put on your hair, no matter what the box says must be taken into consideration.  When we ask you questions about what has happened to your hair for the past year or so, we need to know everything so we can make the right decisions for your services.

So next time you come in to get any chemical service done, be completely honest with your colorist.  We can read the history of your hair and there is no need for deception.  After all, we have your best interests in mind.  As they say; the truth will set you free. A lie may break your hair!