Color Correction

Earlier this month I received a call from one of my client's friends (May) needing me to fix her hair. May tried out a new stylist and wasn't happy with the results. She expressed to me she didn't want to go back to him to have her hair fixed because, she didn't want to hurt his feelings. After she explained what was wrong, I asked May to come in to see me so I could get a better understand the hair dilemma.

The picture of Jessica Alba May showed me.

During my career I have fixed many a hair disasters, self inflicted and professionally done. Every experience is a new challenge of which I enjoy. Personally, I don't think anyone without a license should color their own hair. Most end in disaster and they come to me to fix it. In the matter of a professional job gone wrong it's usually miscommunication or their (the stylist) lack of education.

May came in to see me and upon first look her hair didn't look that there was much wrong. She explained to me she went to this stylist because she bought a deal online for a discounted service. That was her first mistake.  She didn't like that the hi-lights were not close to her scalp and when she wore her hair back it was obvious. This was a style she commonly wore. She wanted her hair shorter and showed me a picture of Jessica Alba. This same photo she showed the other stylist. I asked May if this was the way she wanted her color as well? She said yes, please fix it.

As I moved through May's hair I could see that, yes the hi-lights were far from the scalp and spotty. She told me he back combed her hair and applied the hi-lights. I'm sure this was a factor to why they were far away from her scalp and spotty. I found this to be a strange approach. As for her haircut, it was longer than what she had asked for. She wanted it to be a little longer than the above picture.

May's hair before the previous stylist cut and colored it.

After the previous stylist colored her hair (these photos were taken by him)

After looking through her hair is was clear to me the stylist lacked the proper communication stills and education. He was afraid to cut her hair too short, so he left it longer that she wanted. He also cut a heavy side bang and one disconnected layer on top. As for the color, he used a technique he wasn't skilled at. I have never heard of doing hi-lights this way but, I can tell you the results were not good. The color of the hi-light was nice but the placement had no rhyme or reason. He didn't ask May how she wore her hair on a day to day basis. If he had asked this he would have known placing hi-lights too far away from the scalp and not on her part would be obvious. When he finished her hair he flat ironed her hair making his mistakes not noticeable till she styled her hair herself.

This is what I did for May. I cut her hair to her shoulders and thinned out the top layer and bang; helping it blend in with the rest of the cut. For her color, I ombred the back of her hair to brighten it up with out feeling too bright. I explained to May is wasn't possible to fixed every spot with out making her hair lighter. She didn't want her hair lighter, so I fixed the spottiness as best I could. I also fixed the hi-lights that were too far away from her scalp. I finished with a base bump at the shampoo bowl to blend the hi-lights with her natural color.

May was very pleased with what I did with her hair. As you can see this looked closer to what she wanted but tailored to her. When a client shows me a picture of what they want to ask as many questions as I can to make sure we have the same vision. Even when a client comes to me and says "Do whatever you want" I still ask questions. I would also like to point out that looking for a deal on your hair isn't the best idea. If you want a quality job done you have to pay for it. In May's ordeal she ended double paying for her hair.

May's hair after I fixed the cut and color

Side view of her corrected hair

My advice to Hairstylists is to ask questions and know what your capable of doing. Don't put yourself in a situation where the client feels you don't know what you are doing. You know your skill level and if you aren't comfortable with a new technique, don't do it. Also have confidence in yourself and your skills. My hair mentor taught me this mantra " l control the hair. The hair does not control me"

Love your hair. Love yourself.

The Royal B

Ask The Royal B

"You know you have a loyal client when they tell you, 

"I think about you every morning while I style my hair". 

 - The Royal B

Recently my closest and most wonderful friend shared with me a beauty article about hair glossing. She was curious if she should and could do this herself. Her question got me thinking, "who do women ask for hair advice?" My first thought was their stylist, of course, but what about those who are in between stylist? Where do you turn? Beauty Magazines? Friends? The internet?

I clicked the link she shared with me and read. At first it seemed the article was explaining how to put a store bought glossing treatment on your hair at home. They shared pictures and step by step instructions--the end result was beautiful! When read more carefully, its clear that the glossing treatment used on the model is not the store bought brand the author recommends, but a gloss made for professional use. When it came down to it, they were selling a product they actually didn't use on their model and using a different product to show you what results you "might" get. And did I mention that product was applied by a stylist? Hardly the situation you'd find yourself in a should you try this at home, by yourself.

It got me thinking about how many people don't know that most beauty articles are trying to sell you something and hook you under the guise of showing you how to do it yourself. It's easy to fall prey to these types of articles because 1) everyone wants beautiful hair, and 2) everyone wants to save time and money by doing it themselves if they can. Unfortunately, this article allows people to continue to forget to ask the most important question: Will this work for me and my hair?

Ultimately, I advised my dear friend to get a cellophane put on her hair by a professional. Her hair has a wavy texture, which does well in a beach climate but ends up going frizzy in the drizzly Pacific Northwestern city she lies in. Cellophanes come in different colors (including clear!) and can be put on virgin or colored hair. It's a waste of a clients money when there is a better, more permanent solution available. 

I prefer to put cellophanes on my clients hair over a glossing treatment because the latter generally doesn't last as long. Glossing treatments aren't permanent like cellophanes. Because they eventually wear off, I feel it's a waste of a client's money when there is a better, more permanent solution available. 

I know everyone's best friend isn't your stylist, but I'm happy to give you, wonderful readers, my professional opinion. Feel free to send me pictures of your hair and any haircare questions you might have. I love to help people create their individual look-- even if it's helping you to translate your ideas into a language your stylist will understand. Just as with any other specialized profession, stylist have their own language and it can be tricky to gauge a client's understanding of that language, making communication difficult. I can equip you with the right words to use with your stylist so you are communicating better.

Love your hair. Love yourself.

The Royal B

Copy Write 2014-2015

Remember to have your hair cut every three months

“Interviewer: 'So Frank, you have long hair. Does that make you a woman?'

Frank Zappa: 'You have a wooden leg. Does that make you a table?” 

― Frank Zappa

The average amount hair can grow a month is half an inch. Every one's hair grows at different rates and styles require different maintenance. You would think its easy to determine the right amount of time between cuts. Not the case. The forth commandment of haircare is Remember to have your hair cut every three months.

If you have short hair or have a style the requires more maintenance, and depending on how much your hair grows a month; you should get your hair cut every 4 to 6 weeks. For those with long hair you should go no longer than three months between haircuts. I recommend this amount of time because your hair begins to get dry and break. Also the hair has lost its styles after that amount of time. Cutting your hair doesn't help it grow longer, but it helps it stay nice as it grows out. If your hair and scalp are happy your hair will grow better.

The choice is yours when it comes to your hair and how much money/time you want to invest in it. Your hair is an investment in

self

. Keeping your hair up doesn't have to be a task unless you want it to be. Having a good hair cut will save you time styling and make you feel great. 

Love your hair. Love yourself.

The Royal B

Copy Write 2013-2015

No person shall conduct a chemical service on thy self

"It's a new challenge to see how people can change your look. I like words like transformation, reinvention, and chameleon. Because one word I don't like is predictable."

-Naomi Campbe

ll

Everyone has had that day when they look in the mirror and think "I need to change my hair" or "my roots are horrible". You desperately run out to the store to buy hair color. For some this ends up being a happy accident. Then there are the unfortunate disasters who end up in my chair. The second commandment of hair hare is No person shall conduct a chemical service on thy self.

We all know we shouldn't be doing our own hair. We learned the color wheel in grade school but, you don't understand hair color theory. Your chemistry class in high school didn't teach you the chemical process of a perm or straightener. Hair color, perms, and straighteners are chemicals only trained professionals know how to use.

When you chemically process your hair you are committing to keeping up that process and colored hair isn't natural anymore. Even if the box says it only last 30 washes. Color removers will not magically return your hair to its natural state. Why are you risking all of this when you can go see a stylist?

Hair stylists are trained to use these chemicals. Stylists have been through color theory and understand the coloring process. This is why my first commandment "thou shalt have a stylist" is so important. Ask your stylist before you want to change your hair. I know financially everyone can't afford this, but your hair is an expression of self. Honor your hair and respect yourself by seeing a stylist.

Love your hair. Love your self.

The Royal B

Copy Write 2012-2015