What is a color correction? You may have seen photos floating around social media that show Khloe Kardashian transitioning through several stages of her hair color to achieve a cool, icy blonde. This is the perfect example of a color correction, although it is an extreme transformation from 2 ends of the spectrum, but something we see quite frequently! (Scroll to the bottom of this post to see the photo and a few photos of color corrections from our team!). Correcting color, adjusting tone or making a big change can have varying degrees of involvement, commitment, maintenance and toll on your hair. If you are thinking about taking the plunge into making a big change from dark brown to light blonde, or maybe you attempted an at home hair color that didn’t turn out quite like you planned, here’s what you need to know to prepare for the color correction process.

Having Realistic Expectations

It’s important to come in and chat with one of our stylists with a complimentary consultation to determine if the results you want are in the realm of possibility. If your hair is over-processed from previous chemical services or heat damage from the flat iron, pushing the envelope to achieve a big change may not be possible, immediately or at all.

Commitment

A drastic change from dark to light, or removing color that you or another professional did that turned out completely unexpected can take time, it’s a marathon not a sprint. To protect the integrity of your hair’s health it may take several appointments with time in between (weeks, or even months) to achieve the end result. During the in-between stage from appointment to appointment your hair may not look anything like you what it to look like in the end. Our stylists will explain to you what your hair will look like in stages to get from where you are to where you want to be. It’s kind of like painting a wall from black to white, it will take priming, base coats, sanding and the final product is finally a nice white wall.

It’s a Science

There is a lot that goes into formulating for a color correction. Like the previous example I mentioned of painting a wall from black to white, there’s a few steps it must go through. First there is prep work, making sure the hair is in the prime state to handle what is to come by doing what we call a “strand test”. During a strand test the stylist will see what your hair can handle by coloring a small strand of hair, noting how fast the hair lightens, how well it takes color or how much stress it can handle. The results of the strand test will give us a good idea of the steps we need to take. Next is priming your hair, trying to remove as much as possible to start with a clean slate, while still keeping the hair healthy, this can take a few appointments. Next is starting to correct and manipulate what is left in the hair: warmth, red tones, uneven color, etc. and lastly is maintaining the end results and setting up a plan for future appointments and products at home. Which leads me to one of the biggest parts, your homework:

Homework

The color correction process goes beyond the doors of the salon, it takes homework from you to keep the process going. Using professional products that our stylists recommend will keep you hair in prime condition to go through multiple processes. Over-the-counter products from the grocery store or that you’ve ordered off Amazon may claim to work miracles, but may not be what you need to nourish and re-deposit moisture back into your hair. The products we use are full of wholesome, plant-based ingredients that are of the highest quality.

Patience

It’s hard to be patient when you want your hair to look a certain way immediately, trust me, I’m the person that wants a change immediately, it’s hard to wait. But in the world of color corrections being patient can mean your hair stays stronger, healthier, and has less breakage and damage. Again, this is a marathon not a sprint and will likely take multiple appointments.

When making the decision to color your hair a home, we recommend thinking twice. Not only will seeing a professional know exactly where to place the color, may use different shades throughout, and has the knowledge to specially formulate specifically for YOU, it’s a relaxing experience that you owe to yourself. We look forward to seeing you and helping guide you through any color correction questions you have!