We know times are tough, but unlike manicures, pedicures and waxing, which can easily be done at home, haircolor is not something you should scrimp on. Coloring hair is truly an exact science and even the slightest amateur mistake can leave you looking less than fabulous. And after all, professional colorists go through years of training for a reason — because there’s a whole lot more to the process than simply painting on color. Still not convinced? Here are five great reasons to trust your tresses to the pros.
1. All Hair Is Not Created Equal
Home haircoloring kits are designed to work on everyone’s hair (coarse, fine, curly, oily, dry), which means they’re not personalized like salon color. And since you’re not getting a professional consultation, you’re basically taking a leap of faith that your crowning glory will turn out looking like the picture on the box. Plus, certain sections of your tresses need special attention during the coloring process, like the ends, which tend to suck up color much faster than the roots. A pro colorist takes this into account when custom blending color, sometimes using a permanent formula at the roots to cover grays and a demi-permanent version on the body of hair for shine and dimension.
2. You’ve Got Blonde Ambitions
Most at-home haircolors only lighten hair up to two shades, so going blonde is really best left to the pros, since bleaching and toning may be necessary. What’s more, a truly flattering blonde is one of the more difficult shades to achieve, so consulting a pro that’s experienced and trained in color theory will assure a happy ending. For example, many pros use special techniques to create just the right blonde, like tone-on-tone highlights (meaning your hair is first colored a medium blonde and then lighter highlights are added).
3. You’re One Of A Kind!
In most cases the color you see on a box in a drugstore is not the color you get, unless you start out with exactly the same haircolor shown on the package. And considering the unique subtleties in every woman’s hair (how much red she has, how much ashiness) that’s a pretty tall order. The color chart on the box also doesn’t factor in all the other variations a professional colorist does, like a client’s skin tone, eye color and eyebrows.
4. Color Correction Costs!
Imagine a $10 mistake turning into $250 in repairs. “Fixing a botched color job always costs the client more than if I just did their color properly in the first place,” says Aura Friedman of NYC’s Serge Normant Salon. Plus, if you’re not happy with something your colorist does, it can usually be fixed free of charge.
5. The ‘X’ Factor
Ask yourself (and be honest): Have you ever looked in the mirror frustrated by the fact that you can’t give yourself a blow-out as smooth and flawless as your stylist? Well, hair color is no different. No matter how much of a beauty maven you are, your skills are no match for the expertise of a pro. The bottom line is, if you can afford to visit even a smaller, mid-priced salon for color, go for it. You’ll be glad you did.
