When it comes to salon appointments here at Black Pearl & Co, we believe that the consultation is one of the most important parts of the appointment. A good consultation is what allows your stylist to be able to deliver your desired look. It also helps to set expectations, so you’ll know exactly what to expect during appointment.
Timing and cost
A consultation covers the time that the hairdresser will need, which also plays into the final cost of the service. A hairdresser’s time is very valuable, as we have to be able to have the time in our day to deliver the service.
A thorough consultation clears up any cost concerns relating to the service. It also allows for the hairdresser to express how important the 48hour cancelation fee is, as this time is valuable and may not be filled at short notice.
Extra services that are tied into “timing and extra costs” include treatments, toners, extra colour charge, 2nd bleach application and more.
Products
During the consultation process, we will discuss with you the products we recommend to maintain your desired look. This includes home aftercare that is designed to care for the hair and help with condition after chemical services.
Without the correct products, your results won’t last as long and the colour will likely fade quickly with the use of supermarket brand products. While the products we recommend are more expensive than something you’d pick up at the supermarket, these products are an investment, and because the ingredients are more concentrated, will last longer.
Not only do supermarket products tend to fade colour quicker, they can also cause a build up of chemicals that can react to salon use colours, tints, bleach and toners. In some cases, clients may be turned away from a chemical reaction with supermarket shampoo and bleach. In order to correct this, a salon cleansing shampoo needs to be used for 2 weeks before the colour appointment can be re-booked.
Reality of transformation
The consultation covers the reality of the service; aka, whether your desired look will take one appointment, or regular appointments over a 6 month period.
Again, this is important to help set clear expectations from the get go. For example, if you’re thinking about going from brunette to blonde, it’s likely that you will need multiple colour sessions to achieve your desired shade – after all, beautiful blondes aren’t born in a day!
Condition
The condition of your hair can have a huge impact on what will be required during your salon appointment. With your consultation, this allows us as the stylist to see, feel and examine the hair before any chemical work is done.
We will also discuss the history of your hair, to get a thorough understanding of what techniques, processes and colours will be needed to get your desired result.
We encourage all of our clients to book in for a free consultation before a first colour session. Otherwise, please arrive to your appointment at least 5 minutes beforehand so we have time to discuss your hair needs.