Hush salon | Beauty and the Brain

Have you ever gone to the salon excited about getting your hair colored only to leave feeling ok about it? Then you go out that night and not one single person notices your “new look”. Don’t get me wrong I think it can be a good thing when color looks so natural and seamless that it’s virtually unnoticeable. However, most days when we are spending 100+ we want to see a small change at the very least. Here are a few ways you can take control of your hair color experience and get the results you are looking for.

ONE: Do your research. Find a salon that values education and is passionate about the services they are performing. Here are a few I recommend
St.louis- Matthew Robert color + design
Tampa- Shear Art Salon and Spa
Spring Hill, FL- Loft 352
Allentown, PA- Revive
Bethlehem PA- Patrick McIvor color studio
Philadelphia- Hush salon
NYC- Cutler
Toronto- The Alcorn

TWO: Arrive on time! A professional colorist has a tight schedule. Being even 15 minutes late can completely ruin their schedule and it leaves less time to perfect your look. Be considerate.

THREE: Coloring “dirty” hair does not result in good hair color. Product build up and natural oils can stand in the way of your new color. It is best to arrive with clean dry hair. If your salon offers a clarifying service be sure to book this before your next appointment for optimal results.

FOUR: Bring pictures and be specific. At Matthew Robert we have an entire wall of up to date inspiration pictures. This allows us to point out overall looks or tones/ colors that our guest love or hate. If your salon doesn’t have an inspiration wall be sure to bring your own pictures. It’s always great to have a visual of what the guest really wants. What is red to you may be gold to me.

FIVE: Protect your color after you leave the salon. Always use what your stylist recommends, they have a close relationship with your hair and see things you don’t. Trust your professional as you would your doctor! You can also ask for a color protecting conditioning treatment like Redken’s Chemistry Shot. This treatment can last up to four weeks protecting and conditioning the hair. It also balances the ph after a chemical service closing the cuticle down locking in the color molecules.

SIX: Last but not least PREBOOK your appointments!! Nothing is worse than long overdue color. We can cover your gray but we can’t stop it from growing.

Hair grows about a 1/2 inch per month trimming it or not. Trimming keeps the ends clean and free of split ends. Although, if you don’t want to sacrifice any new growth just be gentle to your hair by keeping up with your professional salon treatments…aka shampoo/ conditioner formulated for your hair type, weekly conditioning mask, and leave in protection serum.

The less heat the better, but if you must just make sure to protect your hair with the proper prep, style, and finishing products. Once you have a personalized system of hair care products there is no need to keep trying new ones.

Consistency is key. Give your hair time to respond to all your new goodies. As far as how often you should get a cut, 8-10 weeks is long enough to gain some length but short enough to fight off those nasty split ends before the travel up the strand.

Some great salons to get a makeover….

Matthew Robert Color + Design St Louis, MO www.matthewrobertsalon.com