The work that goes into a great salon outcome begins before you sit down in the chair. Knowing how to prepare for your appointment makes your stylist's job easier and ensures you get the most out of your time and your investment.
Come In With Your Hair in Its Natural State
Avoid heavy styling products on the day of your appointment. Dry shampoo, hairspray, and heavy serums can interfere with color application and complicate a stylist's assessment of your hair's texture and condition. Come in clean or with naturally dry hair. For color appointments, we ask that you avoid washing your hair the morning of. One to two days of natural oil on the scalp is actually protective during lightening services.
Gather Reference Photos
If you're trying a new color or cut, bring reference photos, multiple if possible. Collect images of colors you love and colors you've hated. Show your stylist both. Context matters: a photo of a model with a balayage at a specific lighting angle tells your stylist about the tone, the placement, and the level of brightness, but your stylist will interpret it based on your hair, not the model's.
Know Your Hair History
Your stylist needs to know what has been applied to your hair in the last 6–12 months. This includes box color, professional color, keratin treatments, perms, relaxers, and any chemical service. Box color, in particular, behaves differently from professional color and can produce unexpected results if your stylist isn't aware of it. Honesty here is essential for safety.
Wear the Right Clothes
Wear a button-up or zip-up shirt you don't mind getting color on. Avoid white or light-colored tops. Bringing a hair tie or clip in case your hair needs to be up for part of the appointment is helpful.
Arrive On Time
Color appointments especially have precise timing requirements. Arriving 10–15 minutes late means the color may need to be rushed or part of the service may need to be skipped. If you're running late, call ahead. Your stylist can sometimes adjust the schedule, but only if they know in advance.