The Ultimate Guide to Colour Correction:

Strategies for Fixing Common Hair Colour Mishaps.

By Kristina Russell

Hairdressers are no strangers to the ever-evolving world of hair colour. While it’s true that colouring hair can be a transformative and confidence-boosting experience for your clients, it can sometimes lead to unexpected challenges.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out in the world of hairdressing, you’re likely to encounter hair colour mishaps. Fear not! In this comprehensive article, we’ll explore various strategies to correct common hair colour issues and ensure your clients leave your salon with a smile.

UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF COLOUR CORRECTION:

Before diving into specific techniques, it’s essential to have a solid grasp of the fundamentals of colour correction. Colour correction typically involves adjusting or neutralising undesired hair colour tones.

These unwanted tones can manifest as too warm, too cool, too dark, or too light shades. Understanding the colour wheel, colour theory, and how hair colour pigments interact is crucial. Here’s a quick overview:

1. The Colour Wheel: Hairdressers should always refer to the Colour Wheel when formulating. The colour wheel is divided into warm and cool tones. Warm tones (reds, oranges, yellows) are opposite cool tones (greens, blues, violets) on the wheel. Understanding this can help you identify and neutralise unwanted undertones or better understand how to layer colour when wanting to enhance accompanying undertones.

Tonal families on the colour wheel are colours that are adjacent to each other. For example, in the red-orange-yellow section of the wheel, you’ll find a range of warm tones. Toning with colours from the same tonal family can help enhance and intensify the existing hair colour, especially when formulating for Redheads.

2. Levels: Hair colour is often classified by levels from 1 (black) to 10 (lightest blonde). Understanding levels is crucial for correcting hair colour issues and achieving the desired shade. It’s important to develop a deep understanding of the underlying pigment and undertones for every level when you’re lightening hair, toning, or filling when taking hair darker.

3. Complementary Colours: To neutralise unwanted undertones, you can use complementary colours on the colour wheel, which are situated opposite each other.

If your client’s hair has warm undertones (e.g., orange, or yellow), you should use a toner with cool or complementary colours (violet or blue) to counteract them. If the hair has cool undertones (e.g., green, or blue), use a toner with warm or complementary colours (orange or yellow) to balance the tones.

Here are some situations that would require you to lighten in colour corrections:

- Correct bands or banding

- Remove direct dyes

- Remove unwanted dark packet dye or build-up of salon colours

- Warm base breakers that look spotty or dark in areas

- Removing the wrong (or miscalculated) toner

- Stripy foils that need softening

- Boosting blonde ends with extreme lightening that happens in one day

- Green hair that needs to return to blonde

- HOT ROOTS that are brighter, warmer, or lighter than the rest of the hair

- The client requests to start growing out their solid colour and turn grey

Here are some situations that would require you to go darker in a colour correction:

- Go darker or tone-on-tone if your client has breakage or extremely damaged hair. It’s just not worth attempting to take this type of client lighter regardless of what their existing colour is

- Correct or cover banding by going darker

- If a client has attempted to bleach their hair at home, you will probably need to dye their roots darker to blend with mid-lengths and ends if the undesirable hot roots has occurred

- Going darker can cover poorly covered greys or translucent bands from home hair dyes or miscalculations when attempting grey coverage in the salon chair

- Low-lighting or downlighting can add depth when darker tones are painted into foil techniques

- Blonde hair can lighten too much over time with colour being overlapped in a salon or due to sun exposure and can benefit from darker glosses or toners and lowlights

- Redheads may need to go darker every few visits to the salon if their base colours lighten to a new hue, for example, an Auburn Red that fades to a Ginger would need to be darkened back down to a Level 6 Red

Common Hair Colour Mishaps And How To Correct Them

Let’s explore some common hair colour mishaps and the strategies to rectify them:

1. Brassy or Too Warm Tones

Brassy tones, often appearing as unwanted yellow or orange hues, can be a result of fading or improper application. To correct this issue, you can:

- Use a purple or blue toning shampoo to neutralize yellow and orange tones.

- Apply a toner with cool undertones to balance the warmth.

- Advise your clients to use sulfate-free, colorsafe shampoos to maintain the corrected color.

2. Too Cool or Ashy Tones

When hair turns too cool, with a grey or greenish cast, it’s time to warm it up:

- Choose a warm-toned hair colour with underlying red or golden hues.

- Add warmth with a colour gloss or glaze.

- Educate your clients on proper at-home care to maintain the corrected colour without overdoing it.

3. Uneven Colour Distribution

Uneven colour is a common issue, especially in DIY attempts. To even out the colour, consider these approaches:

- Use a colour remover to lift excess pigment.

- Apply colour strategically to the areas needing correction.

- Always conduct a strand test to predict the outcome.

4. Too Dark Hair Colour

If the hair has turned too dark, here’s how you can help your client lighten it:

- Use a colour remover or lightener to lift some colour.

- Gradually add highlights or lowlights to create dimension.

- Provide an aftercare plan to maintain the colour and ensure it doesn’t become too light over time.

5. Too Light Hair Colour

Conversely, if the hair is too light, and your client desires a deeper shade, these correction methods are valuable:

- Choose a demi-permanent or semipermanent colour to add depth without causing further damage.

- Opt for shades one to two levels darker than the target colour.

- Advise your client on how to maintain the new hue with gentle care routines.

6. Foils are too stripey or balayage is not a seamless blend

Foiling does not equal stripes. Balayage is not always blended and seamless. If you’re wanting to fix a harsh line or stripey foils, these formulation tips will help you:

- Try using a couple of variations with your favourite bleach mixed with 2 different strengths of peroxide for a customised texture that your clients will love.

- Opt for toners with 2 levels in variation for each zone for noticeable texture without extreme jumps in colour depth for foils, ombre and balayage.

- Use a Lightening Toner (aka Base Bump) or Scandi Hairline technique around your client’s face to reduce the contrast of fresh hairline foils with their natural hair.

Top Tips For Successful Colour Correction

In the world of hairdressing, colour correction is an art that requires expertise, patience, and a solid understanding of the science behind hair colour.

By following these strategies and maintaining open communication with your clients, you can ensure that any hair colour mishap becomes a stepping stone to achieving the perfect shade. Your ability to correct and transform hair colour will undoubtedly leave your clients looking and feeling their best.

Before applying any colour correction methods, conduct a strand test to predict the outcome and avoid unwanted surprises. My pro tip for you is to ask your client to come in for a face-to-face consultation with a test strand in the salon before making an appointment for any colour transformation or correction to allow me time to do a few test strands.

Testing out exactly what you’re considering doing ahead of the colour application appointment will assist you to know how to quote effectively and profitably, and to feel confident ahead of time you know what formula and approach to take.

2. Consultation is Key: Effective communication with your client is essential. Understand their desires and preferences and provide realistic expectations regarding the correction process.

3. Gentle Formulations: When correcting colour, use gentle, conditioning formulas to minimise damage to the hair.

4. Post-Correction Care: Educate your clients on post-colour correction care, including the use of temporary toning products, prescriptive shampoos and conditioners, and regular conditioning treatments.

5. Continual Education: Stay updated with the latest hair colour trends and techniques. Attend workshops and seminars to refine your skills. Listen to inspirational podcasts. I might be a little bit biased, but I think Colour Kristina Talks Podcast for Hairdressers is one of the best industry podcasts.

There are more than 160+ episodes to choose from, including hair colour education, colour correction conversations, marketing, social media, personal branding, pricing, and self-care strategies for hairdressers, plus so much more.

Now is the time to transform your relationship with formulations & hair colouring, make more money and uplevel your salon colour clientele in every way imaginable.

I have flexible education pathways suitable for every learning style with online programs and in-person events. Take a look at my website if you’re a hairdresser or salon owner, suite owner, booth renter, commission stylist, self-employed freelancer, newbie to the industry or salon professional with years of experience.

Please reach out to me to enquire about attending a class or hosting me in your space in 2024 for a hands-on workshop or demonstration session. I will be touring across Australia and internationally.

Learn more about my Brand Free Colour Academy for Hairdressers at www.kristinarussell.com.au

Send me a DM on Instagram at @colourkristina

Subscribe and listen to the Colour Kristina Talks Podcast on iTunes or Spotify.