Coloring your hair can be a scary process. Whether it’s your first time taking the colorization plunge or you have done it dozens of times since buying your first box of “Blonde Bombshell” in high school; there are a lot of unknowns that can make the process daunting.
If you are a coloring virgin or veteran you probably have questions, let us provide a few answers.

What Is The Benefit Of Salon VS Home?

This is a debate that you have probably heard time and time again, although the pros and cons list is long, the answer comes down to a few major things: the condition and integrity of your hair, the ingredients of the products, and the risk of over processing.

When you color your hair at home you run the risk of over processing from leaving the color in too long. This can cause all sorts of problems, from a “gooey cuticle” to a broken strand.

The biggest problem for home kits, however, is that brands can be tricky when it comes to listing the ingredients for their haircolor. Although they may not be listed, they can still include things like sulfates which, among other ingredients, can be harmful to your hair.

In the end, salon color is more often safer than the at home option. Not only are trained professionals handling your hair, but they also have access to professional products. At Salon Branca, we utilize L’Oreal Professional. L’Oreal Professional hair color that is available in salons is sulfate free and works hard to keep their formula gentle on hair.

While some “sulfate-free” home dyes exist, they can be full of additives that cause similar problems. To avoid the risk of major damage to your tresses, book an appointment at a salon.

Are Hair Coloring Chemicals Harmful?

No matter if you have your hair colored in a salon or at home, the chemicals used can be harmful. While the chemicals in box dyes are far worse than what you will find a salon, you are still changing the color of your hair, and that process can cause damage.

Cosmetologists go to school for a substantial amount of time and there is a reason for that. There are so many aspects, from application skills to chemical knowledge, that you can not learn from a box. Box color doesn’t take anything about YOUR hair into consideration, stylists have mastered that knowledge so as to help cause the least amount of damage to your hair during this process and keep it healthy.

This is yet another reason that getting your hair colored in a salon is so important. Your stylist can take into account the type and condition of your hair so as to formulate the healthiest and best color for you. By understanding your hair the stylist can help keep it hydrated and healthy.

I Want to go From Black to Blonde – Can I?

Short answer: Yes. Long answer: Not in one visit. Going from a dark colored hair to a light colored hair can be a trying process, with many rounds of bleaching being needed to accomplish your desired shade. All of that bleaching and stripping can take time and cause major damage to your hair. Unless you want to end up looking like Tony the Tiger™, take your time and let your stylist handle the complexities of what could potentially turn into a very traumatizing situation.

Why Should I Take my Skin Tone Into Consideration?

No matter your skin tone you can pull off any color. That said, your skin tone will play a big part of the shade that will compliment you best. By working with a stylist that can personally mix a color that is not only unique to you, but complementary to your tone, you can get the perfect color, and a unique look that screams “you.”

Could My Hair Color Look Different Than the Swatch?

Anything can affect the coloring process and cause changes in shade, tone and dimension. The biggest caveat of these changes comes from the starting color of your hair. Fortunately if you go to a salon, it is your stylist’s job to know and foresee any issues that could arise in your hair coloring process. By working with you they can understand your hair and how it will react with the coloring process to give you your own unique color.

How do I Keep the Color From Fading?

There are a few things you can do to keep your color from fading.

• Wash Less– Utilizing dry shampoo and washing your hair less can not only extend the life of your hair but increase the overall health.
• Use Specialized Products– Products made specifically for color treated hair exist for a reason – and this is it. By using these products on your color treated hair you will help retain the shine and deep color for longer.
• Condition. Condition. Condition.– Moisture tends to be the rule for hair and nowhere is that more true than in color processed hair. Going swimming? Condition. Washing your hair? Condition.
  Conditioning will not only keep your hair healthy, but keep that color strong and happy.

How Often Should I Get My Roots Touched Up?

Hair grows. It’s what it does. When it grows you get not-so-beautiful roots that need to be taken care of. Ideally, you can safely re-color your hair every 3-6 weeks, and that is about the time table to keep to when doing root touch-up so as to avoid chemical damage.

Why is a Consultation Important?

While you can schedule an appointment at any time to get your hair colored, it is highly recommended to schedule a consultation. Often, consultations are free of charge and will give you and the stylist extra time to plan for the work to come, and to completely understand your hair and answer any questions or concerns that may be on your mind! This can not only give you better service, but better care and protection for your hair and the color it will hold afterwards.

Whether your nerves are settled or still a little rumbly, schedule a consultation, and let us guide you through the process. One of our skilled stylists would love to sit down with you and help you find not only the right shade but the perfect plan to get there!

We can help make your hair color dreams a reality. Contact us today to get started.