Let us just start right off the bat with the biggest misconception - showing up for your color appointment with dirty, greasy hair. I do not know where this suggestion came from but, I would think it just creates more work for the chemicals to penetrate through the dirt and grime to finally, the hair strand. So…
DO show up with clean hair.
You can even take this a bit further and clarify your hair if you feel it has a lot of build up or old color in it. One of my favorite clarifying/detoxing hair hacks is to shampoo your hair with Dawn dish soap.
DON’T go in with an expectation to look like your Pinterest picture.
Pinterest is our worst enemy, but how else are we supposed to get inspo? I feel as though too many times we scan Pinterest and Instagram to come up with a picture that we want and most of the time, you are not going to look like the picture. Our hair is not created equal and a lot of factors go into transforming it from point A to B. From your hair color, texture, history, thickness to the hair stylists tools, techniques and product lines. It is hard to determine how light your highlights or balayage will success to until you just do it and sometimes you just have to except where it stops, otherwise you are entering damage zone.
DO let your hairstylist do what they are best at.
Sometimes by best work comes when the client just gives me a couple inspiration pictures or tells me a little about what they are looking for, and lets me roll with it. When there are too many cooks in the kitchen, the final result can turn out messy.
DON’T stray from your lane.
For the best results, stay within your color family with going only 1 to 2 shades lighter or darker, with different tones of course.