I’m a hairdresser AMA

[LorelaiRoryEmily]

Since there have been a few hair related threads lately I thought people might have questions.
Totally prepared for tumbleweed

@tipsytrainee46 I wouldn't chop it now! Take maybe an inch off or whatever it really needs to look healthy and solid at the ends. Then trim it every couple of months, just a tidy up to keep it neat. Make sure you trust your hairdresser to only dust the ends of it.

A treatment every week is always good and make sure if you colour your hair that the colour is as you want it for the wedding.

I’ve worked out how to name change after so I can post a pic of my face. Don’t post anything particularly exciting anyway even if I’m outed
This is my current hair colour, it’s a bit of a gingery light brown with about an inch of mouse brown root. As I’m now getting divorced I’d really like to change my look, new me and all that cliche!

Oh and last time I had it cut the hairdresser put in layers that are too short, so I’m attempting to grow them out a bit..
I appreciate any advice how to look a bit better!!

@Mamabird3 great! I’d go a little shorter in the length, and brighter! But honestly I think you look fab already! So take it up about 2 inches and maybe try a balayage, darkish root and some blonde/caramel freehand hilites through it. Would be fab on you!

@LorelaiRoryEmily what treatment would you suggest using? I'm a redhead and never coloured my hair in my life - so would just be something to keep my hair looking bright and vibrant

@tipsytrainee46 I’ve always wanted to be a redhead! You could try the Schwarzkopf BC colour save or repair rescue treatments, both fab! Or Moroccan oil products are great too!

I am loving this thread! You're being so helpful to others that I'm tempted to ask my own question :)

My hair is originally dark brown and I started going grey at 18 (I'm now 41) and it's nearly all white now. I box dye it shades of red and brown at home.
As you've mentioned already, red is a bugger of a dye that fades quickly. What are the ingredients of a shampoo that I should avoid? And do you recommend any in particular?
Thanks :)

@loveaspiring ah thank you! Reds are so difficult to keep aren’t they? I would avoid anything that says anti dandruff, clarifying, deep cleansing etc. sulphate free is always good but a professional brand, even one with sulphates will always be kinder to your colour. Avoid the well know supermarket brand beginning with P! L’Oréal elvive would be one of the better supermarket brands in my opinion.

Will do Lorelai, thanks. 😀

Hi op thank you for answering so many questions! I have bleached hair that is naturally curly. I’m desperate for a shampoo/conditioner to save my dried out hair! I’ve seen you recommend Schwartzkopf bc colour save but I can only seem to find colour freeze which it says has warm pigments? My hair is naturally dark golden blonde so has a lot of natural warmth which I’m trying to kick out as I really like my hair pearly blonde and I’m worried the colour freeze will revive the natural warmth in my roots (trying to leave it as long as possible in between root bleaches). Could you possibly link to the colour save one of one you’d recommend for bleached hair? Thank you!

Hi @Princessfaffalot they changed the name of colour save to colour freeze🤦🏻‍♀️ My mistake. I always remember the old names!

Anyway to answer your question you shouldn’t use shampoo for coloured hair on hair that is blonde/bleached. Try the Schwarzkopf BC fibre force. It is amazing and I’m fully confident it will help with the condition of your hair and it absolutely will not add any warmth to it. It’s for damaged, weakened hair.

Hi Lorelai, I've been sent here from a thread I made last night about my hair disaster!

3 pics attached - the first is what I asked for (whilst understanding that I couldn't go that light/ashy overnight, my natural colour is dark brown so it would take a few goes), the others are what I got over 2 appointments.

I was prepared for an interim stage, but I'm surprised at the universal orange of the front view! I don't seem to have any of my natural colour left in the front lengths, christ knows where the next appointment will take me?!

Did I ask for the impossible, has this gone wrong and does it need fixing...or do I stick with it and ask for some of the dark colour to be put back IN at the next one?!

Thanks!

Just to add, it seems to be rather a high ombre than a balayage, which was the look I was going for. I showed the hairdresser about 20 pics but he looked bored.

I used to have beautiful, fine hair that was so shiny it was like a mirror. Now I am in my 40s and have a good amount of grey hairs I have blonde/light brown highlights in. My hair now has none of the lovely shine any more it is thicker thanks to the dyed greys but it is quite frizzy.
Please could you suggest anything to get back the shine? Should I use a shampoo for fine hair, coloured hair, dry hair or grey hair? I tend to use Tesco shampoo/conditioner, is that any good or do i need an expensive one? I have got some Argan oil which I use but it just makes my hair greasy. I tend to wash it every 3 days and leave it to dry on its own.
Any tips to make my hair look in better condition?
Thanks so much.

@HildaIida are those two pics from two separate appts? It looks to me like he just bleached/lightened in some way the entire midlengths and ends of your hair.

In the picture of the back it isn’t too bad, could possibly be toned but probably still wouldn’t match the picture of what you wanted.

The picture of the front, to be blunt about it, the colour is terrible. It doesn’t look professionally done and it is ten million miles away from what you requested. There isn’t a strand of darker colour in it.

The next appointment would take me to a new hairdresser to be honest. I would Contact him and send those pictures to him, and ask him what his plan is to achieve what was requested. Let him know you’re not happy and see what he’s prepared to do about it.

Your hair is ginger! I’m actually disgusted that that’s what he let you leave the salon with when you’d shown so many pictures.

@Redpostbox lighter colours don’t tend to look as shiny as dark unfortunately but the tesco shampoo definitely isn’t helping. Supermarket/cheaper shampoos are really made to clean and that’s it.

If frizz is your problem then solving that should help restore the shine.
Schwarzkopf smooth perfect shampoo, conditioner, treatment will all help.

If you invest in the treatment too remember
it’s shampoo first, towel dry and apply treatment, comb through and wrap in a towel, leave for 10/15 minutes, rinse, towel dry again and apply conditioner, comb through and rinse!

Also when styling, make sure you have a nozzle on your hairdryer to direct airflow and always direct downwards to help smooth. Hope this is helpful!

No they are both from the 2nd - my first appt was proper balayage with a different hairdresser and it was fine, just very subtle (see pic) - when I tried to make a 2nd appt she seemed amazed, like she never intended for me to actually go back (when I said shall I book my next appt now, she stared at me and said, can do I suppose??) so I thought sod you then, I'll go somewhere else. Hence the 2nd one being with a different stylist, and I went for a consultation first and left it 6 weeks. The 2nd one used Wellaplex and the condition is pretty good.

I don't have the energy to get into a tussle with them, I'll just go elsewhere (again). What do I do though, shall I stick to the plan?

@HildaAlida definitely stick with the plan. I can’t see why it wouldn’t be achievable, maybe ask for recommendations for the next one though. Find someone who’s really good at colour and who’s interested in the return business. Pop in and speak to them to make your appt. show your pics and gauge the reaction you get. I bet you’ll find one like me, I love jobs like this.
Make sure you tell them what you don’t like about what you currently have. Ask questions.

Can you do this?
Can you get me close to it?
How many visits will it take to achieve this look?
Can you replace the darker colours through the ends?
Will you freehand or use hilites?
Can you kill out the ginger?

Why do hairdressers always just want to cut long hair all off and not just the trim we asked for. I've never had a good experience, can you tell.

How much money do you make, OP?

Ok, thanks LorelaiRoryEmily...how long shall I leave it? Do I have to walk round like this for 6 weeks, or sort it sooner and risk breakage?!

Trouble is I'm going to be really mistrustful now, I've said for years that I feel more relaxed about going to the dentist than I do the hairdresser!

Don't suppose you still work as a hairdresser and you're based on the South Coast are you

@LorelaiRoryEmily

Thanks for your advice I now have lovely hair

@origamiunicorn don’t tar us all with the one brush🤣🤣 some hairdressers just love the chop! No idea why to be honest

@Russelsprout Im self employed. I make about €350 a day. Salon Bills come out of that but they’re pretty small luckily. Christmas is amazing. I can make €2000 a week in December.

@HildaAlida I’d probably chance having it redone ASAP. 6 weeks is a long time to have hair you hate. A good hairdresser will be mindful of condition and advise as to what is safest now.
I am still working but I’m in Ireland! Right in the middle of it🤣🤣 you’re welcome to visit