Choosing+the+Right+Color

=Choosing the right color for your client=

When choosing the correct color you need to take the following into account:

media type="file" key="basecolor.mp3" width="240" height="20" The base color is the color that they are currently. You will be determining level (1-10) and tone (warm, cool, or neutral). You will also need to determine if the client's hair color is natural or whether they have had it previously colored. Be aware that many clients will say that their hair is not colored because it has been over 3 months since they have colored it. All this means is that the last three months of regrowth are not colored, the rest of their hair is still colored.
 * Determine the Base Color **

**Determine the Target Color** media type="file" key="targetcolor.mp3" width="240" height="20" What color does the client want to go. Remember it is important to use pictures and color swatches at this point since what your client calls a medium red may not be at all what you would call a medium red. It is important to make sure that you both understand what the target color is.

**Determine Type of Color** media type="file" key="colortype.mp3" width="240" height="20" Are you going to be using a temporary, semi-permanent, demi-permanent, or permanent color for your client?

**Determine the Formula (Color and Peroxide Level)** media type="file" key="formula.mp3" width="240" height="20"
 * Click here for a Flow Chart that will help you to choose the correct color formula.
 * Click here for a Flow Chart that will help you to choose the correct Peroxide Volume for your formula.

 Is the client going darker with the color. No problem, you can choose the target color from your salons color and use either a 10 or 20 volume peroxide.  Keep in mind that a 10 Volume peroxide will have no lift, 20 Vol will have one level of lift, 30 Vol will have two levels of lift, and 40 volume will have three levels of lift. If the client wants to go more than 3 levels lighter than their natural color, I usually recommend a bleach first to bring the level of color to the desired color.

 Is the client going lighter? How much lighter? If they have had colored hair before and they wish to go lighter they will need to bleach or color strip the old color since **color won't lighten color.** This process is beyond the scope of this course and I would not try this at home without a journeyman hairstylist with you.  If your client has natural hair (virgin hair) then you need to look at the Contributing Pigment at the level you wish to lift to and determine if you want to cancel out (drab) the Contributing Pigment or if you want to keep or enhance it. If you are drabing (cancelling out the Contributing Pigment) choose a color that has a base with the Complementary color to the Contributing Pigment. For example, if your Contributing Pigment is Orange and you want to cancel that color, choose a color with a Blue undertone.

 You will have to refer to your color companies color formula to determine what the underlying tones to each color are. It is one of the frustrating things when color companies use names rather than numbers and letters. For example, Auburn Brown tells me nothing about the color, whereas a color 6RV tells me that the color is a level 6 with a Red Violet undertone. Most professional color companies use the number and letter system but very few store bought colors do.

On the next page I have given you three different scenarios for you to practice with. Try figuring out what color selection you would choose first before clicking on the answer page.