You’re having a colour change? How exciting!

Here's everything you need to know about the process, including some possible challenges that could arise along the way. But stress not, our skilled team is here to tackle any hiccups and ensure a great end result!

• Going from light to dark

• Going from dark to light

• Having a colour correction

Please read this document carefully and make sure that you fully understand and know what to expect.

Remember these are all the “could happens” our expert stylists will make sure every stage is beautiful and choose the safest option for your hair!

Please understand these apply to any colouring service. 

1. A colour change won’t happen overnight, it will take time!

When lightening it can take up to and beyond 3 months to lift out artificial pigment especially box colours or direct dyes. The underlying pigment in natural hair and artificial hair is red so it takes time to remove this pigment from red to orange, then to yellow to blonde. 

Which is why we suggest doing an in salon colour eliminator service before your colour appointment with us!

What is a colour eliminator?
Colour Eliminator is a “no bleach” colour removal alternative, able to remove up to 4 levels of artificial colour without sacrificing the quality and integrity of the hair. Colour Eliminator removes only artificial colour by reducing and dissolving the colour molecules within the hair shaft. Which helps us get a much better result with your lightening service!

2. To lighten dark and/or black hair to white won’t happen in one sitting unless you're Kylie Jenner and have heaps of $$$$$$$, want a short haircut or are prepared to wear partial wigs. It's just not chemically safe. 

3. It will be a WORK IN PROGRESS

DARK TO LIGHT
There will be some very "warm" stages, in other words it probably will be more browny/orange than blonde. Sometimes the change might seem very minimal if the pigment in your hair is “playing hard to get out” and you may leave with just a few shades lighter.

There may be some damage or breakage.

Although we do our best to insure your hair will stay in the best condition possible you may find your hair will be more dry and a little less shiny. You will need to do regular treatments, an intensive Olaplex treatment or K18 is highly recommended before lightning and in between visits. It’s SO important you are using salon quality products at home between your visits. 

If Your hair is in a stressed and weakened condition when you walk through our door it may mean we can’t initially push the hair very far , so results will be slower. We may even not be able to use lighting products on your hair straight away.

LIGHT TO DARK
Colour Absorption:
Lighter hair tends to be more porous, which means it may absorb colour differently compared to darker hair. This can lead to variations in how the colour takes, resulting in slightly different shades throughout your hair. However, it's worth noting that the unbleached, natural hair often accepts colour more readily, which can contribute to a more seamless and vibrant result. Our stylists will closely monitor the colour development and make necessary adjustments to ensure a harmonious overall outcome.

Colour Fading: 
Darker hair colours may fade quickly, especially if you expose your hair to excessive sun, heat styling, or use improper hair care products. To maintain your darker shade, our team will provide personalised advice on post-colour care, including recommended shampoos, conditioners, and treatments to minimise fading and keep your colour looking fresh.

Uneven Colour:
When going from lighter to darker shades, achieving an even colour can be a challenge. Different areas of your hair may respond differently to the colour application, resulting in variations in the final outcome. Our experienced stylists will carefully assess and adjust the colour application as needed to minimise any unevenness. In some extreme cases the colour may not accept at all.

Unexpected Tones: 
Depending on your hair's undertones and the colour used for the transformation, some unexpected tones may appear during the colouring process. For example, if your hair has warm undertones, it may show hints of red or orange when transitioning to a darker shade. 

Colour Intensity:
Achieving the desired intensity of the darker colour can be challenging, especially if your hair has been previously lightened or treated with bleach. It may require multiple colour applications or additional techniques to reach the desired depth.

Approval of Natural Hair Growth:
It's important to note that as your hair grows, the more unbleached hair is visible, resulting in a natural hairline and root growth. This can add depth and dimension to your overall look and is often embraced as a desirable outcome. Additionally, the unbleached, natural hair tends to accept colour better, enhancing the richness and longevity of the darker shade. Our stylists will discuss strategies for blending the natural hair growth and maintaining a seamless transition.

COLOUR CORRECTIONS  (INCLUDING DARK OT LIGHT/LIGHT TO DARK)
As mentioned above whether going darker or lighter we are at the mercy of your hair. If we are correcting a hair disaster from another salon or a weak moment where a packet dye has called your name, we want to make sure we maintain the integrity of your hair! As we aren't starting with a blank canvas, it may take a couple of visits to get your ideal colour while we “clean up the mess” (so to speak)

You have to ride out some "awkward" stages to live your hair dreams!!

4. PROTECTING YOUR HAIR!
We do use Olaplex and K18 in the salon but it doesn't mean we can make your hair blonde in one day (actually we can but it would take all day, maybe the next one AND all of your money!)

These treatments simply allow us to push the colour without any extra damage to your hair BUT it still takes time!!! 

As we mentioned its super important for you to be taking good care of your hair at home! The healthier your hair, the more we can do and if we see you once every 10-12 weeks then you need to be taking care of your hair between visits. 

Say goodbye to supermarket hair products, they are bad news!
(Full of terrible ingredients and chemicals, they may be cheap but they make your hair sad)

Your stylist will go through some hair care options with you during your service, specific to your hair’s needs. 

We have a team of AMAZING colourists but what we can achieve in one visit says more about your hair, it’s condition and previous colour history than it does about us. Patience is a must.

Sometimes the change might seem very minimal if the pigment in your hair is “playing hard to get out” and you may leave with just a few shades lighter. 

5. IT COULD GET EXPENSIVE
You may need colour eliminator to first take out some artificial colour followed by whatever lighting process you may need. There will be more home hair care required with salon professional products. The possibility of future maintenance may also be increased, so more visits to the salon and more steps involved when you're there.

Consider regrowth especially with very blonde looks. Scalp bleaches need touching up of a minimum of every 5 weeks.

A colour change can involve a lot of time, work, and skill. Consequently, it can be expensive.

6. Most direct PIGMENT DYES can NOT be bleached out especially blue (this can actually turn bright green when bleached Yikes!) These include Fudge and Manic panic type of colours , semi mouse , colour shampoos and conditioners. Removal of these colours is a much lengthier process with a lot more steps.

7. DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE ONLINE.
We love a good inspo pic! But they're not always what they seem. Everything, from the angle, perfect lighting, to the filter to the sometimes shameless Photoshopping, is staged.

You may have seen a dark to light transformation video on instagram? What they probably didn't show is the 8+ hours (or multiple visits) between the before and after… or the condition of the hair after (eek) Your new doo will look fabulous, but it may not look exactly like your Instagram or Pinterest vision. So be inspired, but also be realistic about outcomes.

8. Toners, glosses and pastel colours FADE FAST.
The porosity of your hair, our Aussie climate swimming , sun and home haircare all play a factor in length of time these will last. You may find that sometimes they can fade with one wash if your hair is particularly fragile or porous.

9. HENNA DYES
If you have previously used henna to colour your hair please advise the stylist. We cannot colour over any henna. If we do it can smoke burn and basically have a major chemical reaction. Neither of us want that!

10. When foiling, whether adding highlights or lowlights, the hair will only be coloured where the foils are placed so you will still have the original colour between the foils.

This is a lot of information to take in at once! So please ask us any questions you may have.
A change is always exciting, we just like to be super uproot and transparent with the process so there’s no surprises once you start your journey.

Roca xx